Due to its long isolation the African island of Madagascar has an extremely rich biodiversity with more than 85 percent of the species being endemic. One famous example is the lemur Aye-aye (Daubentonia madagascariensis) living in the forests on the east coast of Madagascar, which in part belong to the Mananara-Nord Biosphere Reserve. The people living in this area still grow vanilla –one of the world's most precious spices– in the tropical rainforest using traditional cultivation methods. In more populated areas people mainly cultivate rice, which is the major staple crop of the country. The area is a good example of how population size influences landscape construction. In order to preserve the unique biodiversity of Madagascar addressing the needs of local people is extremely important to promote an economically and ecologically sustainable development.