Dr. Yutaro Fujimoto of the Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute (FFPRI), a member of the SATREPS VaryAla Project (Output 4), traveled to Madagascar in August to conduct field research.

During this trip, field surveys were conducted in Ankarafantsika National Park, Madagascar, to better understand forest structure and changes in tree species composition in the forests located upstream of paddy fields. The second tree census was carried out in a 15-hectare long-term monitoring plot established in primary forest. Researchers assessed the survival status of previously recorded trees, remeasured trunk diameters, and reconfirmed species identifications. In addition, the team visited areas affected by large-scale human-induced fires that have recently occurred around the study site and exchanged views with local researchers on their impacts on natural vegetation.