As Executive Director of the biodiversity organizationMadagasikara Voakajyand recent winner of theTusk Award for Conservation in Africa2021,Julie Razafimanahakais something of a conservation warrior for Madagascar ’s autochthonic mintage . During her 16 year in the field , she has lend towards establish four protected areas in the Ambatondrazaka district , easterly Madagascar , an authoritative home for colonies of flying slyboots .

Here , she tells IFLScience more about her honour - win work with Madagasikara Voakajy , without which the Mangabe rainforest might front very different today .

How did it find to be shortlisted for the Tusk Award for Conservation in Africa ( Razafimanahaka ’s win had not been announced yet ) ?

I was delighted to be shortlisted for the Tusk Award for Conservation in Africa . Since I knew I was shortlisted , I have been watching all the films of the formerTusk Awardwinners . They are all awful the great unwashed doing amazing work . I am honored to be part of this family of hero . This award assures me we are going in the right counseling while dissemble as a monitor that there is still a long agency to go .

( IFLScience has not had a chance to mouth with Razafimanahaka since the Tusk Award announcement but would like to congratulate her on this victory ! )

Can you tell us about some of the key milestones on your project so far ?

I have move from running a projection to running an organisation with multiple projects . We have move from being a inquiry governance to a research and conservation constitution , produce protect areas for specie conservation in Madagascar . We also avail to support hoi polloi and species within and around the protected sphere .

Any funny story ?

I think the funniest story from my life in the field of study was presently after I took over as the director of Madagasikara Voakajy in 2012 in Menabe Region , western Madagascar . We had a project betroth child from main schooling to implant and look after baobab trees that we called “ My Tree ” .

I was in the theater of operations to stick with up the activities . My squad was there in procession and had already separate the instructor and parents that the theater director would come to see the project . I make it and we greeted each other , went to see the planted trees and speak with the kid , parents and teachers .

I ca n’t remember on the button why but Félicien , the projection leader , did n’t have time to infix me as the director at the beginning . So , towards the end of the visit , about two hours later , as we were taking the last photos of the nipper with their trees , the parents and teacher asked me “ Félicien said that Madagasikara Voakajy ’s director is total today . Where is he ? ”

Any challenging bit on the job ?

Three days after I read over the direction of Madagasikara Voakajy , three core members of the organization pull up stakes about six month aside . I was blaming myself because I mean that was because I was not a good leader and key partner would plausibly stop working with us . Luckily , those partners reacted differently . I was very surprised that some of them even said that it is normal that people go out their line , that this might be good for the organisation and advised me to take care at it from a dissimilar angle . I recognise the economic value of this advice a few class later .

What ’s your most precious bit of kit ?

Not specifically wanted but I never entrust the house without a lipstick . I have one in well-nigh all of my bags as well as my desk in the role !

What ’s one piece of advice you ’d give to someone want to enter on the same career ?

If you want to venture on the same career , my advice would be to listen to yourself and make all enticement to do thing differently happen . You may fail , you may succeed . The most important thing is that you have learned to do things better .