This book examines the history and impact of environmental change in Madagascar. Drawing on interdisciplinary, ethnographic methodologies, the book presents local and global perspectives on current environmental changes and their drivers, from mining to development and deforestation. The book emphasizes the embeddedness of Malagasy peoples’ social relationships with the natural environment, and contrasts this with the way the Malagasy environment is viewed by international conservation organizations. Through the presentation of concrete case studies, the contributors assess the current controversy over the history and nature of human impact on the environment in Madagascar, and offer innovatory insights into how these controversies, which plague current policy making, can be settled.

"This book bridges the divide between the natural and the social sciences in a way that has rarely been done before and it is thus a must for anyone interested in conservation issues. It will take time to read, but it is worth the effort every page." Dr Eva Keller, Department of Social Anthropology, University of Zurich, Switzerland. "Pollini takes the reader through a labyrinth of empirical data without losing hope that such a complex system can eventually be managed better if all of the relevant stakeholders find ways to hear each other more clearly and cooperate while respecting each others needs. Few studies have either this scope or depth and Pollini sets the bar for future work on environmental sustainability very high indeed." Davydd J. Greenwood, Goldwin Smith Professor of Anthropology, Cornell University. "Pollini's book is a major contribution to Madagascar studies. It documents in exquisite detail the lives and opinions of the people immediately affected by forest development. It should stand for a long time as a major landmark in studies of development and forestry in a tropical country." Eugene N. Anderson, Professor Emeritus of Anthropology, University of California Riverside.