Forest and Wildlife sector:

Stakeholders validate new management tools

A workshop to restitute the results of a project to elaborate new tools for management of wildlife in forest concessions took place in Mbalmayo on 17 June 2016.

By Rachel NtubeNgwese in Yaounde

Endangered Wildlife species like 

chimps need to be protected

Stakeholders in the wildlife sector have elaborated and validated new tools for better management of wildlife in forest concessions in Cameroon. The tools were examined and validated at a workshop in Mbalmayo, Centre region, on 17 June 2016.

                The workshop marked the end of a one-year project that ran from May 2015 to June 2016.

                Jointly initiated by the Wildlife Conservation Society, WCS, and the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife, the project was sponsored by the Food and Agriculture Organization FAO to the tune of 135.000 US dollars.

                It had as objective to elaborate tools that can be used to bring about a more objective, transparent and independent management of wildlife in forest concessions. It also sought to create favorable conditions for the respect and control of the forest governance indicators notably indicators 5.1 and 5.2 of the Cameroon forestry law.

                During the one year project, the stakeholders among other things developed and tested the newly elaborated tools in selected forest concessions, elaborated a curriculum for training of wildlife agents on the use of these tools, and also developed a soft ware for the management of these tools.

                Speaking at the validation workshop, the director of WCS Cameroon, Dr. Roger Fotso thanked the ministry of forestry and the FAO for making the project possible. He said the project will go a long way to consolidate WCS’s determined efforts directed towards the sustainable management of biodiversity in Cameroon.

                Also speaking while opening the workshop, the SG of the MINFOF, Joseph Nyangwen, noted that the follow-up of the management of wildlife in forest concessions is a preoccupation of the ministry of forestry and wildlife. He called on the participants at the workshop to implore their expertise to make sure the results and objectives of the project are attained.