In the heart of every forest, ferns whisper the ancient tales of the earth.

This report details the outcomes of the Phase II tree fern fieldwork in Madagascar, conducted under the Maxwell/Hanrahan Foundation Grant in July 2025. The expedition began in Antananarivo, or “Tana,” which served as the staging point before moving into the forests. From there, our team carried out extensive surveys across central highlands, eastern rainforests, and northern reserves, documenting fern diversity, ecological patterns, and habitat conditions while coordinating with local collaborators and conservation groups.

The 2024 fieldwork in Madagascar focused on documenting fern species in and around Antananarivo, the capital city that acts as a gateway to the country’s extraordinary landscapes. This phase of the study included revisiting earlier collection sites, refining survey methods, and establishing baseline records for long-term ecological monitoring. Highlights included the identification of rare species in the central highlands and detailed observations of habitat variation across forest edges and river valleys.