Madagascar is preparing a national policy for local management of renewable resources owned by the State, classified forests, lakes, rivers, coastal resources. We present the genesis and the main features of the on-going reform. 11800 local communities, the Fokonolona, will receive exclusive rights, to control the access, manage and valorise the resources in their area, through formal contracts defining mutual rights and obligations of communities and administration. Initially discussed about the human occupations of protected areas, the local management scheme is to be generalized to the whole country. The reform will result in creating a great number of new commons in the Great Island.