EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

        Mount Manengouba constitutes a high proportion of endemic species from all taxonomic groups (Flora and fauna). This area hosts over 100 species of amphibians with a high proportion of endemic species (60%).  It Host 89 reptile species with the highest number of chameleons on mainland Africa (7 species). The Area hosts 270 species of birds with 44 endemics. In order to conserve this biological diversity, the Environment and Rural Development Foundation (ERuDeF) and Cameroon Herpetology-Conservation Biology Foundation (CAMHERP-CBF) are implementing a three years project around Mount Manengouba funded by the Rainforest Trust for the first two years of implementation and the last one year by the two organizations sourcing funding elsewhere. For the project to be fully recognized by the government of Cameroon, a technical report has to be produced and submitted to the Minister of Forestry and Wildlife. For this reason a workshop was held in Nkongsamba to elaborate the technical report for the Mount Manengouba conservation project.

        The main objective of the workshop was to elaborate the technical note for the creation of the proposed Mount Manengouba Integral Ecological Reserve. To meet with this objective, Invitation letters were sent to all those concerned, phone calls were made to all those invited to inform them about the workshop, presentations were made during the workshop to make participants know the background, objects, results of studies carried out on biodiversity and socio-economics in this area. Presentations were made to illustrate the propose map of the area and how a technical note for the project will be developed. 

        Two committees were created. Their role was to develop a frame work for the elaboration of the technical note. Five presentations were made. After the presentation, questions and answer sessions, it was recommended the name of the proposed protected area (Mount Muanenguba Integral Ecological Reserve) be changed and the twin lake is included in the map of the proposed protected area.

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

        Divisional Commission for the Classification of the Proposed Mak-Betchou Wildlife Sanctuary under the distinguish chairmanship of the Senior Divisional Officer of Lebialem Division in the South West Region of Cameroon took place on 10th of December 2018 at the Conference Hall of Marie Louis Hotel in Dschang Menoua Division. Traditional authorities and Elites of communities around Mak-Betchou Forest area as well as the technical divisional services of Lebialem, attended the meeting. The commission consulted stakeholders at the Divisional level on the classification of the proposed Mak-Betchou Wildlife Sanctuary, examined their views, opinions, petitions of the population concerned with the classification of the proposed Mak-Betchou Wildlife Sanctuary, validated the proposed project and prepared the synopsis of the meeting to the Minister of Forestry and Wildlife Yaoundé in the form of a ‘communiqué’.

        The committee members resolved that:

        The process of the creation of the proposed Mak-Betchou Wildlife Sanctuary should continue;

        That the name of the sanctuary shall be changed from Mak-Betchou Wildlife Sanctuary to Njoagwi-Fotabong III-Essoh-Attah Wildlife Sanctuary;

        After several consultations to address petitions presented by Lebang community with respect to the creation of Mak-Betchou Wildlife Sanctuary, the 1,768Ha area constituting the Lebang forest should be carved out of the 5,968Ha proposed area leaving the accepted surface area of 4,200 Ha for the sanctuary.

        The participants strongly recommended:

        That the Technical Note for the proposed Mak-Betchou Wildlife Sanctuary should be circulated to the participants from the local communities;

        The  local communities around the project area should be continuously sensitized  about the project;

        Detail zoning of the  sanctuary  area should be done showing clearly the different land used types, core protected area and permanent used zones;

        Prior to the elaboration of the management plan of the sanctuary the relevant development needs of the inhabitants should be assessed and integrated into the Management Plan;

        Community Forests should be created in the periphery of Mak-Betchou Wildlife Sanctuary (Mbo and Lebang areas);

        Livelihood development should be extended to other communities who have not benefited;

        Mak-Betchou Wildlife Sanctuary should liaise with other Technical Ministries to develop more Livelihood options.

 Le projet intitulé «l’agriculture durable et la conservation de l'habitat pour réaliser l’intégration de la biodiversité et l'efficacité de la gestion des zones protégées au Cameroun occidental (SUFACHAC)» vise des objectifs de conservation et de développement. Le site du projet ,  qui est la Réserve Faunique de Banyang Mbo (Banyang Mbo Wildlife Sanctuary - BMWS), est localisé dans la région du Sud Ouest du Cameroun, qui est reconnue comme site de biodiversité de renommée mondiale soutenant une large diversité d’espèces d'animaux et végétales, dont certaines sont classées comme menacées ou ayant un habitat réduit.

        Bien que les programmes de conservation aient longtemps attiré l'attention des experts et suscité quelques apports financiers extérieurs, il est à noter que BMWS est toujours sans plan directeur de gestion. Pour cette raison le Projet SUFACHAC vise à transformer cette réserve en un parc national doté d’un système de gestion approprié. Le présent rapport devrait en conséquence contribuer à ce processus de changement de statut de cette réserve.

        Le BMWS est subdivisé en cinq clusters  opérés par les autorités du Sanctuaire afin d’alléger son administration, chaque cluster ayant  un facilitateur ou point focal de groupe reconnu comme interface entre les autorités et les communautés. Pour soutenir ce processus de changement du statut de BMWS, CHEDE a organisé pour le compte du Projet SUFACHAC des réunions de sensibilisation pour sensibiliser les communautés concernées du changement  en vue. Les outils utilisés à cet effet étaient des présentations PPP, des tableaux de conférence et un questionnaire, ci-annexés.

        Un total de 94 personnes ont participé à ces réunions de sensibilisation dans les trois arrondissements ciblés (Bayang, Bangem et Nguti) localisés respectivement dans les Départements de Manyu (Bayang) et de Kupe Muanenguba (Bangem et Nguti). Tout en  s’appropriant les objectifs du projet et de ses apports potentiels en faveur de leur environnement naturel, les communautés riveraines ont aussi exprimé leurs inquiétudes et attentes concernant les opérations du projet et son impact sur leurs conditions de vie et moyens de subsistance. Nonobstant ces réserves, la majorité des communautés concernées a donné son consentement au processus de changement du statut de BMWS pour devenir un parc national.

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

        The Bakossi-Banyang-Mbo-Lebialem landscape (BBML) ranges from gentle slopes and undulating plains to hills and mountains, with associated vegetation that spans tropical lowland vegetation through submontane to cloud forest and presents an ideal framework for conservation of biodiversity. It is an area of exceptionally high endemism, especially the Bakossi area which is known as one of the richest in Tropical Africa in terms of plant diversity. BBML is made up of 220 settlements (villages and towns) with 45 in Manyu Division, 33 in Lebialem Division and 142 in Kupe Manenguba Division. In terms of conservation, there is 1 National park, 3 Wildlife sanctuaries, 3 Integral Ecological Reserve, 3 production forest reserves and 2 forest management units.

        This report presents methods in participatory mapping and presents some participatory maps of the area around the Banyang Mbo Wildlife Sanctuary and FMU 11-002 that are currently witnessing farming encroachment from neighboring communities. Participatory mapping was conducted within these communities as well as use of satellite imagery and field data collection using the GPS. Image analysis was conducted using 2006 and 2015 satellite imagery obtained from PSMNR South West along-side some field collected data to for a micro-zoning of the landscape that include; a settlement area, farmlands, reserve farming zone, communal land, fragile ecological zones (mainly water catchments, lakes, river basins and salt licks), mining concessions, protected areas, forest reserves, council and community forests, FMU’s, sales of standing volumes and plantations

Some management options were equally explored for the following;

  • A review of activities relating to PA managements implemented in the landscape by partners using SWOT the presents the various activities with their strengths, weakness, opportunity and strengths.
  • An analysis of conservation initiatives like REDD+ or PES with links to land rights, micro-zoning and community engagement in land use planning that examine different options that could be explored in the landscape.
  • Institutional frame work for sustainable resource management is presented with main actors as public institutions, private sector and international organizations and the local communities.
  • A proposed template of a memorandum of understanding has been presented involving PA management and the local communities in the implementation of the future BBML TOU.
  • M & E tools are presented to check any potential land use conflicts and its effectiveness in the implementation of management plans.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

        This first visit also established a list of identified structures in each of the villages that took part in the meetings. This has facilitated the process of assessing their training needs and offering relevant capacity building opportunities.

        The team has established strong working ties not only with the communities but also with the Conservator as well as the Divisional Officers of Upper Banyang Sub Division and NgutiSub Division as well as other technical services/stakeholders as well as those in Buea, Bangem, Jandu and Nyandong bringing together representatives of villages directly link with the Bakossi National Park.

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

         Participative demarcation is a preliminary activity in the process of creating a protected area. In order to elaborate a technical note for creating any protected area, there is a need for proposed map of the area in which we wish to protect is produce.  In this regard, the full participation and concern of the community adjacent the proposed protected area is needed. It was for this reason that in July 2017, a 2 weeks field trip was conducted around Mt Muanenguba to include the villages surrounding the mountain in the demarcation of the proposed Integral Ecological Reserve.

The objectives were; to involve the local community members for the proposed area to be protected, to collect the geographical coordinates on the areas proposed by the population and to produce a map of the proposed boundaries of the Integral Ecological Reserve.

In order to identify the limits of the proposed Mt Muanenguba Integral Ecological Reserve, 3 people who know their village boundaries and their forest area were selected by their local leaders to represent their clans after a meeting with the team involve in the demarcation process. In the same meeting the community members identified land marks within the proposed protected area and sketched the maps of the area using bold marker and a card board. After the meetings in the villages the next days the various community representatives and the GIS expert went down to the field and collect coordinate points of the identified boundaries of the proposed protected area using the GPS.  The satellite images were used as to guide the community members on the identification of land features in the proposed areas.

Coordinate points collected where labelled A to Y and were integrated into GIS software (Arc GIS 10.3).

Sixteen (16) out of the 20 villages adjacent the Mt Muanenguba area in the Littoral and South West regions were involved in the identification process.  Two villages NJOUMBENG 1 and NJOUMBENG 2 were excluded from the boundary identification process because they do not have lands in the proposed protected area.  Two (2) other villages (Mouandong and Ndom) resisted due to the fact that their elites were not informed.   However after consultation of the two resistance villages   the coordinate points were integrated in to the GIS software

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

         The team was able to Identify existing community structure with which agreement will be signed in the respective communities, organise meeting to share idea with concerned PA authorities and organise separate working session with each of the PA authorities in their respective areas.

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