Abstract:
The management of protected areas (PAs) has become the cornerstone of biodiversity
conservation strategies around the world. There is now widespread acceptance that conservation
policies should contribute to poverty alleviation. The focus of the study was to examine the
impacts of forest conservation on the livelihoods of people living close to the Mount Cameroon
national park (MCNP)in the South West region of Cameroon. Ten villages (Bonakanda,
Bokwango, Bwassa, Mayunge, Bomana, Lykoko Mile 14, Bafia, Bakingidi, Etome and Batoke)
were sampled from the Buea, Bomboko, Muyuka and West Coast clusters of the Mount
Cameroon National park. A random sampling technique was used to select 200 households
within a four-kilometre radius distance from the National Park. Questionnaires were selfadministered to household heads who have lived within the study for past fifteen years. The data
collected was cleaned, coded and analysed using the statistical package for social science (SPSS)
version
21. A descriptive statistical technique was carried and responses were summarized and presented
in the form of tables, charts and graphs. The findings revealed that the percentage of
communities engaged in agriculture reduced from 56% to 51% (a 5% reduction) after the
creation of the MCNP. Hunting activities also reduced as result of the creation of the park from
19% to 11% (8% reduction) before and after the creation of the MCNP respectively.
Respondents who depended on hunting as source of livelihood were greatly affected. Due to
restriction of access to forest after the creation of the MCNP, respondents have resorted to other
livelihood activities like Aquaculture (3.5%), Business activities (16.3%) and private sector
employment (16.3%). Average monthly incomes of respondents have reduced from 78,900 FRS
(approximately $142.02) before the creation of the MCNP park to 74,700 FRS (not significant)
((approximately $134.46) after the creation of the park. The creation of protected areas to
conserve biodiversity have both positive and negative impacts, with impacts unequally
distributed within local communities. This study recommends further research on local
community involvement in protected area governance and co-management as means to reduce
costs of protected areas establishment and their uneven distribution among different groups |
