iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

oloNala @olonala.bsky.social · 27/06/2026

Some recent reptilian visitors near the construction site of the oloNala art residency! Did you know - #Madagascar is home to around half of the world’s #chameleon species, including both the biggest - the Parson’s chameleon (Calumma parsonii) - and the smallest - the nano-chameleon (Brookesia nana)

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Reposted by oloNala

IMPACT Madagascar @impactmada.bsky.social · 27/06/2026

Happy #InsectWeek! Insects are an often overlooked yet vital part of Earth's ecosystems. Madagascar has some of the wildest bugs on the planet (Like this Giraffe Weevil!), but many face threat of extinction. Next time you see a spider inside, safely put it outside. Every small action counts! 🕷️ 💚

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oloNala @olonala.bsky.social · 26/06/2026

Arahaba tratry ny asaramanitra! 🎉🇲🇬 Happy Independence Day, #Madagascar! VOI Mitsinjo and Tanamasoandro Women's Collective were representing at the parade in Ranomafana town today 💚 📸: Jennifer Hacking

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oloNala @olonala.bsky.social · 14/06/2026

☀️ Some great examples of the food chain from the Nature Center students! It's been so wonderful seeing the ways in which each student uses their colors and imaginations to create their own works from the same lesson. Next up in #naturejournaling - adaptation and the power of camouflage! 🎨 🦎

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oloNala @olonala.bsky.social · 24/03/2026

A big welcome to Mme. Josiane Rakotonirina who joins us as oloNala's Education Coordinator! She brings decades of experience in conservation as former Director of Ranomafana National Park & we’re very lucky to have her on our team to share her expertise and passion for Ranomafana with the students!

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oloNala @olonala.bsky.social · 09/01/2026

Herzlichen Dank to the Dresden University of Fine Arts & Professor Barbara Wille for the opportunity to highlight the works of artists in Madagascar‘s #contemporaryart scene, Rasolo‘s journey as a self-taught Malagasy artist, & explorations into the synergies btwn #art and #nature #conservation! 💚🎨🇲🇬

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oloNala @olonala.bsky.social · 07/01/2026

Sunlight streams through the windows of the art residency as Eddy, a member of the construction team, prepares bricks for the window arches ☀️ Photo by Alain Rasolo #artresidencyprogram #comingsoon #madagascar

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oloNala @olonala.bsky.social · 29/12/2025

Between nature journaling to breaking ground on the art residency, to building a relationship with VOI Mitsinjo, we’re so excited to see what the new year brings.

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oloNala @olonala.bsky.social · 29/12/2025

with the new year coming up, we can't thank you all enough for supporting oloNala and following along as we grow here's to more creativity and curiosity in 2026! 🪲💚

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oloNala @olonala.bsky.social · 11/12/2025

Join us in backing VOI Mitsinjo, a grassroots conservation collective! Even just sharing this post with friends & family is a massive help, and raises awareness of the awesome locally-led conservation work happening in Ranomafana, Madagascar 🇲🇬🌳 Donate here: secure.givelively.org/donate/olona...

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oloNala @olonala.bsky.social · 25/11/2025

Honored by a visit from esteemed artist & studio cat Gomez this morning! He's always dreaming about his next masterpiece 💭🐭🎨

A white cat gently places a paw on a paint brush, sitting atop an artist’s desk. Art supplies can be seen in the background

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oloNala @olonala.bsky.social · 15/11/2025

The second floor of the oloNala #ArtResidence is well underway! The arched windows facing the Namorona River will be fitted with stained glass thoughtfully arranged in designs emblematic of Malagasy culture - the Ravenala palm & Masoandro (the sun) - translated as the "eye of the day" ☀️ 💛

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Reposted by oloNala

Lemur Conservation Network @lemurnetwork.bsky.social · 14/11/2025

#FunFactFriday: Meet the Lac Alaotra gentle lemur—the world’s only primate that lives exclusively in wetlands! 💧 📷: Deb Bradley

A Lac Alaotra gentle lemur clings to bamboo, gazing curiously through the reeds.

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oloNala @olonala.bsky.social · 05/11/2025

Many thanks to @lemurnetwork.bsky.social for donating two sets of the game - it's a fantastic resource for learning more about the primate species that call #Madagascar home.

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oloNala @olonala.bsky.social · 05/11/2025

October marked our first month as members of the Lemur Conservation Network and the 14th birthday of the Ranomafana Nature Center! And what better way to celebrate than with a round of the LCN's Lemurs! Card Game 🎉 @lemurnetwork.bsky.social

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oloNala @olonala.bsky.social · 31/10/2025

For #WorldLemurDay, Centre ValBio organized a trip for Nature Center students to visit Studio oloNala! The students were excited to see the same wildlife they draw in their own sketchbooks reflected on the walls, and gathered inspiration from their own walk through Ranomafana National Park! 🔍🌳

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oloNala @olonala.bsky.social · 31/10/2025

Many thanks to our friends at Centre ValBio and @lemurnetwork.bsky.social for organizing the festivities here in Ranomafana and around the globe!

