Tropenbos Cameroon Series

Dijk, J.F.W. van (1999). Non-Timber Forest Products in the Bipindi-Akom II Region, Cameroon. A Socio-Economic and Ecological Assessment.

The overall study aimed to integrate NTFP resource management into future management schemes in view of the needs and interests of people depending on these resources for both subsistence and commercial purposes. The first part of the book includes a general outline of the NTFP study. A description of the area is given, with a special emphasis on those aspects that are of importance for the ecological and socio-economic aspects of NTFP extraction. The second part deals with the uses of NTFP species in the area. They are classified in food plants, animal resources, forest medicines, construction materials and household equipment. The uses of the most important NTFP species are described in detail. A complete presentation of the uses is included in the appendices. The third part reflects the results of the overall ecological assessment. Major habitat types were defined and the abundance of NTFP species was related to these habitats. The impact of exploitation, especially logging and harvesting of NTFPs on the population structure, was examined for several species.

Eba'a Atyi, R. (2000). TROPFOMS, A decision support model for sustainable management of South-Cameroon's rain forests

This PhD thesis introduces the model TROPFOMS (Tropical Forest Management Support System) which is designed to assist in the decision-making process for forest management in South Cameroon. TROPFOMS includes a mathematical programmeing module, a growth and yield module, an economic module and a constraint definition module. It takes into account the ecological, social, economic and technical aspects of the process. The model results in an optimal cutting cycle of about 30 years, and a harvest of 13.4 m3/ha for species currently commercialized. The author Richard Eba Atyi, estimates that it would require 120 years to convert forest at the study site into a steady state forest.

Onguene, N.A. (2000). Diversity and dynamics of Mycorrhizal associations in tropical rain forests with different disturbance regimes in South Cameroon

Allmost all tropical rain forest trees have mycorrhixal relationships. Without them, it would be impossible for the trees to survive. Knowledge of these tree-fungi associations, their diversity and synamics is therefore a prerequisite for sustainable forest management. Nerre Awana Onguene, a cameroonian soil biologist, conducted research on mycorrhizal associations in Cameroon and found an impressive siversity of myzorrhizal associations and fungi. He identified more than 125 species of ectomycorrhizal fungi (mushrooms). Some of these are edible and a potential source for forest-dwelling people. The study makes clear that shifting cultivation severely affects the fungi. this makes the researcher to suggest that the local population should save the ectomycorrhizal host trees when opening up agricultural fields, just like they do with fruit trees or socially important tree species. PhD thesis at Wageningen University.

Berg, J. van den and Biesbrouck, K. (2000). The social dimension of rainforest management in Cameroon: issues for co-management

Local stakeholders such as the Bantu and Bagyeli (Pygmies) in Cameroon, should be involved in decisions tropical rain forest use and management. This was the starting point guiding six years of social science research in the Tropenbos Cameroon Programme. In this volume Jolanda van den Berg and Karen Biesbrouck provide an integrated overview of the results of this research, which was conducted by a team of four social scientists and their students.

Guedje, N.M. (2002). La gestion des populations d’arbres comme outil pour une exploitation durable des produits forestiers non-ligneux: l’exemple de Garcinia lucida (sud-Cameroun).

Garcinia lucida seeds and bark are commonly used non-timber forest products. The autoecology and population dynamics of this small rain forest tree and the ways in which it is exploited were studied in detail to assess the impact of exploitation on the population. This led to recommendations regarding regulation of access to the resource and improved harvesting methods. PhD thesis at Université Libre de Bruxelles.

Parren, M.P.E. (2003). Lianas and logging in West Africa

Loggers consider lianas a nuisance. The woody climbers cause trees to pull down their neighbours when they are felled, hinder the growth of their host and spread like weeds. Cutting lianas prior to felling is therefore the norm in sustainable logging operations. With the support of Tropenbos International, Marc Parren investigated how effective this treatment is in West Africa. PhD thesis at Wageningen University.

Tchoutou Mbatchou, G.P.(2004). Plant diversity in a central African rain forest. Implication for biodiversity conservation in Cameroon

In response to the growing international concern for the protetcion of biological diversity the Cameroonian Ministry of Environment and Forestry created a technical Operation Unit in the Campo-Ma'an are.In such a large and complex forest ecosystem, sound texnomic and ecological research if of importance to identify conservation priorities and hotspots for conservation. Therefore this study, aiming at the assessment of the botanical diversity of Campo-Ma'an rain forest to identfy, locat and map biodiversity hotspots.

Jonkers, W.B.J. and Foahom, B. (2004). Sustainable management of rainforest in Cameroon.

The Tropenbos Cameroon Programme studies social, economic, ecological technical and management aspects of forest land use and used the fundings in a land use plan and a forest managerment plan. This publications reviews the main findings of the programme in the context of sustainable forest management.

Gemerden, B.S. van (2004). Disturbance, diversity and distributions in central african rain forest.

Barend van Gemerden investigated how selective logging and shifting cultivation affect long-term plant species composition and diversity. Understanding how vulnerable species and forests are to human-induced disturbance is important to help increase the effectiveness of conservation management. PhD thesis at Wageningen University.