About the Journal
Focus and Scope
Madagascar Conservation & Development (MCD) is a peer-reviewed, diamond open-access, multidisciplinary journal dedicated to the dissemination of research, conservation practice, and sustainable development initiatives concerning Madagascar and the Western Indian Ocean islands, including the Comoros, Mascarenes, and Seychelles.
The journal publishes original research articles, reviews, short communications, conservation and development notes, perspectives, book reviews, and reports addressing terrestrial, freshwater, coastal, and marine environments. Contributions are welcomed from the natural and social sciences, as well as from interdisciplinary approaches that advance understanding and management of biodiversity, natural resources, conservation, livelihoods, governance, and sustainable development.
MCD encourages submissions that contribute to evidence-based conservation and development practice and that are relevant to researchers, practitioners, policy-makers, and local stakeholders.
As an electronic journal, MCD encourages authors to take advantage of digital publishing opportunities, including the use of colour illustrations, supplementary datasets, appendices, multimedia files, and other materials that enhance scientific communication and transparency.
Peer Review Process
All submissions undergo an initial editorial assessment by the Editor-in-Chief to determine whether the manuscript falls within the scope of the journal and complies with the journal's submission requirements.
Manuscripts passing this initial screening are assigned to an Executive Editor who oversees the peer-review process. Each manuscript is evaluated by at least two independent reviewers.
MCD operates a double-blind peer-review system in which reviewers do not know the identity of the authors and authors do not know the identity of the reviewers. Editorial decisions are based on the scientific quality, originality, relevance, and clarity of the manuscript.
All correspondence related to peer review is handled electronically through the journal's online submission system.
Publication Frequency
MCD publishes one or two regular issues per year. Articles are published online as soon as they are accepted and finalized and are subsequently assembled into complete issues. Special Issues may be published independently throughout the year.
Open Access Policy
MCD provides immediate and permanent open access to all published content on the principle that free access to scientific knowledge promotes research, conservation, education, and informed decision-making.
The journal follows the principles of the Budapest Open Access initiative and does not impose subscription fees or access restrictions on readers.
Publication Fees
MCD is a diamond open-access journal. Authors are not charged submission fees, article processing charges, publication fees, or page charges.
Research Ethics, Conflict of Interest, and Professional Conduct
MCD is committed to maintaining the highest standards of scientific integrity, research ethics, and professional conduct.
Authors are responsible for ensuring that their research complies with all applicable legal, ethical, and institutional requirements, including permits, ethical approvals, informed consent procedures, and animal welfare standards where relevant.
Authors must ensure that all necessary research permits, collection permits, export permits, ethical approvals, and institutional authorizations have been obtained prior to conducting the research.
All authors must disclose any actual or potential conflicts of interest that could influence the conduct, interpretation, or presentation of their work.
As a condition of submission, authors must confirm that they have read and agree to abide by the journal's Code of Conduct:
The journal reserves the right to reject, withdraw, or retract manuscripts that violate accepted standards of scientific integrity, including plagiarism, data fabrication, data falsification, unethical research practices, failure to obtain required permits or approvals, or undisclosed conflicts of interest.
Researchers should confirm that their research conforms to the high standards set out by any reputable source, such as the guidelines included in the following:
Madagascar Conservation & Development MCD's Code of conduct
British Sociological Association http://www.britsoc.co.uk/
American Sociological Association, http://www.asanet.org/
Association of Social Anthropologists of the Commonwealth, http://www.theasa.org/
Social Research Association, http://www.the-sra.org.uk/
French Mammal Society, http://www.sfepm.org
Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Tools
Authors who use artificial intelligence (AI) tools during research or manuscript preparation must disclose such use in both the cover letter and the manuscript.
The disclosure should specify the tool used, its version (when available), and the purpose for which it was employed. AI tools may assist with language editing, coding, data processing, or other technical tasks, but authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, integrity, and proper citation of all submitted content.
AI tools cannot be listed as authors.
Authors are encouraged to consult MCD's discussion of opportunities, limitations, and ethical considerations associated with AI-assisted scientific publishing:
Wilmé, L., Waeber, P. O., De Grave, A., Ganzhorn, J. U., Llopis, J. C., Kull, C. A., Gardner, C. J., Salmona, J., Hending, D., Moutou, F., Razafindratsima, O. H., Radespiel, U., Lourenço, W. R., Schuurman, D., Ratsimbazafy, J., Camara, C., Jenkins, P. D., Ferguson, B., Raherilalao, M. J., Richard, A. F., Sparks, J. S. and Lowry II, P. P. 2025. Position statement on the use of AI in scientific writing and publishing. Madagascar Conservation & Development 20, 1: 6–9. https://journalmcd.com/index.php/mcd/article/view/995
The journal reserves the right to request additional information regarding the use of AI tools where necessary.
Editorial Office
Madagascar Conservation & Development
Editorial Office (Principal Address)
Missouri Botanical Garden (MBG)
Madagascar Research and Conservation Program
BP 3391
Antananarivo, 101, Madagascar
Mailing Address
Institute and Museum of Anthropology
University of Zurich
Winterthurerstrasse 190
8057 Zurich
Switzerland
Funding and Support
MCD is an independent diamond open-access journal.
The journal currently receives no external financial support and does not generate revenue through subscriptions, publication fees, or article processing charges. Editorial management, website hosting, and journal administration are supported through voluntary contributions by the editors.
The journal is published using Open Journal Systems (OJS), an open-source journal management and publishing platform developed by the Public Knowledge Project (PKP).
Historical Support
From 2006 to 2010, Madagascar Conservation & Development received support from the Jane Goodall Institute Switzerland and Madagascar Wildlife Conservation to facilitate the publication of manuscripts submitted by authors from developing countries.
