Monitoring the implementation of Prunus africana (Rosaceae) management plans in Cameroon: Respect of national norms

Abstract

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora (CITES) Secretariat has teamed up with the International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) to assist Congo basin countries in the frame of the so called “the ITTO-CITES program”, to develop non-detriment findings (NDF) on Prunus africana, a CITES listing tree species. This paper aims to assess the way the simple management plans (SMPs) developed within the ITTO-CITES program are being implemented in the field. Data were gathered during field missions conducted from November to December 2015. Although, Cameroon has made many efforts to promote the sustainable harvesting of P.africana, many problems still remain in the implementation of the guidelines prescribed in SMPs. It is in the North West region where the non-respect of existing norms/standards in term of realization of exploitation inventories, the minimum exploitable diameter (MED) and sustainable harvesting techniques is largely observed. The low buying price tends to be the main cause of the non-respect of national standards by community forest managers and harvesters. There is an urgent need for the ITTO-CITES program to extend its activities on the implementation of the SMPs. Key words: Prunus africana, CITES, ITTO-CITES program, norms, management plans, sustainable harvesting.