Geomorphological Features of the Manengouba Volcano (Cameroon Line): Assets for Geotourism and Other Anthropogenic Activities - From Geoheritage to Geoparks - page 187

Fig. 23 The reddish thermo-
mineral water spring in the
Ndibse village. There is a
colorless fresh water stream that
is quite close to the hot spring

threats to Mt Manengouba tourist assets are the opening of
quarries on pyroclastic broken cones, the over-grazing of
pastures, the deteriorating state of the roads and the lack of
shelters in tourist sites. The geomorphosites of the summit of
Mt Manengouba (calderas, lakes, cones and dome) are the
main tourist attractions. In view of this, it is a necessity to:
1. amalgamate the stock breeders in a single location and
create stock farms to avoid overpasturing;
2. control the balance between quarrying and promotion of
geotourism;
3. improve and maintain the main itineraries to facilitate the
accessibility to the geomorphosites;
4. create new tourism tracks in the Mt Manengouba area;
5. train local guides;
6. provide interpretative panels and adequate documenta-
tion to highlight the geological interest of the area;
7. foster cost-effective activities (handicrafts, shops, inns or
hotels) to improve the local economy; and
8. establish a museum for the exhibition of rock samples,
geological maps, tourist sites map, postcards etc.
Although the fact that most of geomorphosites of Mt
Manengouba are well exposed and can attract mass tourism
which can progressively in

Fig. 24 The thermo-mineral water spring in the Bar é village

forest vegetation of the region underpin animal breeding and
hunting respectively. The competition for the green space
gave rise to tribal con icts that led to the settlement of

animal breeders on the summit and crop farmers on the
downslope areas of the volcano.
The geomorphological features of Mt Manengouba con-
sist of two nested sub-circular calderas, three permanent
lakes, basin, domes and broken cones, and natural herbage
(Fig. 25 ). The uniqueness of the geomorphological features
and the thermo-mineral water springs in the region gives Mt
Manengouba its local, national and international importance.
Accordingly, every year, local and foreign tourists visit the
area, though their number is still insigni

fl

fl uence their integrity in the

region, there is no speci c legal protection of the geosites.

However, geomorphosites constitute the centre of interest of
numerous research endeavours that could play an effective
role in raising the awareness of the local population and

cant. The main