CHAPTER ONE

GENERAL INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

Protected areas have long been recognized as the single most important method of conserving and preserving biological diversity. They protect the fertility and stability of soils, play a key role in watershed management, and are the habitats of countless species of plants and wildlife resources. Hence, it is important as a result of its significant contribution to economic and social status of their host country. A protected area is a zone geographically demarcated and managed with a view to attaining the specific objective of conserving and realizing the sustainable harnessing of one or more given resources. Enforcing protected area boundaries is a costly and labor-intensive endeavor, particularly if the allocation of a new protected region places new restrictions on the use of resources by the native people, which may lead to their subsequent displacement (Ajonina et al., 2014). Statistics from the World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA), and other sources illustrate that 15 Pas1 covering 1,901,739 hectares have been created and 13 others enclosing 666,026 hectares are at different stages of creation.

Many of these protected areas including the parks and game reserves especially in the developing countries are affected by degradation of the ecosystem which involves hunting, Logging, livestock keeping, cultivation, wildfire and this has led to establishment of conservation programs for sustainable management of these protected areas.

In most protected area in the developing countries, valuable timber is removed and the forest is also cleared for farming. Species of wildlife that live in the forest are displaced or killed when the forest are cleared by lumbermen and farmers. Not only are wildlife species endangered by habitat destruction, but many species are facing extinction (Mohammed and Butswat, 2005).

With the rapid growth in the world’s population many societies have been demanding more from the earth’s resources and affecting it’s land surface at ever increasing rate. Pre- history evidence shows that the early hunter used fire and accidentally or intentionally burnt extensive areas of forest. The early farmers burnt large areas of land to create farmland (Otegbeye, 2000). In more recent times human beings have destroyed enormous tracts of natural vegetation in protected areas. A hectare of forest can be destroyed within an hour, but it may take several decades for the forest to regenerate itself. A report published in 2002 by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization estimate that destruction of tropical rain forest is occurring at a rate of 40 million hectares per year, mainly as a result of human encroachment activities. Animal lives are under pressure, facing threats that include habitat loss from forest clearance, agriculture, and hunting for food profit. The indiscriminate exploitation of forest cover has resulted to a degraded environment with reduce in biodiversity. Human activity affects forest differently for instance logging is tree cutting which disrupt canopies and forest structure and alter species composition and leave some gabs in the forest. Hunting of wildlife drastically reduces animal population. Bush burning account for the loss of soil nutrient content. Extraction of medicine from tree barks led to killing of trees and retard growth due to tissue damaged (FAO, 2013).

Biodiversity is globally faced with serious challenges of habitat destruction and over exploitation due to tremendous increase in human population and its consequential rise in development and demand for food especially animal protein that is hardly available at affordable prices for poor rural inhabitants. In other to check above threat of over exploitation of biodiversity and extinction of species, protected areas such as strict nature reserve, national Parks, game reserves, wildlife sanctuaries and forest reserves were created for preservation of ecosystems, conducting scientific researches for conservation of species, and recreational aspect of wildlife termed ecotourism.

Cameroon, with a total surface area of 47,565 million hectare, 22 million hectares of Forest,  17.5 million hectares  of exploitable forest, 14 million hectares of permanent forest, 8 million hectares of Production forest, 6 million hectares of  forest and Wildlife Reserves, 8,138,800 hectares of protected areas and 5, 37, 695 hectares of Gazetted forest. Cameroon forestry has contributed considerably to country’s socioeconomic development. Forest operations in Cameroon employ between 45,000 – 70,000 people and account for about 20% the country’s GDP (Ameriei, 2005, MINFOF 2015). In Cameroon there are 18 national parks covering 8,138,800 hectares representing 18% of the National territory, (Takam et Ngala, 2013, MINFOF 2012). 

The Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife is the main body in charge of forest sustainability in Cameroon and it has established an urgent Program (UAP) which is responsible for monitoring and regulating illegal activities of forest and wildlife resources (Tuguhong and Betti 2008). Law No 94/01of the 20th January provides clear orientation of sustainable use of forest and wildlife resources in Cameroon. Despite the enactment of Cameroon 1994 forestry Law biodiversity species abundant in national parks are under pronounced threats of either hunting or habitat destruction. WCS (2013) report that about 650 elephants were massacre in the Bouba Njida National Park. National Parks are face with many forms of encroachment challenges such as farming, logging, poaching, deforestation, land degradation, collection of NTFPs, gazetted, pollution etc. 

National Parks that are located where the general population depends on agriculture and forest resources for survival, the Park is prone to encroachment. For effective sustainable management of flora resources in protected areas, it therefore becomes imperative to investigate the impact of human encroachment on floristic diversity in the Bakossi National Park.

1.2 Problem Statement

Bakossi National Park is rich in biodiversity. Is a refuge for a wide range of flora and fauna. The park is home to numerous endemic species such as Bejaria aestuans, a unique flower of this region, and Impatiens grandisepala, a balsam family plant found only in Cameroon. The BNP also rich in Non Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) such as bush mangoes ( irvingia gabonensis), eru (Gnetum Africanum), Djansang (Ricinodendron heudellotti), Garcinia kolla, piper guineense (bush pepper), aframomium melegueta (alakata pepper and Garcinia Lucida locally called Essok  who fruit are use as medicine. The National Park offers a safe habitat for a wide range of animal species, some of which are endangered. These include the mandrill, the world’s largest primate, and the African forest elephant, both considered endangered. Other animals in the park include the bongo antelope, the blue duiker, and an impressive diversity of birds, including the endangered Congo peafowl.

