Integrating local and expert knowledge using participatory mapping and GIS to implement integrated forest management options in Akok, Cameroon

Abstract

A spatially explicit understanding of local knowledge about land use and tenure is fundamental to developing and assessing sustainable management options for tropical forests in Central Africa. This paper presents a case study in the Humid Forest Zone of Cameroon to demonstrate the effectiveness of integrating participatory rural appraisal techniques with remote sensing and vegetation mapping in a geographic information system (GIS) environment. The full integration of biophysical and socio-cultural patterns within a GIS can identify spatial units important for ecosystem management and relate social institutions to land units across a variety of scales. Key words: landscape, forest-agriculture interface, tropical forest management, land tenure, participatory mapping, local knowledge