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oloNala @olonala.bsky.social · 31/10/2025

Arahaba Tratry ny Andron'ny Varika! Happy #WorldLemurDay from Ranomafana! Fantastic to see all the creativity & joy in celebrating these unique species. This year's theme is „Iray ho an'ny varika ho fitsinjovana ny ho avy" - Uniting for the lemurs, to care for the future 💚

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oloNala @olonala.bsky.social · 16/10/2025

You can download a copy at their website here: www.wildwonder.org/store/p/nj-z... We'll be distributing copies to students and educators at the Ranomafana Nature Center, and copies will also be available for free at Studio oloNala at the entrance to Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar!

wildwonder.org

MALAGASY Version: Your Quick Start Guide to Nature Journaling — Wild Wonder Foundation

NOW IN MALAGASY! This handy zine includes everything you need to get started nature journaling, and it is great for yourself, your family and friends, your students, homeschool families, and your natu...

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oloNala @olonala.bsky.social · 16/10/2025

With special thanks to @wildwonder.bsky.social, we’ve created a Malagasy translation of their popular "Quick Start Guide to Nature Journaling!" This zine is downloadable on their website alongside other languages, to make the nature journaling practice more accessible to anyone who wants to start 🖍

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oloNala @olonala.bsky.social · 16/10/2025

Human rights are non-negotiable. Our thoughts are with the families of the 22 people killed and 100+ injured in Madagascar’s youth-led movement for access to basic needs. We remain hopeful for a peaceful transition of power in Madagascar & the creation of a government truly for the Malagasy people 🇲🇬

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oloNala @olonala.bsky.social · 19/09/2025

More fun with spiders! Nature Center teacher Jocelyn had noticed a large number of orb-weaver #spiders near the marketplace in Ranomafana, Madagascar, and organized a #naturejournaling session so that students could observe them up close & in their webs 🔍🕸️

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oloNala @olonala.bsky.social · 29/08/2025

It’s these kinds of observations that make nature journaling so valuable - slowing down and exploring what’s around you prompts questions about and appreciation for the natural environment 💭 (And if you’re curious, the students found 42 spiders on the building, and 52 on the plants!)

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oloNala @olonala.bsky.social · 29/08/2025

Last week’s nature journaling session was all about 🕷️❗️ Students explored all the different shapes, sizes, and colors of spiders in their area, before heading out to see how many could be found in vegetation versus on buildings - prompting a really neat discussion on camouflage!

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oloNala @olonala.bsky.social · 19/08/2025

If you’re also interested in supporting the construction of the Residency space, head on over to: secure.givelively.org/donate/olona...

secure.givelively.org

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oloNala @olonala.bsky.social · 19/08/2025

First floor of the oloNala #ArtResidency is built 🙌 This section of the building will house studio and gallery space for artists in the future program, offering a dedicated space for working on projects & building portfolios 🖼️ A huge thanks to Sunshine Comes First for sponsoring this initial phase!

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oloNala @olonala.bsky.social · 06/08/2025

And many thanks to D:W for highlighting our work - they've done an wonderful job supporting conservation nonprofit partners around the world through responsible and sustainable tourism. You can check them out here: www.destinationwildlife.com

destinationwildlife.com

Destination: Wildlife™

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oloNala @olonala.bsky.social · 06/08/2025

Honored to see our interview with Destination: Wildlife published on their blog! We discuss what creative paths to conservation might look like and how we see art as a tool for creating shared cultural narratives around the environment in Madagascar ⬇️ www.destinationwildlife.com/blog/inspiri...

destinationwildlife.com

In Madagascar, Conservation and the Art of Saving Our World — Destination: Wildlife™

90% of the wildlife and plants In Madagascar are endemic, and endangered or critically Endangered. Johanna Mitra and Alain Rasolo created the nonprofit oloNala to save this incomparable biodiversity, ...

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oloNala @olonala.bsky.social · 22/07/2025

Attending this year’s International Primatological Society Congress in Antananarivo #Madagascar? Head on over to the Centre ValBio info booth to chat with artist and oloNala cofounder Alain Rasolo, snag a print (or two!) from Studio oloNala, and learn more about oloNala & CVB's conservation work 🐒💚

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oloNala @olonala.bsky.social · 03/07/2025

#Naturejournaling fosters a deeper connection between people & place. Slowing down & paying special attention to all the little things not only builds observation and critical thinking skills with regards to the surrounding environment, but encourages the observer to explore their place within it ☀️

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oloNala @olonala.bsky.social · 01/06/2025

Nature journaling is a playful and mindful practice that not only lets students express themselves creatively, but embraces their curiosity about the natural world and complements the lessons they take part in every Saturday at the Nature Center!

