Actualités

Depuis la création de GACEBB en Avril 2013 jusqu’à ce jour, toutes les activités entrepris par GACEBB visent à réduire les pressions anthropiques et écologiques qui pèsent sur les bonobos de la région du Sud de Basankusu à travers le développement de l’agriculture durable, l’élevage, l’agroforesterie, l’éducation environnementale, le suivi écologique la recherche-développement etc.

L’approche de conservation adoptée par GACEBB est celle communautaire basée sur la prise en compte du Consentement Libre des Populations locales.

C’est dans ce contexte que grâce au financement de la Global Greengrants Fund, à travers le projet : « Gestion communautaire des ressources naturelles dans la région du sud du territoire de Basankusu en RD Congo », GACEBB a procédé à la formation de 15 pisteurs communautaires Communautaires sur la méthodologie de collecte et de valorisation de données d’inventaire sur les Bonobos et leurs habitats.

Cette formation s’est effectuée sur 3 sites prioritaires identifiés par GACEBB pour le Suivi Ecologique des Bonobos (SEB) de sa zone d’intervention (Ikela, Etate et Fonde) grâce à l’expertise de Mr. Marius KABONGO TUMBA, Chercheur en Biologie de la conservation attaché à l’ICCN.

Le projet visait également d’autres objectifs tels que la mise en place de 4 étangs piscicoles pilotes des Parachanna obscura (espèce de gros poisson) et l’accompagnement des communautés de Wala et Wamba sur le processus de la foresterie Communautaire.

Au terme de la formation, les 15 pisteurs sont désormais capables de naviguer en forêt sans observance d’aucun obstacle et de collecter avec précision et professionnalisme les données sur les bonobos, leurs espèces accompagnatrices et leurs habitats.

Crédit photo/GACEBB

In January this year, Sekakoh in partnership with Bristol Zoological Society initiated the Spatial Monitoring And Reporting Tool (SMART) patrols in the Benue National Park (BeNP)SMART has been identified as a more effective tool in protecting biodiversity_supporting anti poaching patrols and ecological monitoring. To deliver a successful training, there were two major phases of action.

1. Pre training visit 
After completing the process of recruiting a consultant to lead the SMART training of 30 ecoguards in the Benue National Park, the consultant effected a pre-training visit to evelaute the level of the ecoguards and understand their awareness of SMART and to identify the materials required for a successful training. The evaluation visit was completed in October 2021. During the visit, the consultant organised working sessions with the conservation service and the MINTOUR team managing the hotellery facilities at Buffle Noir. At the end of the visit, it was agreed that a SMART training be delivered to all the 30 ecoguards of the BeNP and a lesser number (10) of ecoguards be trainned on the SMART data base management. The training was hosted by the Buffl Noire Hotel.

2. Training in data collection with SMART application and
For Four days, a SMART data collection training using SMART mobile and Cyber tracker were delivered to the conservation service of the BeNP. The 4 days training went on hitch free and practicals were organised at the end of the data collection session. Collected data was analysed by consultant and presented to the trainees at the end of the training.

3. Training on SMART data base management

In line with our objective of operationalizing SMART patrols in Benue, there was a second part of training that was allocated to a fewer number of ecoguards as this is the more computerised aspect of SMART. Managing the data base of SMART is premodial in redering it functional which permits informed decission making by the conservation service. The conservator was charged to select apt ecoguards who could each afford a laptop. The 5days training was led by same consultant who eloquently articulated the subject, referencing examplse from all around the Benue landscape. Both trainings were succesful.

Tropical Forest and Rural Developement dans le cadre du projet de sécurisation des terres pour la valorisation des produits forestiers non ligneux en vue de l’amélioration des moyens d’existence de la communauté Baka de Bifolone autour de la Reserve de Biosphère, financé par l’ambassade de France à faciliter les échanges avec les Bantous en vue de la cession des terres aux Baka. Grace a la cartographie participative, en tenant compte de la perception des deux communautés, les échanges entre les communautés Baka et Bantous ont aboutis à la délimitation d’un territoire de 428 ha en faveur des Baka dans laquelle un inventaire a été effectué.

Les résultats de cet inventaire multi ressources montrent que la forêt des communautés Baka délimitée est très riche en espèces faunique, floristique et en eau. Cette cession de terre ouvre alors de belles perspectives aux communautés Baka de Bifolone qui avaient besoins de ce territoire pour la collecte et la valorisation des PFNL, le développement de l’éco-tourisme pour la promotion de leur culture et l’agriculture durable. Les Baka veulent voir cet espace érigé en forêt communautaire pour plus de sécurité foncière.

The Lebialem Highlands in Southwestern Cameroon is one of the key biodiversity hotspots affected by the Anglophone crisis in the English-speaking regions of Cameroon. The onset of the Anglophone Crisis in 2016 brought conservation activities to almost a complete halt in the Lebialem Highlands.

The Lebailem Highlands hosts the Tofala Hill Wildlife Sanctuary created in 2014 with the facilitation of the ERuDeF. The Tofala Hill Wildlife Sanctuary (8087 ha) hosts about 22 Cross River Gorillas and 120 Nigerian Cameroon Chimpanzees whose future remains uncertain as a result of the deteriorating Anglophone Crisis. “Since the outbreak of the Anglophone Crisis in Cameroon, key biodiversity hotspots and protected Areas in the Anglophone regions have been besieged by both separatist forces and State Security and Defense Forces, the lebialem Highlands not excluded”, the President/CEO of ERuDeF, Louis Nkembi is quoted as saying.  He continued,  “State rangers have relocated from the Tofala Hill Wildlife Sanctuary, (In the Lebialem Highlands) to urban centres where the crisis is less intensive”.

ERuDeF’s intervention

Just like other conservation organisations operating in the Lebialem Highlands are affected by the Anglophone Crisis, so too is ERuDeF. Despite the challenges caused by the Anglophone crisis, ERuDeF has not relent its efforts in conserving the last great apes in this landscape and other species of great importance.  In 2021, ERuDeF with the support of The Thin Green Line Foundation relaunched the Cameroon Community Rangers Programme on this landscape to train community rangers to conduct research and biomonitoring in the Tofala Hill Wildlife Sanctuary. “Given that all conservation NGO’s operating in this sanctuary and even state rangers have left as a result of the crisis, it was incumbent on us continue conservation in this sanctuary even in the midst of the intensive crisis”, Louis Nkembi said.

Through the Cameroon Community Rangers Programme, ERuDeF succeeded to strengthen the capacity 6 community rangers, 60% of which are women to conduct research and wildlife monitoring in the Tofala Hill Wildlife Sanctuary. Thanks to  wildlife monitoring in this sanctuary using camera traps and other research methods about 120 Nigerian-Cameroon Chimpanzees and 22 Cross River Gorillas were recorded thereby reconfirming the presence of these specie in this sanctuary and the need for their protection.