Local Livelihoods and Protected Area Management: Biodiversity Conservation Problems in Cameroon

Chapter 2 - Forest Based Livelihoods and Sustainability Issues in Protected Areas

23 Chapter 2 Forest Based Livelihoods and Sustainability Issues in Protected Areas Case Study: Tubah Mountain Forest Summary The capacity of forests to provide sustainable employment opportunities is becoming the focus of greater interest worldwide. Unfortunately, research and information on forest-based livelihood and their effects on the sustainability of forests are limited at both local and national levels. The paper therefore, focuses on the effects of wood fuel consumption, overgrazing and subsistence farming on montane forests. It uses a combination of primary and secondary data sources to establish these effects in quantitative and qualitative terms and to investigate the underlying causes of deforestation. The chapter establishes that the root causes are diverse and require a more comprehensive and objective view of the problem. It identifies the rising fuel wood consumption as the principal cause of deforestation in the forest. Other causes include subsistence farming and overgrazing. These activities have adversely affected the boundaries of the forest. The chapter therefore, recommends the adoption of ecologically integrated land use management systems and the appreciation of the complex extremely dynamic and multi-sectoral issues underlying the broader crisis of population pressure, food security, energy acquisition, poverty and natural resource usage. Introduction The capacity of forests to provide sustainable employment opportunities is becoming the focus of greater interest worldwide (Soudan and Zingaré, 2000). In mountain areas, forest resources are a considerable source of livelihood and of multiple economic activities based on a variety of goods and services (Ndenecho, 2006). Although forest resources contribute greatly to livelihoods and to many economic activities through a great diversity of goods and services, research and information on forest-based livelihoods and forest-related employment are limited at both the local and national level (Poschen, 1997). In order to raise an awareness of the links between mountain forests, the forest based-informal sector and the sustainability of 24 forests in developing countries, the chapter seeks to assess the effects of cultivation, cattle grazing and wood fuel consumption on the quality and quantity of montane forest environments. Tubah Mountain Forest is part of the Cameroon Highlands ecoregion which comprises montane forest and grassland patches mainly above 900 m elevation. This ecoregion is scattered in an archipelago along the border area between Cameroon and Nigeria (Figure 1). Habitat ranges with increasing altitude from sub-montane to montane forests and ultimately sub-alpine grassland (Stuart, 1986). The montane forests are found within the 1800 and 2200 m elevation in the Bamenda-Banso Highlands. In the majority of cases, however, the lower boundary of these forests is now determined by conversion to agricultural land use. The slopes range from flat and gentle sloping in the upland basins to very steep towards the ridges and downwards to streams. Rainfall varies from 1780 to 2290 mm per year and most rain falls between July and September. Generally January and February have the lowest relative humidity (averages 45 – 52%). The monthly average exceeds 80% in July and August. During the rainy season, mist and low cloud occur frequently. The dry season lasts from mid – November to mid – March when the dry season sets in. Mean maximum temperature is 20 to 22o C and the mean minimum 13 to 14o C. November has the lowest mean minimum and December the highest mean maximum. According to Macleod (1986) these forests have one of the highest levels of endemism in the whole of Africa, particularly among birds and vascular plants (Bowden and Andrews, 1994 Dowsett, 1989 and Stuart, 1986). Despite their scientific importance, the montane forests of Cameroon have received little conservation attention. 25 Figure 1: Location of the study area: Tubah Mountain Forest. These forests were once widespread on the Bamenda-Banso plateau (Figure 1) and adjacent mountains but have been extremely cleared (Nkwi and Warnier, 1982; Morin, 1978; Dongmo, 1984, Kodomura, 1986; Zimmermann, 1994). The rich volcanic soils on which they grow are among the most fertile in the country (Hawkins and Brunt, 1965; Hoff et al, 1987). The area also has one of the highest population densities (Ngwa; 1979; Neba, 1999). The combination of these factors results in enormous pressure to clear the remaining forest for agriculture and grazing. In addition to their scientific interest, these highlands also form essential water catchments for Cameroon and Nigeria (Zimmermann, 1994). Forest loss has been significant in many mountains in the ecoregion. Much of the Bamenda-Banso Highlands were once totally covered with forest, but cover...