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Plant diversity in a Central African rain forest: Implications for biodiversity conservation in Cameroon forest management systems. Furthermore, it has been shown that mammals are primary consumers of forest fruits and seeds in tropical rain forest (Mbelli, 2002). They contribute to seed dispersal and thus to forest regeneration. It is therefore suggested that future research work be focused on plant-animal relations with emphasis on the natural regeneration of timber species and important NTFPs. This will lead to a better understanding of the dispersal, germination, growth and mortality rates of plant species as well as their interactions with vertebrate fruit eaters such as elephants, apes, birds, ruminants, bats and rodents. Massif des Mamelles and Mont d’Eléphant The study has also demonstrated that there are biodiversity hotspots such as the Massif des Mamelles and Mont d’Eléphant that are not located in the National Park. Unfortunately, these areas of high conservation priority do not yet have any conservation status and are mostly found along the coast and near settlements where local human pressure is intense. As shown in Chapter 5, there are 17 plant species strictly endemic to the Campo-Ma’an area, which are not found in the park. These endemic species are the most threatened since their habitats are fragmented and degraded as a result of past and present land conversion to subsistence and industrial plantations. The rate of forest degradation is likely to accelerate in the near future, if the present trends in land-use and patterns of exploitation persist. Conservation needs are exceptionally urgent in such areas since they are of great scientific interest and under severe threat. There is an urgent need for the development of a separate management strategy in order to ensure the protection of these biodiversity hotspots and their endemic species. In Cameroon forest legislation, there are other forms of land-use such as community and communal forests that are compatible with the conservation of biodiversity. Therefore, it is suggested that local communities be encouraged to create community forests since its management does not only focus on nature conservation but also takes into consideration their interests. Each community forest could have the identified biodiversity hotspot as the core conservation area, surrounded by a buffer zone in which the sustainable management of non-timber forest products and hunting are developed. In the wake of today’s forest loss, a careful sustainable land-use strategy in the buffer zones surrounding the National Park and other identified core biodiversity hotspots is necessary for their long-term survival and the protection of species of high conservation priority. Forest management units As shown in Chapter 1, logging concessions that are also called “Forestry management unit” (FMU) are the most important land-use type after the National Park. They represent about 31.4% of the Campo-Ma’an Technical Operational Unit. Some of them (09021, 09022 and 09025, Figure 1.1 in Chapter 1) have been selectively logged at least once during the past 30 years. Although logging damages are moderate and have less effect on the forest biodiversity, further logging activities should be avoided in areas that have been exploited already twice. Despite the effect of logging on these forests, there are still considerable patches of undisturbed forests that are characterised by a rich and diverse flora. It has become increasingly clear that National Parks cannot be protected without the establishment of a buffer zone. Therefore, FMU’s can serve as the park’s buffer zone since they are located in its close vicinity. The management plan of the logging concessions should be 120
General conclusions and implications for biodiversity conservation compatible with conservation initiatives and include a separate management strategy aimed at enhancing the sustainable management of natural resources. Taking into consideration the fact that the success of their conservation will largely depend on the ability to reconcile the objectives of conservation and together with the needs of the loggers and the local communities, the management strategy should be developed with the full participation of the local people. The Ma’an area has been recently allocated for timber exploitation (FMU 09024). It supports small populations of Okoumé at the border with Equatorial Guinea with only few stems of exploitable size. This important commercial timber species is of scientific interest since it reaches the northern limit of its distribution in the Campo- Ma’an area. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that Okoumé should not be exploited and that conservation measures be taken during logging to ensure the protection of this species. Furthermore, special logging techniques should be applied in order to minimise logging damage such as breakage of Okoumé trees, saplings and residual stems, and to protect eventual seedlings from discarded crowns of felled trees. Although selective logging techniques are used in the FMU, a number of irregularities were reported in the area, as far as the proper application of the techniques and the implementation of the forestry law that regulates logging activities in Cameroon are concerned. It is suggested that selective logging at low intensity, using techniques that minimizes impacts, be applied in all FMU. Furthermore, research should be carried out to assess the current logging techniques and the level of implementation of the forestry law. The results of this research should include recommendations for a sustainable timber harvesting, the use of adequate selective logging techniques, and control mechanisms to minimise bottlenecks that hinder the proper implementation of the forestry law. It was also noticed that the amount of waste products derived from logging and timber transformation activities was high. The waste products include abandoned logs and remains from sawmills. Although they were reported not to be economically profitable by the loggers, these abandoned logs are of great economic importance for the rural and urban economy. Therefore, further studies should be carried out to assess the demand, markets and trade of these products, and to identify an effective mechanism that will help to minimise this waste. The Campo-Ma’an area has ca 249 NTFPs and 112 timber species of which only 60 species are being exploited (Tchouto et al., 2002 unpublished). Although the TOU has many NTFP species with high economic value, few local people rely on it as source of income. Furthermore, many important forest products such as fruits, spices, vegetables and rattans that are popularly traded in Cameroon and the subregion for their high commercial values, are poorly exploited in the area. This is partly due to the fact that many local people derive their income from agriculture, hunting and fishing, and that the commercialisation channels of these products are poorly known by the local communities. In order to reduce the current pressure on the Campo-Ma’an rain forest, alternate income generating activities should be identified for the local communities. The trade of NTFPs is one of such activities if an adequate strategy for its sustainable management, exploitation and commercialisation is developed. Therefore, a participatory ethnobotanical study 121
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Chapter 1 GENERAL INTRODUCTION Gild
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Plant diversity in a Central Africa
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Chapter 2 CENTRAL AFRICAN TROPICAL
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-2.0 Plant diversity in a Central A
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Chapter 3 DIVERSITY PATTERNS IN THE
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Chapter 4 BIO-INDICATOR SPECIES AND
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SUMMARY Summary The fragile ecosyst
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Summary suggest that the Campo-Ma
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RESUME Résumé La biodiversité de
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Résumé nombreux auteurs qui argum
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SAMENVATTING Gildas Peguy Tchouto M
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