Despite its beauty and natural richness, Bakossi National Park faces a series of threats that could endanger its biodiversity which includes:

Agricultural expansion a major driver of the destruction of species composition, decimating habitats and biodiversity.

Deforestation is also significant in the area. Some potions within two clusters in the National Park has been cleared over the years to give way for farmland, illegal logging, fuel wood, construction, furniture.

Over harvesting of non-timber forest products seriously effects plants health especially the harvesting of medicinal plants from tree barks which result in the damaged and killing of trees.

Most NTFP collection practices are not sustainable like the complete harvesting of entire eru stems and leaves, cutting of branches that supports eru stems, cutting of Aframomium  melegueta stem, Garcinia cola stem, the cutting of bush pepper stems, and the cleaning of the bark of Garcinia Lucida stem. These collection practices have detrimental effects on flora as it leads to the degradation of most species. Non-timber forest product collectors faced challenges in respecting intuitional mechanisms regulating the collection of non-timber forest products.  Non-timber forest product collection practices have damaging impacts on flora and fauna life.

Tree species composition is also altered due to human activities such as unsustainable farming methods and over harvest of timber.

1.3  Research questions and Objectives

1.3.1        Research questions

1.3.1.2 The Main Research Question

What are the impacts of human encroachment on flora diversity in the Bakossi National Park.

1.3.2 Specific Research Question

• What are the drivers of human encroachment in the Bakossi National Park?
• What are the effects of human encroachment on tree species richness, composition and diversity in the Bakossi National Park?
• What measures are put in place to curb human encroachment and its impact in the Bakossi National Park?

1.3.2.1  Research objectives

1.3.2.2 Main Objective

To investigate the impact of human encroachment on flora diversity in the Bakossi National Park.

1.3.2.3 Specific Objectives

• To identify the causes of human encouragement in the Bakossi National Park.
• To examine the effects of human encroachment on tree species richness, composition and diversity.
• To provide sustainable forest management strategies to curb human encroachment and its impact in the Bakossi National.

1 3.3 Research Hypotheses

• Poverty is the main driver of human encroachment
• Human encouragement has seriously reduced tree species richness, Composition and diversity
• Measures put in place to curb human encroachment are limited

1.4            Rational

1.4.1 Justification of the study

The entire study is based on the impact of human encroachment on forest resources in the Bakossi National Park. The study was intended also to come up with findings that can assist future researchers, resource use planners and policy makers in identifying areas of conflict between the local communities and  the National Park forests, what is drawn from forests, its implications and also develop and execute comprehensive resource use policies in order to achieve sustainability.

Given the fact that the Bakossi National Park has undergone changes in land use dynamics since it was created in 2007.

Acquisition of the farmland by the landless community indigents in search of land for cultivation. Therefore the National park is thus seriously facing encroachment and extinction of tree species.

 No study on the impact of human encroachment on floristic diversity  has been done in the Bakossi National Park. The study is of importance   because the village communities living near the forest are encroaching into the National Park.

The need to conserve forests for sustainable development in Cameroon and elsewhere in the world stems from the multiplicity of forest uses. For years, forests throughout the country have served as sources of timber, fuel wood, medicine, food, fruits, resin, latex,  fibres among others. Natural forests in Cameroon such as National Parks are essential as water catchment areas, are habitat for trees and animal species and for soil conservation because the trees cover the soil hence it cannot be prone to wind as well as water erosion. Consequently, destruction in the form of farmland forest encroachment  has several adverse effects, which do vary in intensity from one locality to the other. When forests  especially on hillsides are destroyed there tends to be a general increase in the rate of soil erosion. Since a greater percentage of population in third world countries is rural based and poverty is rampant, destruction of the forest by farming and harvesting of fuel wood from forests alter species composition and diversity. Faster rates of e vapo-transpiration are normally experience in deforested areas due to farmland encroachment hence causing desiccation of soil and eventual changes in climate. Forests are well known homes of millions of species whose disappearance leads to loss of genetic pool available to mankind. Just to say the least forests are aesthetically more appealing than what normally replaces them after they have been cleared.

1.4.2 Significance of the Study

The study helps the government and the local population to promote sustainable forest management practices.

The growing human population in Cameroon against a static forest resource is a threat to all protected areas. Nearly all National Parks in Cameroon are faced with the threat of loss of species due to human encroachment.

The findings of the study such as  the effects on tree specie richness, composition and diversity  showed how human encroachment had altered the floristic composition of the National Park. The findings of the study are relevant for sustainable forest conversations.

Since the enactment of Cameroon Forestry Law (Law No 94/01 of 20^th January 1994) which regulated the sustainable use of forest and wildlife resources in the country. The Ministry of forestry and wildlife has made a series of efforts to promote sustainable forest management practices in the conservation of protected areas. However, careful evaluation reveals that while these efforts have some progress, the sector is still plagued with a series of Socio-economic and ecological challenges namely inadequate capital, technical expertise, illegal logging and inadequate monitoring.

This research concludes by advancing a series of recommendation that could be used to promote sustainable forest conservation measures in Cameroon.