Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
the outcome of Prime ministerial decree No.95-531 of 23rd August 1995. One
highlight of this law, which among other things enhances forest sustainability, in-
cludes the introduction of a forest classification system based on ownership.
Hence, the national forest estate falls under two broad categories; permanent and
non-permanent forests. Permanent forests comprise lands that are used solely for
forestry and/ or wildlife. Examples of permanent forests include; national parks,
game reserves, hunting areas, game ranches belonging to the state, wildlife sanc-
tuaries, buffer zones, state owned zoological gardens, integral ecological reserves,
production forests, recreation forests, teaching and research forests, plant life
sanctuaries, botanical gardens and forest plantations.
Any development of a permanent forest must be based on a plan which ensures
the sustained production of forest products and services, without affecting the
primitive value, compromising the future productivity of the forest or causing any
damage to the physical and social environments. Meanwhile non-permanent for-
ests comprise forest lands that may be used for purposes other than forestry and
includes communal forests, community forests and forests belonging to private in-
dividuals. Communal forests are those, which do not belong to the state, local
council or private individuals, and do not include orchards, agricultural planta-
tions, fallow land, wooded land adjoining an agricultural farm, pastoral and agro-
forestry facilities. Although there is provision for communal forests in the law,
what the local population can benefit most from such forests is a customary right,
defined as “the right, which is recognized as being that of the local population to
harvest all forests, wildlife and fisheries products freely for their personal use, ex-
cept the protected species” (Fonyam 2001; GFW 2000).
16.6 The Concept of Community Forests in Cameroon
An innovation of the 1994 forest law is the provision allocated to community for-
estry. A community forest is defined in section 3(11) of the implementing decree
as a forest forming part of the non-permanent forest, which is covered by a man-
agement agreement between a village community and the forestry administration.
Management of such forests is the responsibility of the village community con-
cerned, with the technical assistance of the forestry administration. Thus, in order
to promote the management of forest resources by village communities who so de-
sire, a management agreement is signed between the government and the commu-
nity whereby the government transfers rights of management of its forests for the
benefit of village communities. They must, in turn, manage it in accordance with a
previously drawn up plan. Meanwhile all forest products resulting from the man-
agement of community forests belong wholly to the community concerned (Sec-
tions 37 and 38, 1994 Forest Law).
However, community participation cannot be restricted to ensuring that the lo-
cal population shares in the benefits accruing from forestry activities, as the for-
estry law seems to suggest. Thus, although community forestry is one of the prin-
cipal innovations of the new forestry law, the practical applications betray certain
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