Deforestation for slash and burn agriculture will have destroyed much of the remaining Eastern rainforests of Madagascar by 2020. Forest conservation outside of protected areas is only possible if it is economically favourable for local people. In many areas eco-tourism is not feasible and well-managed resource use may be the only option.

This project will investigate whether forest products, when sustainably exploited, can give intact forest an economic value which exceeds the reward from clearance. Work will focus primarily on honey bee exploitation, but the results of other studies of forest product exploitation will also be used.