Presentation of findings on wildlife riches and threats to the Mawambi Hills Forests in a statutory meeting for the proposed Mawambi Community forest

The Mawambi Hills Forests is endowed with biodiversity riches with is currently under threat due to different anthropogenic activities carried out by community members in the 4 adjacent communities, Tapke, Assam, Awuri and Okpambe.
This is due to the fact that the forest enjoys no formal protection from the Government of Cameroon despite it riches.
Community members are free to exploit natural resources there in unsustainably, and also in the absence of any agency or organization to direct community members to sustainably harvest these resources who they are custodians.
According to the land use plan of the Southwest region, this forest is a proposed community forest whose gazettement process is on course.
According to the manual of procedures for the establishment of a community forest in Cameroon, the process is at the stage of a concertation meeting where one forest officer from the 4 communities needs to be appointed and activities for the inventory of the different biodiversity in the area initiated.
The Director of Environmental governance Institute (EGI), John Takang, with some of his staff Members (Rita Ebune, Community development Officer and Mesape Derrick wildlife Biologist) recently carried out a rapid survey of large mammals and socio-economic work in the area and has a process of information dissemination to different stakeholders, wishes to use this forum to directly present the findings in this meeting. The stake holders present will include, the Government of Cameroon through MINFOF, MINATD, WCS and the local communities for an appraisal.
The main objective of this mission is the presentation of findings in the Mawambi Hills forest to the different stakeholders, a form of information dissemination and sharing.
At the end of the meeting, inputs have been made from the different stakeholders particularly the community members and WCS who are present in the area. This has help improve on the content of the Report.
A formal platform for collaboration has been established with other institutions working in the area
The mission has span for 3 days (27th of August to 29th of August, 2017.)