A new study provides a plan for preserving Madagascar’s dazzling array of marine life. Though it ranks among the poorest countries on Earth, the island nation has proposed to create more than 1 million hectares (3,861 square miles) of protected areas to conserve its coral reefs, mangroves, and other marine ecosystems.

An article in Our Amazing Planet details the new study, conducted by the University of California, Berkeley, WCS, and others. The researchers used a "diversified portfolio" approach to identify those areas in need of protection and apply various strategies to protect them, from creating strict no-take zones to areas that would allow fishing.