Theme COMMUNITY MANAGEMENT OF FORESTS AND CONSERVATION OF BIODIVERSITY IN CAMEROON Presented by BLONDEAU TALATALA Coordinator of UNGC-REPADER

PLAN OF THE PRESENTATION 1.PRESENTATION OF UNGC-REPADER 2.LEGAL FRAMEWORK FOR COMMUNITY MANAGEMENT OF FORESTS IN CAMEROON 3.PROCEDURE FOR SETTING UP A COMMUNITY FOREST 4.CONTRIBUTION TO LOCAL DEVELOPMENT 5.CONTRIBUTION TO THE CONSERVATION OF BIODIVERSITY 6.CONCLUSION AND OUTLOOK

PRESENTATION OF UNGC-REPADER What is the UNGC-REPADER The national management and coordination unit (UNGC) of the Réseau polyvalent des organisations dappui à linformation agricole et environnementale pour le développement rural (REPADER) - De facto farmers organisation; - National platform for exchanges and the dissemination of agricultural information and rural development via its network of farmers organisations; - Successor to the PRGIE; - 10 years of activity and partnership with the CTA in the management of agricultural information and natural resources.

PRESENTATION OF UNGC-REPADER Main products and services Support for putting in place 10 community forests in south- east Cameroon The quarterly newsletter bio azimuts The website ( Community tele-centres Main partners The CTA, the Ministries of Agriculture, Communication, Forests and Wildlife, Livestock; SAILD

PRESENTATION OF UNGC-REPADER Contact details of the organisation Seat: Yaoundé – Cameroon; BP 3410 Yaoundé 3°52' N latitude and 11°32' E longitude Secondary operational office: Lomié-Cameroun Congo Basin, Altitude: 640 m; Latitude 3° North; Longitude 13° East

LEGAL FRAMEWORK FOR THE COMMUNITY MANAGEMENT OF FORESTS IN CAMEROON Law 94/01 of 20/01/1994 and Decree 95/531/PM of 23 August 1995 are the main legal instruments for the implementation of forestry policy in Cameroon Community management of forest resources is a key element of this policy

LEGAL FRAMEWORK (cont.) According to its objective n°2, the aim is to improve the participation of citizens in the conservation and management of forest resources in order to help them improve their standard of living. This vision is implemented by putting in place community forests.

PROCEDURE FOR PUTTING IN PLACE COMMUNITY FORESTS 1.Information and awareness-raising meetings 2.Creation of a legal entity: common initiative group, economic interest group, association, etc. 3.Consultation meeting 4.Training workshops 5.Preparation of the PSG and PDL 6.Approval of the 2 management documents by the Ministry of Forests 7.Exploitation and management of the forest (cont.)

CONTRIBUTION OF F.C. TO LOCAL DEVELOPMENT The revenues generated are considered as public funds The revenues must be used for the implementation of community-type projects The revenues are part of the resources available for the implementation of the local development plan The revenues are totally tax-exempt in the case of a forest exploited by the community itself

Illustration of the contribution of the forest community to the fight against the poverty of beneficiary populations: case of the AVILSO community – 5,000 ha self-managed – 4 villages, 1,000 inhabitants ( ) ParametersAmounts (F CFA)Amounts (Euro) 1Monthly earnings of operational employees 50m3 x 40,000 F/m3 2,000,000 3,000 2Monthly earnings of unloaders50m3 x F/m3 1,000,000 1,500 3Monthly earnings of loaders50m3 x F/m Monthly revenues generated by the sale of wood (intended to finance micros projects) 50m3 x F/m3 7,500,000 11,500 5Monthly supply of money generated within the Community 10,600,00016,150 6Jobs created after one years management 60 7Habitat and other socio-economic infrastructures 40 additional boxes in corrugated iron and stabilised earth bricks; 4 bore holes; 4 generating sets; 4 corn mills

CONTRIBUTION OF F.C TO THE CONSERVATION OF BIODIVERSITY Tools for the sustainable management of the non- permanent forest domain A simple validated management plan ensuring the sustainable exploitation of forestry resources Small scale exploitation having a low impact on areas measuring no more than 5,000ha Tools for promoting the involvement of rural communities in the sustainable management of forestry resources Represents an alternative in the face of the pressure on wildlife resources

CONCLUSION AND OUTLOOK Encouraging the implementation of EIR by reducing the conditionality of current texts Strengthening the capacities of communities to gain access to markets offering greater added value for products Supporting communities in the certification process for their products Supervising communities as part of the fight against all forms of forest and wildlife crime in their forest