PRESENTATION CONTENT

1. INTRODUCTION

2. ZONING OF SOUTHERN CAMEROON

3. SOME OF THE KEY STRATEGIC APPROACHES IN FORESTRY

POLICY IN THE CAMEROON

4. IMPLEMENTING TOOLS

5. CONCLUSION

PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN COMMUNITY MANAGEMENT AND NATIONAL POLICIES FOR THE PROTECTION OF BIODIVERSITY AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE CAMEROON

A presentation by Blondeau TALATALA

UNGC-REPADER Coordinator

Introduction

The general territorial development framework is currently being drawn up by the MINEPAT

At a sectoral level, there are land access and utilisation instruments (DSDSR, mining map, etc.)

The problems of land access, rural development and protecting diversity have very variable parameters given the Cameroon’s broad cultural and geographical diversity.

This requires specific solutions for each geographic entity.

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ZONING IN SOUTHERN CAMEROON

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Since 1995, the Cameroon has operated an indicative framework of land use in southern forested areas, governed by a PM decree

Two major groups can be distinguished in this framework, namely:

The permanent domain

Intended for forestry purposes, it includes:

Production forests (UFA, communal forests)

Protected areas (parks and reserves);

The non-permanent domain

This is allocated to uses other than forestry

Agro-forestry areas (farming, stock farming, community forestry, community hunting) Mining areas

ZONING IN SOUTHERN CAMEROON

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Type of land use Surface area (Hectares)

Percentage

Forests 21 236 475 44.7

Other wooded areas 14 803 759 31.1

Other land 11 230 928 23.6

Inland waters 272 839 0.6

TOTAL 47 544 000 100.0

Estimated land area per overall land use category in the Cameroon

FAO, 2003-2004

Observation: forested areas cover approximately 45% of the country’s total land area

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SOME OF THE KEY STRATEGIC APPROACHES IN FORESTRY POLICY IN THE CAMEROON

1 – Decentralised management of forestry resources. (This is part of the overall trend towards decentralised management

implemented in the Cameroon)

2 – Participation of those involved (and in particular local

populations) in the management of forestry resources

3 – Sustainable management and conservation of biological diversity

4 - Participation of the forestry sector in local development

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IMPLEMENTING TOOLS

1- Decentralised management of forestry resources

Community forestry (at the level of an organised community)

Communal forestry (at the level of a decentralised collectivity)

Community hunting areas (ZICGC)

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IMPLEMENTING TOOLS2- The forestry sector’s contribution to local

development

a) Fiscality applying to forestry via the RFA

b) The income generated by the operating of community forests

c) The income generated by the operating of communal forests

d) Land-leasing taxes (ZICGC)

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IMPLEMETING TOOLS

3- Sustainable management and conservation of biological diversity (two tools)

Establishing a network of protected areas (20% of the national territory);

Definition of hunting areas (Development of wildlife resources via rational and sustainable exploitation).

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IMPLEMETING TOOLS

Designation Number Surface area (ha)Percentage of the national territory

Traditional protected areas

29 3 549 819 7.47%

ZIC 45 4 069 085 8.57%

ZICGC 22 1 396 382 2.93%

TOTAL 96 9 015 286 18.97%

Location of Protected Areas in the Cameroon

Observation: protected areas cover 18.97% of the national territory

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IMPLEMENTING TOOLS

Permit Number Surface area

Forestry reserves 83 1 384 785.98

Fauna and flora sanctuary 5 167 854.51

Wildlife reserves 7 771 854.76

Communal forests 7 151 407.00

National parks 21 3 248 806.69

UFA 113 7 265 799.00

Community forests 147 588 000.00

Total forestry permits 13 578 507.94

The territorial development plan: a tool for the sustainable management of natural resources

Permanent forestry domain, including community forests (2008-2009)

Observation: 74% of the forest area of the Cameroon undergoing development (13 578 508 hectares)

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4- Participatory, coordinated management of forestry resources

Operational Technical Units (UTO)

COMMUNITY MANAGEMENT OF FORESTS AND CONSERVATION OF BIODIVERSITY IN THE COMMUNITY MANAGEMENT OF FORESTS AND CONSERVATION OF BIODIVERSITY IN THE CAMEROONCAMEROON

The UTO were mentioned for the first time in 1998 in the Min. Forests

They are frameworks for consulting various involved parties in a defined area.

ObjectiveTo promote the coordinated management of forestry resources in a multi-party context with a view to contributing to local development

Typology 1st category UTO (Surface area ≥ 100 000 Ha); 2nd category UTO (Surface area ≥ 50 000≤100 000 Ha); 3rd category UTO (Surface area ≤ 50 000 Ha)

Involved partiesForestry operators, mining operators, elected representatives, public authorities, NGOs, FOs, decentralised communities, etc.

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JUSTIFICATION FOR SETTING UP UTOs

Heterogeneity of those involved, often with diverging interests – (User rights/protected areas)

Overlapping actions on occasion within the same areas – (Overlapping between mining concessions/UFA, EFA/hunting areas, mining permits/protected areas, etc.)

Lack of communication and exchange between parties involved

ORGANISATION Management body (Steering committee; determines and

validates areas of action) Operational body (communal executive, State

service, OSC; implementation of guidelines)

Example: UTO SE: RESPONSIBILITIES

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• supervising the creation of protected areas in its area of competence;

• coordinating the management of protected areas;

• developing a process for the sustainable exploitation of forestry resources in peripheral multi-use areas (buffer zone);

• developing a process for the sustainable exploitation of wildlife resources in peripheral areas;

• promoting the participation of local communities in the management of biodiversity;

• coordinating forestry and hunting policing activities;

• facilitating ecotourism activities.

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UTO SE: an integrated planning and management tool for natural resources.

Negotiation of micro-zoning within the UTOClassification of the AP, UFA, ZICGC, ZIC,

FC and Fct Preparation of the AP AP implementation support

Results obtained in the UTO SE

• 03 national parks created,

• 22 forestry concessions

• 14 community managed areas of hunting interest

• 09 sport hunting areas

• An agro-forestry strip

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CONCLUSION

The policy instruments established are relevant

They facilitate the promotion of local development They facilitate the conservation of biological diversity

Looking ahead

Special emphasis must be placed on the following aspects:

Governance at the level of territorial communities Strengthening capacity at a community level Monitoring the implementation of tools for the

sustainable management of natural resources (territorial development plans, etc.)

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