Fisheries in the Southern Border Zone of Takamanda - Impact ...
Fisheries in the Southern Border Zone of Takamanda - Impact ...
Fisheries in the Southern Border Zone of Takamanda - Impact ...
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178 Slayback<br />
Table 2: Areas <strong>of</strong> output classes (hectares) (*totals <strong>in</strong>clude areas <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> water and shadow classes)<br />
Class Entire<br />
image<br />
from abandoned farms to return to <strong>the</strong> appearance <strong>of</strong><br />
undisturbed lowland forest.<br />
Significantly, some <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> areas <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> most apparent<br />
farm<strong>in</strong>g expansion are those along <strong>the</strong> new Mamfe-<br />
Akwaya road, along <strong>the</strong> western side <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Mone Forest<br />
Reserve. Also, <strong>the</strong> villages on <strong>the</strong> sou<strong>the</strong>rn side <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
image (Kajifor and Bache) have only recently become<br />
accessible by road (due to recent logg<strong>in</strong>g operations) and<br />
show considerable farm<strong>in</strong>g expansion <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir vic<strong>in</strong>ity,<br />
perhaps as a direct result. The longer term impact <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se<br />
roads on patterns <strong>of</strong> clear<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> region rema<strong>in</strong>s to be<br />
seen.<br />
4 Conclusion<br />
The <strong>Takamanda</strong> Forest Reserve is currently undergo<strong>in</strong>g<br />
relatively little forest clear<strong>in</strong>g activity, except <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
vic<strong>in</strong>ity <strong>of</strong> enclaved villages and some villages located<br />
just outside <strong>the</strong> reserve boundary (for example,<br />
<strong>Takamanda</strong> village). However, rates <strong>of</strong> forest clear<strong>in</strong>g<br />
appear to be <strong>in</strong>creas<strong>in</strong>g, as <strong>the</strong> expand<strong>in</strong>g patterns <strong>of</strong><br />
forest conversion <strong>in</strong>dicate. Potentially half <strong>of</strong> all<br />
secondary forest with<strong>in</strong> TFR has been cleared <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> past<br />
14 years; if “possible secondary forest” is not <strong>in</strong>cluded<br />
as secondary forest, <strong>the</strong>n 110 ha <strong>of</strong> secondary forest were<br />
preexist<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> 1986, and s<strong>in</strong>ce 1986 an additional 140 ha<br />
have been created from previously undisturbed forest.<br />
With<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> TFR, <strong>the</strong> PSF class appears generally not to be<br />
secondary forest, except for <strong>the</strong> elephant bush areas to <strong>the</strong><br />
<strong>Takamanda</strong>: <strong>the</strong> Biodiversity <strong>of</strong> an African Ra<strong>in</strong>forest<br />
<strong>Takamanda</strong> Kekpane Obonyi 5-km<br />
buffer<br />
Lowland forest 144,425 40,750 1,540 2,550 42,240<br />
Secondary forest 5,010 110 70 300 1,280<br />
Possible sec. for. (PSF) 1,740 410 10 230 470<br />
Forest conversion 4,120 140 40 110 1,430<br />
Ridge forest 11,460 2,190 30 0 4,380<br />
Mid-elevation forest 12,090 5,260 0 0 4,430<br />
Montane forest 9,310 510 0 0 3,910<br />
Grassland / bare 15,170 3,220 4 10 8,440<br />
Total* 224,940 57,430 1,690 3,250 71,800<br />
south <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Obonyi enclave. What is unclear is how<br />
much regrowth needs to occur before secondary forest <strong>in</strong><br />
this region appears as primary forest <strong>in</strong> Landsat imagery.<br />
To some extent, such old secondary forest might be <strong>the</strong><br />
source <strong>of</strong> some <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> clear<strong>in</strong>g near villages, ra<strong>the</strong>r than<br />
relatively undisturbed lowland forest.<br />
To fully understand whe<strong>the</strong>r <strong>the</strong>se clear<strong>in</strong>g activities<br />
are significantly encroach<strong>in</strong>g upon <strong>the</strong> reserve would<br />
require a more detailed study. Although <strong>the</strong> historical<br />
satellite imagery archive is sparse, additional imagery <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong> area could be exam<strong>in</strong>ed to determ<strong>in</strong>e more precisely<br />
when patches <strong>of</strong> forest were converted to farms. Also,<br />
any historical population data for <strong>the</strong> area would help<br />
shed light on how population pressure might be affect<strong>in</strong>g<br />
clear<strong>in</strong>g activities.<br />
Although rates <strong>of</strong> clear<strong>in</strong>g may not be alarm<strong>in</strong>g at<br />
<strong>the</strong> present for <strong>the</strong> TFR itself, <strong>the</strong> current and likely future<br />
activities around <strong>the</strong> reserve are alarm<strong>in</strong>g. Presently, <strong>the</strong><br />
reserve is r<strong>in</strong>ged by villages on almost all sides, and <strong>the</strong>se<br />
villages show active and expand<strong>in</strong>g areas <strong>of</strong> farm<strong>in</strong>g<br />
activity. Fur<strong>the</strong>rmore, <strong>the</strong> expansion <strong>of</strong> roads <strong>in</strong>to <strong>the</strong><br />
areas to <strong>the</strong> south and east <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> reserve may not bode<br />
well for <strong>the</strong> flora or fauna <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> region; it is possible that<br />
<strong>the</strong> greatly improved access to markets and services<br />
provided by <strong>the</strong>se roads may lead to a significant <strong>in</strong>crease<br />
<strong>in</strong> clear<strong>in</strong>g activity. This could be for both <strong>the</strong> plant<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong><br />
both cash crops (such as cocoa, c<strong>of</strong>fee, and palm nuts),<br />
and for <strong>in</strong>creased subsistence crop farm<strong>in</strong>g, if