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Making the Environment-Development Link: Community Forestry, Biodiversity and Indigenous People Livelihood in Cameroon * 1,2 Mbunya Francis Nkemnyi; 1 Tom De Herdt; 2 George B. Chuyong 1 Institute of Development Policy and Management, University of Antwerp, Belgium; 2 University of Buea, Cameroon *E-mail for correspondence: nmbunyaf@gmail.com Abstract Natural resource management requires concerted effort at multiple levels for both short and long-term sustainability. In this study, we examined how community forestry in the Tinto and Bamoko forest area, South West Cameroon has enabled both access to livelihood opportunities and biodiversity conservation. This study is based on literature review, semi-structured interviews, and focus group discussions with community members and local government officials. The results show that implementation of community forest concept has not been able to meet the intended expectations of local communities’ livelihood opportunities and at the same time has not encouraged biodiversity conservation. These drawbacks are linked to insufficient capacity of existing institutions managing forest resources and unsecured rights allocated to the local communities through community forestry. Community forestry has failed to consider the full dimensions of how resource use can lead to local people development, which is the principal incentive for local participation in resource sustainability. This study argues that, there is an urgent need to explore the full dimensions of how local institutions can enhance livelihood, biodiversity conservation and management sustainability. Ensuring this will require further research on how local institutions governing natural resources can meet legitimacy and sustainability. There is also a need to consider the aspects of critical institutionalism in management and how governance arrangements can work to make better choices for sustainable forest management. Keywords:Community Forest, Biodiversity, Livelihood, Cameroon Knowledge and Perception about Bats by Local People of Mijikenda Community in Kenya *Simon Musila and Judith Mbau Mammalogy Section, National Museums of Kenya, Kenya *Email for Correspondence: surnbirds@gmail.com Abstract Bats are the second largest group of mammals but are rarely understood and are viewed negatively by many people. The study therefore investigated the knowledge and perceptions about bats and the threats they faced among different sub-tribes of Mijikenda tribe, along the Kenya coast. With assistance of local people, semistructured questionnaires were administered to 142 respondents randomly selected in households, small village towns and along the paths both in the north and south of Mombasa City. About 96.4% of the respondents called bat “Nundu” in their local language, while the remaining 2.8% from Giriama sub-tribe called it “Ndema”. The people generally used size in classifying bats into “big” and ‘small”. There were a total of 23 bat roosts reported by locals, which included seven caves, three roost trees and 13 houses. However, 64.08% of the people indicated that caves were the most known preferred habitats for bats. Cutting down of trees was ranked on top of the threats to bats survival; trees with roosts are cut down to drive bats away. Another threat to bats was the disturbances caused by constant visitations to caves by witchdoctors (patronized by lots of people in the study area) as consultation sites. The people reacted differently to bats encounter; 69.7% indicated that they would react positively on seeing a bat by doing nothing (61.26%) and admiring it (8.45), while 26.63% would react negatively by killing (13.38%) and chasing bats away from their hideouts (7.75%). Majority of respondents indicated that bats had no direct benefits to humans and were destructive to fruit trees in the farms. The negative perceptions which persist among the Mijikenda about bats need to be addressed by increasing bat conservation awareness among the local people living along the Kenyan coast. Keywords: Knowledge, perceptions, bats, roost, coast, Kenya TAAG First African Student’s Conference, Nairobi. 2-4 July, 2013 56
Status of Soil Properties and Wheat Production under Parkland Agroforestry at Beressa Watershed in Gurage Zone, Central Ethiopia Gosaye Degu Belay Hawassa University, WondoGenet Collage of Forestry and Natural Resources, Ethiopia Email for correspondence:gosayede@yahoo.com Abstract This study was conducted in Gurage administrative Zone of Central Ethiopia and was intended to assess and document the dimensional effect of trees (Faidherbia albida, Cordia africana, Croton macrostachyus, Persea americana) on soil fertility and wheat crop. In the selection of appropriate trees, uniformity in topography and history of cropping practice was considered. The sampling procedure for agronomy and soil properties under the parkland tree species at different radii (0.5m, 1m, 2m and 10m) from tree