Strategic Planning For Conservation Management Options In The Lobeke Region, Southeastern Cameroon
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Strategic Planning For Conservation Management Options In The Lobeke Region, Southeastern Cameroon |
A. The People of the Lobeke Region
III. References Cited
B. Outside Pressures on the Forests
C. The Proposed Lobeke Protected Area
Bryan K. Curran, Africa Program Anthropologist, Wildlife Conservation Society. 185th Street & Southern Blvd., Bronx, NY 10460-1099, tel: 718-220 5100.
I. ABSTRACT The Lobeke area of southeastern Cameroon has been a center of attention for a number of years (Harrison and Agland 1987), often considered as part of a trinational conservation initiative (Carroll and Weber 1991) with Central African Republic (Dzanga-Sangha Dense Forest Reserve) and the Republic of Congo (Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park). From November 1992 to March 1993 a multidisciplinary team sponsored by the Biodiversity Support Program (BSP), World Bank and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) visited southeastern Cameroon as part of a strategic planning initiative aimed at identifying pressures on the forests and the relevant stakeholders in the region. The ultimate goal is the creation of a protected area that will become part of a regional land-use program, including elements of conservation management and rational use of resources by local communities. In the nearly two years since the completion of this mission, subsequent activities and actions with direct bearing on efforts to conserve the Lobeke region have occurred. As these actions were in large measure the result of this preliminary initiative, those elements considered most important are also included in this report.
B. Outside Pressures on the Forests
1. Logging The forests of southeastern Cameroon have been logged rather extensively by several companies for the last 20 years, particularly since 1980. These companies export both raw timber (primarily mahoganies) and partially processed lumber. Although these products have been shipped in the past via the Sangha River to Brazzaville and then by train to Point Noire, difficulties in Congo have restricted current transport by road to the Cameroonian port of Douala. The logging concessions are typically granted by the Cameroonian government for five years on a renewable basis, but fluctuating world markets and the decreasing availability of exploitable forest suggest that these timber companies may be leaving the area in the next five years. At the time of this mission, the last unlogged 40,000 hectares in the southeast was the focus of intense lobbying efforts by one group. This concession was considered critical in order to continue logging operations, but after the Cameroonian government reviewed the conservation alternatives outlined by the WCS team (Curran 1993; Hall 1993), the bid was rejected. The company in question is still active in the area, although they have also proposed the sale of their base at Kika for use by conservation and/or development organizations who anticipate working in the region. The social, economic and ecological impacts of these logging operations are notable. In a survey conducted in 1993, nearly 70% of respondents from the local population consider the timber companies to have an overwhelmingly negative impact on the forest and its people, despite some short-term economic benefit. The most critical problem is the easy access to forested areas; as timber companies open new roads and skidder paths in search of exploitable trees, vast tracts of previously unreachable forest become accessible. Poaching has become rampant, not only to provide meat for timber company employees, but also to be shipped to population centers farther afield. The indigenous population has noted a decline in the densities of bushmeat, necessitating longer forays into the forest for their traditional subsistence activities. According to Stromayer and Ekobo (1991), expatriate timber company employees report that the elephant populations have been reduced by one-half in southeastern Cameroon since 1980, coinciding roughly with an increase of timber extraction activities. Also of particular note is the decline of species of exploited trees which are important to the local population (especially those for the collection of caterpillars and medicinal plants).
In addition, the economic impact of the inevitable northward migration by the timber companies will likely be harmful to local communities. Not only will a small number of individuals directly employed in timber operations be affected, but many area residents earn some income by selling surplus goods (cultivated foods, bushmeat, medicinal plants, etc) to passing timber trucks. Also, the roads are currently maintained almost exclusively by the timber companies; if the government proves unable to provide this maintenance in the future, commerce in the southeast could be severely restricted.
2. Poaching A well organized poaching network has moved into the Lobeke region, thanks in large measure to the timber companies' road system. Poaching in this case refers to those individuals who come to the Lobeke area for the sole purpose of capturing large quantities of bushmeat to sell. Although undoubtedly some of those engaged in these activities include the indigenous Bangando and Baka (the Baka in particular are sent into the forest with weapons at the bidding of third parties, often in search of ivory), a much greater impact has been caused by outsiders. Nearly all of the poachers are Cameroonian, although they are not from the immediate area. Instead, as economic opportunities have become increasingly scarce in other parts of the country, many people have turned to exploiting a variety of forest resources for their livelihood. Southeastern Cameroon remains relatively remote and free from serious law enforcement efforts, yet because the timber industry activities provide easy access and transport, this corner of the country has become a popular destination for poaching. Another disturbing trend is the large number of wire snares typically set by each hunter; it is not uncommon for individual poachers to monitor up to 300 snares each. This surely leads to incredible waste, as many animals decompose before being recovered. Snares also capture animals without prejudice, including protected species, young individuals and pregnant females. Figure 2 indicates the extent to which poaching has become a major economic endeavor in southeastern Cameroon. The logging chantiers located at Bela and Libongo on the Sangha River and Kika on the Ngoko River are all centers of operation for capture and transport of bushmeat. Although the timber exploitation activities at Bela have been suspended since 1992, a sizeable population of workers remains installed there because of rumors that logging will restart soon. In the absence of employment, many of these individuals have turned to poaching, transporting meat across the Sangha to Central African Republic, overland towards larger population centers in Cameroon, or downriver to Ouesso. In addition, the roads leading to Libongo and Kika are inhabited by poaching camps, which sometimes supply the chantiers, and more frequently ship bushmeat by timber trucks to larger population centers in Cameroon.
