Berenty Reserve is a small private reserve, near Amboasary Sud, Anosy. It is situated along the Mandrare River, set in the semi-arid spiny forest ecoregion of the far south of Madagascar. The de Heaulme family, owners of Berenty Estate, founded a sisal plantation in 1936 beside the Mandrare river in agreement with local clans of the Tandroy tribe. There they conserved 10 sq-km of natural forests maintained as reserves to the present. The largest fragment, the 2 sq-km Berenty Reserve proper, includes closed canopy gallery forest of ancient tamarind trees, drier open scrub, and the surreal "spiny forest" of southern Madagascar.