Impact of Village Resettlement on Wildlife Conservation in Cameroon

Description of the project:
The number of protected areas in our planet has multiplied as an outcome of the Rio Conference in 1992 which declared the conservation of biodiversity and creation of national parks as priority. However, particularly in central Africa, the establishment of protected areas has resulted in a wide spread displacement of human populations. The issue of resettlement is still much-debated in International discussions. Is the resettlement of ‘forest’ people worthwhile as a conservation strategy in protecting populations of large mammals which are under risk of extinction through hunting? Some schools of thought contend that conventional conservation strategies such as the resettlement of the ‘forest’ people out of National Parks can be regarded as tantamount to abuse of human rights and also altering local livelihood aspects of the village communities for the sake of wildlife and biodiversity. Hitherto, despite much criticism of the displacement of indigenous poor communities, very few studies have researched the possible positive outcomes of resettlement from protected areas. Resettlement therefore, has been a delicate option in conservation planning in most parts of the world due to its socio-economic, political and environmental ramifications. The multifarious challenges faced by the resettled populations make the question of re-settlement of other villages all the more difficult. Using a case study from south west Cameroon, this project examines the outcome of a government initiative to safeguard wildlife following the creation of the Korup National Park through a progressive resettlement scheme of the Ekundukundu Village out of the "protected zone". It seeks to ascertain whether the approach in resettling and re-orientating the daily lives of forest dwellers away from their traditional milieu can be a successful method of safeguarding wildlife in our forests. It also complies with the call for an assessment of ‘‘the economic and socio-cultural costs and impacts arising from the establishment and maintenance of protected areas’’ (CBD COP7 2004).

contact person: Lawrence Baya
Email: lawrence.baya@yahoo.co.uk
Runtime:
Start of project: 25.11.2005
End of project: 03.12.2009
Project Management:
Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg
Storch I, Baya L

Actual Research Report
Financing:project-related publications: