ethnobotanical survey of the takamanda forest reserve - Impact ...

Initially some of the local practitioners erroneously took the field workers as prospective herbal
practitioners even after the sensitization meeting was held, where reasons were given as to why
detailed information on medicinal plants were being sort.
To minimize this possible bias it was explained that the data were collected design appropriate
measures for conservation of the medicinal plants in the forest. Also, where the informants were
reluctant to release detailed information this was respected and taken in good faith.
2.8 Preliminary Assessment of Orchids
In the protected area orchids were collected from fallen trees or branches, in the nearest old
fallow fields which were about to be cultivated by slash-and-burn farmers. A small proportion of
epiphytic orchids on standing trees were collected by climbing. Terrestrial orchids were plugged
from the understorey or in the fallow. They were dried and conserved as herbarium specimens.
2.9 Data Analysis
The data were compiled and anaylised with BRAHMS (Botanical Research And Herbarium
Management System) and Microsoft Excel software.
3. STUDY AREA
3.1 General Description
Figure 1 is a topographic map of the Takamanda Forest Reserve showing the locations of villages
within and immediately outside the reserve. The TFR was constituted as the Takamanda Native
Administration Forest Reserve since 1934. Presently the reserve is managed by the Cameroon
Government Ministry for Environment and Forestry through the Divisional Forest Office in
Mamfe, Manyu Division.
The TFR lies between longitudes 05 0 55´– 06 0 22’N and latitudes 09 0 10´– 09 0 35´E appr and is
situated at the northern-most corner of the Southwest Province, Cameroon.
The Reserve is about 675.99km 2 in extent. In its original form the TFR contained 65km 2 of
village enclaves consisting: Obonyi I, Obonyi III, Kekpani, and Matene.
The TFR is situated north of the Cross River Basin. The Cameroon-Nigeria international
boundary separates the reserve from the southeast section of the Okwangwo Division of the Cross
River National Park (CRNP), Nigeria. Matene settlements are sandwiched between the CRNP on
the Nigerian side of the international border and the TFR.
The most prominent water body in the region, the Cross river and its multitude of headstream
waters drain the southwestern Cameroon and southeastern Nigeria.
The Oyi river, a tributary of the Cross river, forms the greater part of the western border of the
TFR. The east and south of the reserve borders follow small rivulets of streams and footpaths.
3.1.1 Hydrology
The project area runs through a watershed from where most rivers take their sources in the high
plateau. The principal rivers are the Mone, Baya, Makone, Manfi, Mabe, Ebe, and Oyi that are
tributaries of the Cross river and the rivers Nkoman and Ameli, which are tributaries of the
Katsina Ala river.
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