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oloNala @olonala.bsky.social · 01/06/2025

Sketchbooks and colored pencils in hand, the students split into groups to practice observing and sketching the plant and animal life around them, including... 🌴 Which trees in the area were fruiting, 🐝 What insects were present in the garden, 🕷️ And how many legs a spider has!

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oloNala @olonala.bsky.social · 01/06/2025

It's happening! 🎉 🎨 Today, students at the Ranomafana Nature Center in #Madagascar were introduced to the #creative practice of #naturejournaling 🎨

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oloNala @olonala.bsky.social · 13/04/2025

Thanks to your donations, we've purchased art supplies for each of the students, and we're currently working on providing the Center's teachers with some much-needed storage space in the classroom. ✨Stay tuned for updates! You can support this project here: secure.givelively.org/donate/olona...

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oloNala @olonala.bsky.social · 13/04/2025

We're gearing up for our first project with the Ranomafana Nature Center - nature journaling! Working with the teachers there, we've designed a nature journaling practice to complement their lessons, offering visiting students a creative way to explore their surroundings 🎨🖌️

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oloNala @olonala.bsky.social · 08/03/2025

Arahaba tratry ny andron'ny vehivavy 🎉🇲🇬 Happy #InternationalWomensDay from Ranomafana, #Madagascar!

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oloNala @olonala.bsky.social · 28/01/2025

oloNala seeks to support VOI Mitsinjo and other VOIs in Madagascar in expanding their ecotourism infrastructure and in planning, implementing, and managing their own conservation initiatives. We’ll help by provide the materials, training, and support for them to bring their vision to life!

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oloNala @olonala.bsky.social · 28/01/2025

Last year, with the help of the Safina Center,we helped VOI Mitsinjo construct a bridge connecting the Andriagna Twin Waterfalls and Vatolahidimy, a cultural site nestled in pristine primary forest. More visitors can now enjoy the forest, while providing sustainable income for the local community!

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oloNala @olonala.bsky.social · 28/01/2025

VOI associations, or Vondron’Olona Ifotony, are grassroots community groups in #Madagascar that sustainably manage the forests their communities depend on through ecotourism and eco restoration. VOI Mitsinjo has managed 440 hectares of forest adjacent to Ranomafana National Park since 2020.

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oloNala @olonala.bsky.social · 17/01/2025

According to CVB, 122 hectares of forest burned, including some portions dangerously close to the village of Vohiparara, as seen below. #Climatechange is only making such disasters more frequent and intense, with many communities in #Madagascar feeling the effects disproportionately.

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oloNala @olonala.bsky.social · 17/01/2025

We're relieved to hear from our friends at Centre ValBio that the #fire in Ranomafana National Park is finally out. Heavy rainfall finally came after months, ending an unseasonably long dry spell, and the community worked tirelessly each day to stop the fires from spreading.

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oloNala @olonala.bsky.social · 10/01/2025

We encourage people to support the community through our friends at Centre ValBio, who are currently on the ground working to extinguish the fire, and raising money to feed volunteers and purchase more fire-fighting supplies. alumniandfriends.stonybrook.edu/site/Donatio... Photos: Alain Rasolo

alumniandfriends.stonybrook.edu

Support Stony Brook University - Giving to Stony Brook

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oloNala @olonala.bsky.social · 10/01/2025

We've heard that the area has not had rain since September, despite it being the rainy season. Just yesterday, there were 27 points of fire spread across a nearly 300 hectare area, and 1,600 volunteers from the community spent hours working to put out the fire with shovels and branches.

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oloNala @olonala.bsky.social · 10/01/2025

Absolutely devastating to hear about the #fire consuming Ranomafana National Park in #Madagascar right now. This rainforest protects countless endangered and endemic species of lemurs, birds, amphibians, plants, & insects.This fire threatens not only them, but all the people living by the park too.

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oloNala @olonala.bsky.social · 27/12/2024

The soon-to-be-built Residency was designed by cofounder Alain Rasolo and incorporates many intricate design elements, reflecting cultural and environmental themes in Madagascar ⬇️

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oloNala @olonala.bsky.social · 27/12/2024

This is an exciting first step in setting up the infrastructure to host local Malagasy artists in an annual residency program geared towards using art 🎨 for conservation 🌍

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oloNala @olonala.bsky.social · 27/12/2024

With support from Sunshine Comes First, the @safinacenter.bsky.social Launchpad Fellowship, and proceeds from the Studio oloNala Art Gallery & Shop, oloNala cofounder Alain Rasolo and engineer Bien Aimee Randriamamony have broken ground at the site of Madagascar’s first environmental Art Residency!

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