Commercial activities and subsistence utilization of mangrove forests around the Wouri estuary and the Douala-Edea reserve (Cameroon)

Abstract

BackgroundWorldwide there is growing research interest in the ethnobiology of mangrove forests. Notwithstanding that, little information has been published about ethnobiology of mangrove forests in Cameroon. The aims of this study were a) to analyze the harvesting methods and the local selling of mangrove wood products by loggers in the vicinity of Wouri estuary and b) to investigate the patterns of subsistence uses of mangrove wood products around the Douala-Edea reserve.MethodsSemi-structured interviews were conducted with 120 active mangrove loggers in 23 Douala wood markets and 103 households located in three villages (Mbiako, Yoyo I and Yoyo II) close to Douala-Edea reserve. In each of the three densely populated villages, every second household was chosen for sampling while in all markets, mangrove loggers were chosen randomly. In addition, log diameters were measured in each market using a wooden foldable tape measure. A post hoc analysis (Newman-Keuls test) was performed in order to detect the common wood class diameter sold in the Douala wood markets.ResultsThe analysis of the loggers' survey data has shown that large logs of Rhizophora with diameter greater than 40 cm were common in the Douala wood markets and were more closely associated with loggers who used chainsaws. In addition to the general mangroves wood products selling, the analysis on a subsistence level (households' survey) suggests the local population's dependence on mangroves, with multiple uses of Rhizophora racemosa Meyer, R. harrisonii Leechman, Avicennia germinans L. Stearn., Laguncularia racemosa Gaertn. f. and Conocarpus erectus L. timbers for furniture, fences, smoking fish, and fuelwood. Finally, Nypa fruticans (Thunb.) Wurmb. leaves were used as thatching material for house walls and roofs.ConclusionOur findings revealed that big logs of Rhizophora were commonly sold by the loggers. A majority of loggers (60%) reported that mangrove marketed wood constitute a principal source of income. Most of the villagers (85.83%) often depend on mangroves for subsistence needs and for them there is no substitute for mangrove wood. Therefore, more efforts should be undertaken at the national level to implement conservation, management and sustainable use of these coastal forests.

Ecosystem-Wide Impacts of Deforestation in Mangroves: The Urabá Gulf (Colombian Caribbean) Case Study

“…Uses and sizes for a given mangrove species may differ from one place to another even within a single region in many parts of the world [29,32]. Extraction of poles from R. mangle trees with DBH < 15 cm has also been reported from Venezuela [53].…”

“…Yet few studies have been able to make historical reconstructions [24,25,28,29]. An ethnoecological approach has also proven to be useful for understanding the drivers of deforestation [6,[29][30][31][32], while ecological economics have helped to account for the costs of mangrove conversion to other uses in a few case studies (e.g., [33]). Dahdouh-Guebas and Koedam [34] proposed that a transdisciplinary approach is required in order to advance in the knowledge of complex issues such as deforestation and climate change in mangroves.…”

“…It is in contrast with the observed in some areas of Mexico, where L. racemosa is preferably exploited for woody products over A. germinans and R. mangle, species that are mostly used for nonwoody products (i.e., medicine and leather dying), while no wood is burned for charcoal production [29]. Therefore, it is important to understand the objectives of selective logging to explain patterns in terms of sizes exploited, level of exploitation, degree of mechanization, and spatial distribution as influenced by access from towns and villages [6,25,32]. Although ethnoecological studies have been instrumental for reconstruction of past uses of mangroves and impacts derived [8,46,47,54], more studies are urged for the Neotropics because a few case studies exist (e.g., Mexico: [55], Venezuela: [53]) and most of the examples concentrate in the Indopacific [6].…”

Drivers causing decline of mangrove in West-Central Africa: a review

“…Similarly, in West-Central Africa, exploitation activities are driving mangrove ecosystem change. However, wood harvesting is the most perverse indirect driver of this change in this region (Dodman et al 2006;Feka et al 2009;Nfotabong et al 2009). As pointed out in this study, about 50,769 ha of mangroves were lost annually as a result of fuel-wood harvesting from 1980 to 2006 in only seven countries of the region.…”

Characterization of the rhizophora particleboard as a tissue-equivalent phantom material bonded with bio-based adhesive

“…is traditionally being used to produce charcoal and as building materials (Atheull et al 2009, Abuarra et al 2014. It is a significant genus of mangrove trees that grows in the salty littoral tropical and subtropical sedimentary habitats (Hogarth and Hogarth 2007).…”