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Plant diversity in a Central African rain forest: Implications for biodiversity conservation in Cameroon
should be carried out with the local communities in their villages and in logging
concessions in order:
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To prepare a checklist of all timber and NTFP species used by the local
people;
To carry out a market survey to assess the demand and trade of these
products;
To study their biomass, densities, dynamics and the impact of their
exploitation on the forest ecosystem.
Ecological monitoring
Tropical rain forests are fragile because of their complex dynamic ecosystems, their
high number of species and their rich interacting structure. Although they are well
adapted to persist in the environment in which they have evolved, they are much less
resistant to human disturbances. Therefore, in the Campo-Ma’an area, it is of vital
importance to monitor human activities and related changes in flora and fauna. This
will enable the park management to act appropriately whenever undesired changes
in the conservation status of its rich biodiversity occur. Remote sensing images and
impact studies on human activities are required to monitor land cover changes, and
the changes in vegetation, flora and fauna within and around the park.
This study has demonstrated that the Campo-Ma’an area harbours about 141 plant
species of high conservation priority and 92 threatened species listed in the red data
list of IUCN (2002) and WCMC (1998). Of the 29 strict endemic species that only
occur in the Campo-Ma’an area, 17 are the most threatened since they are located
outside the National Park and in areas such as the coastal zone, and at the vicinity of
settlements and large agro-industrial plantations where human pressures are severe.
Furthermore, their habitats are fragmented and degraded as a result of past and
present land conversion to subsistence agriculture and industrial plantations.
Research is urgently needed on the population biology and ecology of these
threatened species. In order to avoid the extinction of these species, botanical
monitoring should be carried out to assess their status. Measures to secure their
conservation should include the strict protection of these fragmented type localities.
Ecological sustainable agriculture
Shifting agriculture is identified as among the most destructive uses of the forest
since it involves large amount of land conversion from natural forest to farms and
fallow. In order to prevent further encroachment into the remaining lowland and
coastal forests, farmers need to intensify their agricultural production systems.
Furthermore, crop production needs to be increased in the existing agricultural lands
to feed a growing population. Farmers should be encouraged to form common
initiative groups in which they can receive adequate training on nursing, planting,
maintenance, harvesting, storage and marketing techniques from the local staff of
the Ministry of Agriculture.
Conservation and environmental education
Biodiversity conservation is a concept that is not yet well understood by the local
communities. As a result there is a permanent conflict between conservation
initiatives and the needs of the local communities and other stakeholders such as