Fetra Randriatsara

PhD candidate

Thesis topic: Using palaeoecology to reconstruct vegetation and manage conservation plan in the dry forest, northwestern Madagascar
Supervisors: A/Prof. Lindsey Gillson, Dr Estelle Razanatsoa

Background
For the last five years, I was a Project officer at the Kew Madagascar Conservation Centre (RBG, Kew), working closely with local community on Agroforestry in the central highland and on ecological restoration in the Southwest of Madagascar. Since 2009, I was a research assistant in the Southern part of Madagascar on lemur feeding behavior, biodiversity conservation and educational environment. 

I studied Natural Sciences at the University of Antananarivo and obtained high school teaching certificate, Master equivalent (2010). I am a TBA (2011) ‘Tropical Biology Association’ alumni, participate in several workshop, fieldwork and research concerning grassland and fire ecology in the central highland of Madagascar. I carried on my study on ecology and got the MSc degree on fire ecology in the School of Agronomy at the University of Antananarivo, Madagascar (2014).

Research interests
I started studying ecology and botany in 2012 through courses and fieldworks such as grass identification and savanna tree ecology and forest restoration. During my part time work as researcher assistant, I have increased my skills on environment education in a remote region of Madagascar. I have worked on biodiversity conservation and livelihood improvement in the areas where people are living in proximity of protected areas for three years. For two years, I have been helping local communities in the west region of Madagascar to improve their livelihood and conserve the remaining forest thought a project funded RBG Kew. I am also interested on the forest restoration, biodiversity conservation and evolution of ecosystem to find out a better conservation management plan. 

Publications:

  1. Rakotonirina, L. H. F., Randriatsara, F., Rakotoarisoa, A. H., Rakotondrabe, R., Razafindramanana, J., Ratsimbazafy, J. and King, T. 2013. A premiminary Assessment of Sifaka (Propithecus) Distribution, Chromatic Variation and Conservation in Western Central Madagascar. Primate Conservation. 11p.
  2. Randriatsara, F., Ranaivonasy, J., Ratsirarson, J and W.J. Bond. 2014. Ecological importance of fire on grasslands dynamics in the central highland of Madagascar. University of Antananarivo. Madagascar. 56p.
  3. Trani, C., Randriatsara, F., Bond, W. J. 2011. Plants adaptation in fire prone patches in dry decidious forest, western Madagascar. Tropical Biology Association. 15p.