trunk and soil layer (0-20cm & 20-40cm) was followed accordingly. Different soil physical properties (texture, moisture, and soil bulk density) and chemical properties (total nitrogen, available phosphorus, cation exchange capacity (CEC), pH, organic carbon, electrical conductivity (EC), potassium (K), Calcium (Ca), Magnesium (Mg) and Sodium (Na)) were analyzed. Based on the laboratory result large amount of soil nutrient is found on top soil layer than bottom and near to the tree trunk than away. Specifically significant differences were observed between 0-20cm and 20-40cm depths for bulk density under C. mycrostachus compared to the control. Little variation was observed for texture among the different tree species and distances. Soil pH and electrical conductivity were significantly different at 0-20cm and 20-40cm depths for soil sample taken from P. americana. Exchangeable potassium shows significant difference between the two depths at one and two meter from all parkland tree species. Based on the agronomic result of the research, F. albida has increased the yield more than 50% as compared with the control. However for the rest tree species (C. africana, C. macrostachyus, and P. americana) the highest yield is at the control. As a general recommendation awareness of the local people about the economic importance of F.albida tree should be created through extension services. The Vulnerability of the Coast of Liberia to Marine Oil Spills: Implications for Biodiversity and Renewable Natural Resource Utilization Darlington Saykay Tuagben USAID, Liberia Email for correspondence:d.tuagben@gmail.com Abstract The West African coastline has become a “hotspot” for oil production and 17 oil exploration blocks have been designated off Liberia’s 579 km coastline which supports about 60% of the human population. There is a potential for conflict between oil production, existing human activities and biodiversity. This study aims to establish the level of dependency of rural coastal households on natural resources and assess this potential conflict with a goal to contribute to biodiversity conservation efforts in Liberia. Published literatures were reviewed to assess the vulnerability of coastal and marine resources and inhabitants to oil spills events followed by household surveys in seven coastal counties adjacent to ten of the 17 offshore oil exploration blocks. Average household size (N=10) was similar in all sites. The coastal zone of Liberia comprises sensitive environments all of which are vulnerable to oil pollution to varying degrees. Mangroves, estuaries and coastal lagoons are important spawning, roosting and breeding sites for fish and other wildlife, whereas sandy beaches are used for recreation and breeding grounds for five species of marine turtles. Coastal inhabitants rely heavily on the utilization of coastal and marine resources for their livelihoods and income. Fishing and several other income sources might be lost in the event of a large oil spill, increasing poverty and food insecurity. There is an urgent need to develop an oil spill contingency plan and a waste management plan that will consider both biodiversity conservation and human safety and wellbeing. Keywords: Oil spills, Coastal vulnerability, Community livelihoods, Biodiversity conservation, Human safety, Contingency plan Keywords: agronomy, soil physical properties, agroforestry, Faidherbia albida TAAG First African Student’s Conference, Nairobi. 2-4 July, 2013 57
Page 1 and 2:
THE TROPICAL BIOLOGY ASSOCIATION AF
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© 2013 by TAAG All rights reserved
Page 5 and 6: TBA African Alumni Group Tropical B
Page 7 and 8: Conference Sponsors and Partners Li
Page 9 and 10: Keynote Speakers Dr. Leon Bennun, D
Page 11 and 12: Table of Contents Pages Cover page
Page 13 and 14: Exploring the Potential of Enhanced
Page 15 and 16: Biodiversity loss, Climate Change a
Page 17 and 18: Conserving the Endemic Birds of the
Page 19 and 20: Analysis of Road Kills in Tsavo-Eas
Page 21 and 22: Diversity, Abundance and Feeding Ec
Page 23 and 24: Effort towards Conservation of Bird
Page 25 and 26: Altitudinal Distribution of Amphibi
Page 27 and 28: Distribution Status of Two Endemic
Page 29 and 30: Conservation and Threats of the Din
Page 31 and 32: The Role of ‘Dryland Wetlands’
Page 33 and 34: Rethinking Youth Capacity Developme
Page 35 and 36: Challenges and opportunities for ef
Page 37 and 38: Exploring the Potential of Enhanced
Page 39 and 40: Managing biological resources: Anth
Page 41 and 42: Human Health and Conservation of Bi
Page 43 and 44: Influence of rooting media and indo
Page 45 and 46: Landscape Connectivity as a Strateg
Page 47 and 48: Periphyton as Inorganic Pollution I
Page 49 and 50: Coping Strategies by Chimpanzees (P
Page 51 and 52: Breeding Habits and Nesting Success
Page 53 and 54: Community Participation in Biodiver
Page 55: Beehive and honey losses caused by
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