COBALAM project stakeholders strategise on curbing forest degradation, biodiversity loss.

The COBALAM project, funded by the Global Environment Facility, GEF, is being implemented by UN-Environment and the Ministry of Environment, Nature Protection and Sustainable Development, MINEPDED, in partnership with Rainforest Alliance.

The stakeholders met at a consultation workshop held in Dschang, West Region Thursday, September 19. It was attended by some municipal authorities, representatives of sectorial ministries, and other experts. 

According to organisers, the main objective of the workshop was to analyse the drivers of forest degradation and biodiversity loss in the Bali-Nguemba Forest Reserve in the North West Region and the Tofala Hills Wildlife Sanctuary in the South Region and to identify measures to avoid them.

Besides identifying actions to be taken to improve conservation of the reserve and sanctuary, the workshop was also an opportunity to present the COBALAM project to stakeholders in the two Anglophone Regions.
Speaking at the workshop, the Mayor of Bali Council, Wandum Bunga Ernest, said the COBALAM initiative is a wonderful idea within the era of decentralisation as mayors get involved in the management of resources like forest and the community stands a better chance of benefiting more from it. 

“We are going to work together hand in gloves to ensure that our forests and reserves are deserving of the name and the community to benefit from it,” the mayor said. 

He added that: “We are expecting that the Bali-Ngemba Forest will be revamped and a variety of trees will be replanted, because at the moment, I think there is just one or so specie. We think that they are going to put in place measures to see that there is sustainability for the trees because in some areas they dry off”. 

On his part, the traditional ruler of Bawock village, Fon Nana Wanda Theodore III, explained that for some years now, their community forest, which served as source of water, amongst other uses, has been facing destructions.

“This seminar is very important because we the direct beneficiaries will see how to work together to protect the environment that was given for the forest and to implement the policy of one tree one inhabitant. This is to ensure that people around the forest will know the importance of keeping the environment safe by avoiding illegal exploitation,” the traditional ruler said. 

“We also do have sacred forests where we used to get plants or water from…this meeting is very important for us in order to extend our Bali-Ngemba Forest, but through it we can also by planting cocoa, banana, coffee,” he added. 

It is worth noting that COBALAM initiative aims at conserving biodiversity in the Western Highlands and the South Region of Cameroon through a sustainable landscape management approach. 

In this regard, High Conservation Value Forests, HCVFs, are protected and surrounding forest and agricultural areas are managed through participatory community-based natural resource management and the development of local enterprises, which exploit natural resources sustainably and generate income for local populations.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post issue No:3240 of Wednesday September 25, 2024