Open Door Days:

Mt. Cameroon National Park showcases potentials

By Eta Chris in Buea

Thousands of visitors stormed the premises of the Buea-based Mt. Cameroon National Park recently, during the 2016 edition of the annual open-door day ceremony.

Opening the August ceremony, South West Governor Bernard Okalia Bilai stated with satisfaction that the Mt Cameroon National Park represents a vast tourist potential for the SW Region while noting the timely nature of the event that aims to give the public a serene view and understanding of the Park's activities.

                To him, the need to preserve and harness the precious potentials of the park is indispensable; it will go a long way to uphold better exploitation and conservation hence combating illegal poaching and access to the reserve’s protected species among others.

                The Park hosts one of the world's most important biodiversity including a high level of endemic plant and animal species that include 2300 species of plants from 800 genera, 210 families out of which 42 species and 3 genera are strictly endemic to the area. It has five main units: Finance and Administration, Protection Unit, Collaborative Management Unit, Research and Monitoring, Eco-Tourism unit respectively. By and large, these units have the mandate to conserve biodiversity, contribute to the development of surrounding local communities, promote ecotourism as a potential source of revenue, promote employment and promote the image of Cameroon biodiversity preservation.

                According to the Park Conservator, Mr. Besong Simon, he and his team have attained the goal of building all 41 functional village centres, increased revenue collection for the growth of the Park.

                To the Conservator "within the framework of the conservation and development agreement that are been elaborated and implemented, in all the villages there are ongoing development activities, there are ongoing support to infrastructural development like water projects. I think the significant achievements are there, and we are not stopping here, reason why we have organized this day to be able to showcase to the public what we are doing in all the Park management program so that the public can be aware on the beauty and management of the mount Cameroon National Park" he explained.

                Prunus Africana, one of the severally protected species exhibited during the open day turned out to be the most vulnerable species as classified in 2006, due to its low densities in the shrinking and increasingly degraded mountanous ecosystem and the high levels of its commercialization.

                A Prunus Africana management plan for Mount Cameroon was elaborated and approved by the Minister of Forestry and Wildlife. The Prunus Allocation Unit is divided into five Prunus management blocks that will be managed on a 5-year rotatory period.

                It should be recalled that its international trade was restricted since 1995, banned in 1996 and uplifted in 2010.

                The Mount Cameroon national park created in December 2009,has a total land surface area of 58,178ha and has 41 villages bordering it, with a population of over 100,000 inhabitants.

                The Mount Cameroon National Park Open Day is an annual event that seeks to showcase the rich potential of the Park and attract foreign visitors.