TROPICAL RAINFORESTSCase Study on Cameroon(KORUP PROJECT)

TROPICAL RAINFORESTS (OVERVIEW) TRF’s once covered 14% of world land area Now only covers 7% because:

Rate of destruction/deforestation has increased by 90% since mid 80s threatened / destroyed by unsustainable or illegal logging forest fires clearance for:

agriculture settlement mining

14 million hectares destroyed annually 15 million hectares degraded

CONSERVATION OF TROPICAL RAINFOREST (WHAT IS IT) Korup Project is in South – West Cameroon Attempt to conserve an area of rainforest The rainforest has:

poor soil High rainfall Therefore unsuitable for crops

Terrain is difficult and inaccessible – little / no interest to loggers Forest left virtually untouched One of world oldest and diverse with large numbers of plant species Animal life is diverse and rare Forest home to 25% of Africa’s primate species Korup is Cameroon governments first and only national park since

1986. Helped and supported by organisations such as WWF and Overseas

Development Administration (ODA) of UK government.

CONSERVATION OF TROPICAL RAINFOREST (WHAT IS IT) CONTINUED ... Main aims are:

to preserve wildlife, the environment and its biodiversity to foster scientific research to enhance tourist development to educate local people to minimise their impact on rainforest

CONSERVATION OF TROPICAL RAINFOREST (KORUP PROJECT) Establishing / delimiting national park was first step in conserving

rainforest. Including: building a fence around park creating nature trails building camp sites and guard posts

Hunting controlled quickly – was biggest threat local people employed to guard park against poaching

People from 6 villages resettled to achieve true national park status Second step – to develop a buffer zone around park where most

development would take place. This meant: new roads and bridges built schools / health centres set up resettlement programme begun

CONSERVATION OF TROPICAL RAINFOREST (KORUP PROJECT) CONTINUED... Education is major part of project

villagers taught how to grow own crops / raise livestock (hunting no longer necessary)

community farms / tree nurseries set up – replanting can begin workshops to teach people skills such as carpentry and masonry / how to

make handicrafts (soap) Third step to encourage tourism to earn foreign exchange (in

addition to employment / business opportunities) Project insists that local people must benefit from development /

tourism must be controlled

CONSERVATION OF TROPICAL RAINFOREST (KORUP PROJECT) CONTINUED... Tourism

only experience park on foot Korup has particular appeal for butterflies, birds and botanical groups

rather than large animals main centre in Mundemba [end of dusty, or muddy road (dependent on

weather)] park entrance 10km away facilities are poor one way in / out of park

KORUP ... SUCCESS OR FAILURE?SUCCESSES Wildlife protected in a way that other rainforests have not yet

achieved Attracted funding from international agencies such as World Bank

as well as NGOs from Britain, USA and Germany. Discovered new plant Ancistrocladus korupensis – may be useful in

the fight against HIV. if proven useful, income for local farmers provided + world health

KORUP ... SUCCESS OR FAILURE?FAILURES Establishing the trust and cooperation from locals 6 out of 27 villages had to be relocated to buffer zones as they were

inside the marked national park zone. resentment and unhappiness about the plans although some have accepted relocation, others still resent

Hunting part of tradition and income but now stopped carrying firearm without permit is illegal / hunting discouraged park enclosed by fence & guards at entry

Poverty remains a problem development programme still in early stages for some, tradition taken away for something insignificant

WHY IS THE KORUP PROJECT OF INTERNATIONAL IMPORTANCE? [NATIONAL/GLOBAL CONTEXT] Western Romance Ideal

See it as a lost paradise (emotional attachment / luxurious) Highly sensitive image of the area Cameroon govt. agreed – sign of development (aid given to govt.)

Medicines Ancistrocladus Korupensis

Found only in Korup Cure for HIV may be possible

Virgin Rainforest Protect rainforest to halt climate change

Take in CO₂ through photosynthesis

• 60% of Cameroon’s rainforest

gone• 7% globally

HOW IS THE TRF IN THE KORUP PROJECT VALUED BY THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE THERE? 1400 people (7 villages) within Korup Project / 30000 people (37

villages) utilise forest Modern population increase is a pressure

Forest used for: Hunting / fishing / farming / gathering NTFP [(non – timber forest product)

fruit] Used for income (survival) 161 euros give or take 53 annually

Subsistence farming mainly

In Korup Project 9% of weekly timetable is spent in the conservation zone

THE KORUP “MASTERPLAN” 4 main aims (look at slide 4) 15 million euros spent on Korup Project between 1988 and 2000 Korup Project assumed that villagers would accept plans Attempted to ‘win’ participation:

Used incentives – rewards and sanction (not many rewards) Persuade them with health facilities and education Chief’s told if they volunteered - would receive compensation / if didn’t

then armed forces will drive them out Financial cost to villager? 161 euros annually lost

The compensations? Education (training in skills) Better infrastructure More health services

HOW DOES PARTICIPATORY CONSERVATION SUCCEED WHERE ‘TOP-DOWN’ APPROACHES HAVE FAILED? [ECO-GUARDS]

Eco-guards introduced in June 2007 by WWF Coastal Forests Programme

Eco-guard strength of 23 (from all 7 villages) to cover 126,000 hectares

Trained to use: Mobile application cybertracker Land navigation with GPS / maps GPS navigation with compass Use of handheld computer Identification of large mammals

Anti-poaching patrols 21 days a month 3 operational sectors: North West / North East / Southern sectors

Active researchers in mammal numbers

HOW DOES PARTICIPATORY CONSERVATION SUCCEED WHERE ‘TOP-DOWN’ APPROACHES HAVE FAILED? [ECO-TOURISM]

Locals are able to provide hospitality to tourists who have come to see the rainforest

They are able to sell their goods that they have made They can give guided tours to tourists Give tourists a taste of Korup culture through dance and music to

show off their culture.

WHY IS PARTICIPATORY CONSERVATION BETTER THAN ‘TOP-DOWN’? Locals interviewed about lifestyle (doesn’t happen in top-down) Locals incorporated in management plan Allows education / training programmes to be introduced

Local knowledge used Locals more happy (have more say)

Local NGOs have small visions for local area Protect resource base Improvement of quality of life

2 way education

THE 4 AIMS – STRATEGIES & OBSTACLES (WILDLIFE)

Strategies Creation of national park status Fire arms licenses Local eco-guards (trained and employed)

Obstacles Difficult to enforce hunting restrictions in such a remote place Hunting is part of local people’s TRADITIONAL LIFESTLYE Hunting is main source of income (bush meat) Local people are resentful

Strategies Ancistrocladus Korupensis – plant used in medical battle against HIV Scientific research carried out Botanical surveys Ethno botanical studies (local uses of plants)

Obstacles Low impact

THE 4 AIMS – STRATEGIES & OBSTACLES (SCIENCE)

Strategies Nature trails (on foot only) Employs local people Attracts foreign currency

Obstacles Access – nearest village 10km away from entrance Mud track – dependent on weather (erosion) Only one entry point to park Poor facilities for tourists in Mundemba

THE 4 AIMS – STRATEGIES & OBSTACLES ([ECO] TOURISM)

Strategies Education for locals

Training in agriculture (livestock / crops)

Obstacles Conflicts with traditional roaming lifestyle

THE 4 AIMS – STRATEGIES & OBSTACLES (LIMITING LOCAL ACTIVITIES)