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4) To propose solutions for farmers’ problems and constraints related to forest conservation
and agricultural production, in order to reduce the destruction of the forest by the farmers,
thereby achieving sustainable management of the forest zone of southern Cameroon.
1.3 THE RESEARCH AREA
The TCP research site corresponds to the 180 000 ha of the concessions of Wijma Douala
SARL (GWZ). It is located 70 km east of Kribi (Figure 1.1), between 2° 47’ and 3° 14’ North,
10° 24’ and 10° 51’ East, and between the low altitude evergreen forest and the mid-altitude
evergreen Atlantic forest (Franqueville, 1973), characterised by the presence of Lophira alata
(Azobé). It is part of the South Province of Cameroon, and includes parts of the Akom II,
Bipindi and Lolodorf subdivisions (Océan Division), and the Ebolowa subdivision (Mvila
Division).
1.3.1 Characteristics of the physical environment
Climate
The climate of the research area is equatorial, classified as humid tropical (Köppen, 1936),
characterised by two rainy seasons and a short and a long dry season (Figure 1.2). The average
rainfall per year is about 2000 mm. The monthly mean rainfall are 200 and 400 mm for April /
May and September / October, respectively. October is the wettest month of the year. The two
driest periods of the year are December / February and July / August, respectively, with less
than 80 mm of rainfall per year. The bimodal rainfall pattern determines two growing seasons.
The first starts in March and ends in June; the second starts in August and ends in November.
Between the two seasons, from December to March, arable swamps and valley bottoms are
cultivated that allow to produce off-season food crop. Such a climate has a mean temperature
above 18°C during the coolest month, an annual temperature around 25°C with very little
variation during the year, and finally a well delineated dry season.
A summary of climatic data from selected meteorological stations surrounding the research area
is given in Table 1.1.
Table 1.1: Summary of climatic data from selected meteorological stations
Meteorological station Kribi Lolodorf Ebolowa
Altitude (m asl) 13 440 609
Mean annual temperature (°C) 26.4 24.6 24.0
Relative humidity (%) 84 n.a. 83
Mean annual vapour pressure (mbar) 29.3 n.a 24.6
Mean annual rainfall (mm) 2836 2096 1719
Wind speed below 4 m. / s (% time) 98 n.a. n.a.
Mean wind direction SW n.a W
Kribi, n = 45 years; Lolodorf, n = 25 years; Ebolowa, n = 48 years; n.a. = not available
Source: Olivry (1986).
Vegetation
Van Gemerden and Hazeu (1999) described the vegetation of the study area in detail. It belongs
to the Biafran Atlantic forest district of low and medium altitude (Letouzey, 1985).
Characteristics of the sub-mountain part of the Guineo-Congolian domain are found on some
isolated hills. Along the main roads, and around villages and in agricultural zones, the
vegetation is strongly influenced by the human activities, and characterised by the presence of
various pioneer species. The spatial distribution of the various vegetation types distinguished by
van Gemerden and Hazeu (1999) is shown in Annex 1.
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