Title:
FOREST CONSERVATION IN THE SOUTH WEST REGION OF CAMEROON: IN WHO’S INTEREST?

Authors:
Forbe Hodu Ngangnchi,Prof. Cornelius M. Lambi,Vukenkeng Andrew Wujung and Muafueshiangha Ibrahim Menkeh

Abstract:
The history of formal resource conservation in Africa dates back to the colonial period when legislatures were established to rationalize it in order to ensure a sustainable flow of resources for the development of industries in Europe. Prior to this, native Africans were however involved in resource conservation for the purposes of hunting, the exploitation of natural resources and for fuel wood. This philosophy laid the groundwork for the establishment of the modern day conservation legislature to protect these resources for future generations. The African administration inherited the colonial legacy with little or no modifications and without clearly questioning who the future generations referred to. In this study, we examine the context of “future generation” using empirical evidence from the South West Region of Cameroon. With the use of survey research method, the study suggests that the future generation as contained in the colonial legislature is actually European Industries and not the local population. This implies that conservation is actually not for the interest of the local populations. This finding was supported by the fact that the major logging companies around the conserved or protected areas under exploitation were non-indigenous and the output continues to be shipped directly to Europe or elsewhere with little or no transformation (value added) in the local economy. The provision of the law relating to corporate social responsibilities of the logging companies are not respected as there was no evidence of investment by the exploitation companies. Also, the level of poverty in the communities remains very high, making efforts to effective conservation difficult. This in part explains the paradox of natural resource endowment and underdevelopment of the South West Region. For effective collaboration, the communities must be made to benefit significantly from forest conservation through effective decentralization and the enforcement of the law. Efforts should be made to add value to the timber extracted before export. This natural resource can effectively support the growth and development of the region if properly managed through value addition that creates job.