Abstract
The study was aimed at contributing to sustainable management of Ajei Highlands Watershed Community Forest, one of the vulnerable and highly threatened biological hotspots remaining within the Cameroon western highlands through an analysis of its woody species diversity and stand structure. The results of inventory of its 12 gallery forest patches through 17 permanent sample plots (20 m x 50 m) with multiple spatial scales subplots (1, 10 and 100 m2) using Whittaker plot sampling method showed that a total of 3644 individuals were recorded (124 species showing exclusive affinity to forest patches, 90 genera and 46 families). Diversity indices were 4.34 and 0.93 for Shannon-Weaver and Simpson indexes, respectively, indicating a highly diverse forest. The mean density was 1820 ± 24 stems/ha and the basal area 27.72 ± 0.04 m2/ha; with mean and maximum diameter of 9.3 and 140 cm, respectively. Species importance value index ranged from 0.35 to 35.19%, the most dominant species being Macaranga occidentalis, Xymalos monospora and Rauvolfia vomitoria. Euphorbiaceae, Apocynaceae, Moraceae and Rubiaceae were the most important families. Although this forest presented a high diversity and a certain floristic richness; few potentially commercial timber species were identified. Management options are prescribed within the framework of a participative management plan promoting watershed protection and habitat restoration, targeting livelihoods sustenance through agroforestry and reforestation activities favoring local tree species. Key words: Woody diversity; watershed, gallery forest, community forest, Cameroon.
Highlights
More than 1.6 billion people depend on varying degrees on forests for their livelihood (SCBD, 2009) and forests play a key role in the economic development of many countries
The fragmentation and loss of tropical forest through deforestation and land degradation is the greatest threat to ecological services provided by these forests, such as biodiversity conservation (Hansen et al, 2020). This fragmentation process has resulted in increased riparian forest formation along watercourses across tropical forest highland regions serving as watersheds; and is considered as global biological hotspots, which have supported local populations with the provision of timber and non-timber forests products (Natta, 2003)
This paper aims to contribute to the sustainable management of the Ajei highland watershed community forest by providing a sound scientific basis that maintains its ecological integrity through the analysis of its floristic woody diversity and stand structure
Summary
More than 1.6 billion people depend on varying degrees on forests for their livelihood (SCBD, 2009) and forests play a key role in the economic development of many countries. The fragmentation and loss of tropical forest through deforestation and land degradation is the greatest threat to ecological services provided by these forests, such as biodiversity conservation (Hansen et al, 2020) This fragmentation process has resulted in increased riparian forest formation along watercourses across tropical forest highland regions serving as watersheds; and is considered as global biological hotspots, which have supported local populations with the provision of timber and non-timber forests products (Natta, 2003). The rapid change in land use for local subsistence in the Western highland region of Cameroon has resulted to an unprecedented destruction and fragmentation of riparian areas of gallery forests resulting in a few scattered forest patches on the landscape (Momo Solefack et al, 2018). Referring to high value conservation forests, gallery forests are classified as endangered ecosystems because they are marginal among the wooded vegetation and because of their high degradation status
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