The road which bisects the southeastern corner of the country (towards Ouesso) is particularly noteworthy, as it was closed to traffic in 1993, which greatly reduced illegal hunting in the area. However, in 1994 it was reopened to facilitate the evacuation of wood from timber companies in northern Congo, who have found that overland transport to Douala is much more feasible than by river to Brazzaville. Both Socambo and Makwada have become centers of activity, as a ferry crosses the Sangha nearly once per hour with timber, passengers, and undoubtedly bushmeat. Mongokele has long been a center for poaching, with the majority of the bushmeat transported down the Ngoko River to Ouesso, but the opening of this road provides another transport option. In addition, the presence of many poaching camps along this road where there were none in 1993 has recently been documented (Curran and Nzouango 1995). Similar enterprise is centered around Djembe, where Congolese wood is transported from Kabo and then overland to Douala. Although the level of poaching appears to be less intense than in the Mongokele area, the proximity to the Lobeke clearing is certainly cause for concern.
In addition to the commercial bushmeat operations, poaching is also directed towards live animals (particularly young gorillas, chimpanzees and African grey parrots), exotic skins and other trophy items (bongo and leopard, for instance), and finally, ivory.
3. Sport-hunting Several European-based safari companies operate annually in the forests around Lobeke. These hunting concerns generally use the forest from December to June, and they cater to wealthy foreign clients interested in trophy animals. Some of these companies have been operating in the area for up to two decades, although their legal status is questionable at the moment. Although they do receive government permission to hunt in this region, they have no clearly defined concessions. There is purportedly interest by other safari companies to gain access to the Lobeke area as well, but the government has decided to defer any decision on sport-hunting concessions until additional studies have been completed. Four hunting camps were actively used by up to six professional hunters and their clients at the time of our visit. The professional guides claim that clients are primarily interested in hunting bongo (Elkan 1994), with buffalo and sitatunga also noted. Clearly a much wider range of fauna are exploited. They reported that elephants are not typically hunted, although one safari guide was observed attempting to shoot elephants (Hall, personal communication). Ministry of Tourism reports note that 11 elephants were killed by safari hunters in 1992 (Bidja 1992), with an additional 7 hunted in 1993-94 (Bibanga 1994). Local communities insist the correct number is much higher.
Figure 2 Location of poaching camps, southeastern Cameroon
Considerable friction exists between the local communities and the safari outfits. The local people are upset with hunting practices and lack of communication. Spotlighting is purportedly a common tactic, and shots were heard at night during field visits. There are reports that the professional hunters take many more animals than they officially report, often burying those not considered trophy specimens. The safari outfits have supposedly never consulted with the local chiefs or the population in general. In fact, they are known to intimidate the area residents by burning their hunting camps and possessions, and have even directly threatened to shoot people found in the forest.
Clearly there exist potential economic benefits from the activities of the safari hunting groups. Provided that certain conditions are met, it is reasonable to include sport hunting concessions within the overall conservation strategy for the Lobeke region. Studies of animal densities and population dynamics are a critical part of this program, and several have already been completed for elephant (Ekobo 1994) and bongo (Elkan 1994). It is important that reasonable quotas be established, and offtakes must be carefully controlled. Safari companies should be regulated and obliged to follow the laws of Cameroon. Sport hunting should not be permitted within a core area that includes the Ndjangi savanna, nor should concessions be leased within areas of the forest traditionally exploited by the local populations without their agreement.
C. The Proposed Lobeke Protected Area At present the size of the proposed protected area is undetermined, and its management status is equally undefined. Biological surveys of the forest in 1991 recommended that the last unexploited 40,000 hectares be expanded to encompass over 400,000 hectares in the "Lake Lobeke-Mongokele National Park" (Stromayer and Ekobo 1991). Unfortunately, one of the zones they proposed for protection, a small unlogged patch of forest to the east of Kika, has since been granted as a logging concession. Nonetheless, although the semideciduous forests which characterize the Lobeke region are not as floristically rich as some evergreen tropical forests, the area still maintains a high diversity of ecosystems minimally disturbed by humans (Hall, 1993). As ecosystem dynamics are poorly understood, and as these are the only remaining unlogged representatives of these ecosystems within the proposed conservation zone, the unlogged 40,000 hectares might be included within a core protection area. The creation of a protected area of any size in the Lobeke region would have significant impacts on the local population. It is critical that the management strategies which will govern the protection of the area incorporate the subsistence and economic activities of the Bangando and Baka. The indigenous residents have a basic understanding of the importance of conservation, and often spoke eloquently of the need to protect some part of the forest from the destruction currently occurring at the hands of outsiders. Local communities have apparently never been consulted by either the Cameroonian government, the timber companies or the professional hunters, nor has any tangible benefit ever accrued locally from the exploitation of these forest resources. The local populations' idea of protecting the Lobeke region stems therefore not only from the desire to assure that future generations of Bangando and Baka will have access to sufficient forest, but also as a backlash against outsiders. Nonetheless, without some guarantee of their right to continue exploiting the nearby forest as they have for generations, it is clear that the local population will not support the creation of a protected area.
Figure 3 Possible management options for southeastern Cameroon
In general terms, it should be noted that according to Cameroonian law, the creation of a National Park or a Reserve de Faune would strictly limit human activities in the area. Given that the local populations exploit the Lobeke region on an annual basis, especially for fish in the Lobeke River during the dry season (January-February), it is unreasonable to completely prohibit these endeavors. Management of the area will surely be complicated by the presence of timber concessions, safari hunting leases and the needs of the local populations. If an equitable and acceptable management plan for the area is to be developed, it will undoubtedly have to include a number of different zones of protection. Should the government decide to create a Wildlife Reserve in southeastern Cameroon, it should only be done in close consultation with the local population. One option that might be explored by the government of Cameroon would be the creation of a "Community Forest Reserve" in conjunction with the Lobeke conservation area, which would bring about 500,000 hectares (Figure 3) under a sustainable use management plan. Recent modifications in Cameroonian forestry regulations provide for the possibility of community managed zones. This type of project would demonstrate goodwill towards the indigenous peoples, by preserving forest where they could continue traditional subsistence activities. This action would clearly engender local support for an integrally protected conservation area near Lobeke. In the context of the fact-finding nature of this mission, many area residents indicated that they would be willing to support total protection of the Lobeke area if an adequate amount of forest were set aside for traditional subsistence and economic activities. Preliminary discussions suggest that the forest between the Mambele-Ngilili road (on the main Yokadouma-Moloundou route) and the Mambele-Kika road would be ideal for such a protected area, as much of their normal traditional activities occur in this area. This option deserves further local consultation, particularly in light of the different subsistence regimes of the Bangando and Baka.
The pressures on the forest from foreign interests have led to conflicts in the traditional pursuit of resources the local population has long enjoyed. If management strategies for a protected area around Lobeke are poorly planned, they will certainly exacerbate these conflicts. It has often been claimed that the preservation of tropical rainforest is in the best interests of indigenous peoples that have traditionally exploited its resources. In reality, however, adopted conservation measures frequently prohibit sustainable subsistence activities, and protected area projects have failed because the legitimate concerns of local populations were overlooked. If the local population is regularly consulted and their lifestyles and beliefs are respected, there is great potential for a real partnership in conservation and reduction of conflict in the forests of southeastern Cameroon.
III. REFERENCES CITED Bibanga, P. 1994. Rapport Annuel d'Activites du Poste Forestier et de Chasse de Moloundou. Presented to the Cameroonian Ministry of the Environment and Forests. Bidja, J. 1992. Rapport Annuel (1991-1992). Report to Cameroonian Ministry of Tourism.
Carroll, R. and W. Weber. 1991. An Integrated Plan for Regional Forest Conservation and Management in Southeastern Cameroon, southwestern Central African Republic and Northern Congo. Proposal submitted to USAID.
Curran, B. 1993. Preliminary Assessment of Issues Affecting the Human Populations of the Lac Lobeke Region, Southeastern Cameroon. Report prepared for the Wildlife Conservation Society, World Bank, and the Biodiversity Support Program.
Elkan, P. 1994. Preliminary Survey of Bongo Antelope and Assessment of Safari Hunting in the Lobeke Region of Southeastern Cameroon. Draft report prepared for the Wildlife Conservation Society.
Hall, J. 1993. Report on the Strategic Planning Mission for the Creation of a Protected Area in the Lobeke Region of Southeastern Cameroon: Assessment of Timber Exploitation, Safari Hunting and Preliminary Vegetation Analysis. Report prepared for the Wildlife Conservation Society, World Bank and the Biodiversity Support Program.
Harrison, M. and P. Agland. 1987. Southeast Cameroon: A Proposal for Three New Rainforest Reserves. Report for the Cameroonian Secretary of State for Tourism.
Stromayer, K. and A. Ekobo. 1991. Biological Survey of the Lake Lobeke Region, Southeastern Cameroon. Preliminary report to Wildlife Conservation International and the World Wildlife Fund.
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