Integrating biodiversity conservation with income generation in the Bamenda highlands, Cameroon.

The project site, the community of Dom, is located in the Western Highlands of north-western Cameroon, called Kejodsam Highlands in the vicinity of Bamenda. The highlands are of volcanic origin. This area is ranked second poorest in Cameroon with over 52% of the population living below the poverty line. Although soils are fertile and a range of crops is produced, a lack of infrastructure renders the area economically poor. Dom forests is a submontane forest zone, with savannah-like grasslands around them. Of the shrubs and herbaceous species found near the forest edges quite a few still need to be identified. Research in 2006 showed that the forest is of good ecological quality. Dom has the biggest living number of critically endangered Newtonia camerunensis, and for that reason alone is likely to be chosen for conservation by WHINCONET. The forest itself contains over 270 major flora species, and is home to a number of fauna species, including monkeys, baboon, squirrel, duiker, civet, and the endangered Preus’s Guenon Cercopithecus preussi, as well as over 135 bird species. The area is not protected, but is close to the community-conserved Mount Kilum. In two years time, the community hopes to submit an application for a formal community forest status. The economic activities are small-scale agriculture, livestock (for sale in hard times), hunting and homey collection, and some petty trading activities. Dom is traditionally led by a village chief called Fon. He is assisted by 10 titled lineage heads (Fai). They together with the Fon and assisted by the secret society called ngwerong come under the generic title Traditional Authority whose powers in the whole of the Bamenda Highlands region have been greatly eroded by “modern” administrative institutions. Even their rights in the management of local natural resources have been taken over. According to the present Cameroon land law, the people of Dom are considered squatters on government land because as individuals and as a community they have not acquired land certificates which give them ownership of the land. This means, the Fon and his councilors have no legal right to distribute land to their subjects though they have owned and occupied it for generations. The main threats to the ecosystem are small-scale agricultural activities based on slash-and-burn and introduction of exotics (eucalyptus). For cattle, grasslands are set on fire to encourage fresh sprouting, and has the risk of uncontrollable spread of fire. Also hunting and honey collection is not sustainable, as fire is used here, too. Logging in the past was no issue as the area was hardly accessible; however, a planned road through the forest may well change this. The project addresses the pressure due to agricultural activities, cattle threats, and planting of exotics, as well as fires and over-exploitation. Its goal is to reduce pressure on the Dom ecosystems as well as to alleviate poverty of the community. Forest boundaries will be demarcated; training in sustainable farming and cattle rearing techniques; training in fire prevention and fighting; promotion of sustainable honey collection and alternatives to the use of fire in cattle rearing; promotion of alternative income generating activities (apiculture, gardening, cane cat rearing), ‘passing on the gift’ and tree nursery for sale of seedlings to the project.