Off The Beaten Path: Obstacles to Success in a Community-Based Conservation and Ecotourism Project in Ankarana, Madagascar

This thesis examines a Community-Based Conservation and Ecotourism (CBET) project, known by the acronym KOFAMA (Kopa’beny Fikambanana Ankarabe Mitsinjo Arivo), operating in northern Madagascar. Developed in 2007 by local residents and a Peace Corps volunteer, KOFAMA was designed to foster community cohesion and participation, while creating awareness of environmental conservation in rural areas. In this thesis I address some of the obstacles that have faced those involved in the planning and execution of this project. Through ethnographic research and in-depth comparisons with other community-based projects operating in Madagascar and around the globe, I argue that although community dynamics play a role in the success of an enterprise, equally important is how such community projects fit into the local regional tourist economy