Buh Wung Gaston

GIS and Remote Sensing Laboratory, Limbe Botanic Garden,

P.O Box 437 Limbe, Cameroon Email: buhgaston@yahoo.com or lbzg@bifunde.com,

Website: www.mcbcclimbe.org

Mangroves are mainly

present along the coast

of Cameroon

Interpret and digitize mangrove zones from; satellite

images,

Delineate different mangrove species,

Locate settlements and other land uses within and

around the mangrove zones

Propose management plan

Unsustainable exploitation of mangrove

species

Extreme depletion and almost complete

disappearance in some areas

Increasing human populations

Decreasing quantities while increasing

demands

Projected Population in Millions of inhabitants, compared. Source: Cameroon country case studies on climate change impacts and adaptation assessments’ (1998)

y = 0.1041x - 206.81

R² = 0.9939

-2

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

1950 2000 2050 2100 2150

Po

pula

tion-M

illion

Year

Population

Linear (Population)

Projected fuel wood needs in stock for the

coastal zone of Cameroon. Source: Cameroon country case studies on climate change impacts and

adaptation assessments’ (1998)

y = 186.98x - 372634

R² = 0.9696

-5000

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

1950 2000 2050 2100 2150

Qu

anti

ty o

f m

angro

ves

Year

Coast

Linear (Coast)

Sites selection and stakeholders

identification

Field data collection

Data analysis and presentation

Satellite Image processing

Delineation of mangroves zones and

mangrove species from Satellite images

Questionnaires establishment

3 Major classes of mangroves species

were classified; (Rhizophora,Avicennia,

Nipa)

Classified under three levels - low,

medium and high-dense mangroves.

An in-depth analysis culminated in

thirteen classes based on the dominance

of different species in different areas.

LEVEL I: High-Dense

LEVEL 2: Medium-High-Dense

LEVEL 3: low-Sparse

LEVEL I: High-Dense Mangroves

LEVEL I: High-Dense Mangroves

R1, RN1, A1, AR1 and ARN1 where:

R1= Rhizophora species with little exploitation and a predominance strata of up to 50 to 80%

RN1= A high composite cluster with more than 80% dominance by Rhizophora and Nipa

A1= Original high and dense Avicennia species at ocean limits and estuaries with a dominance of more than 80%. Sporadic presence of Rhizophora species

AR1= Composite high and dense clusters with more than 80% dominance by Rhizophora and Avicennia

ARN1= Composite high and dense clusters with more than 80% dominance of Avicennia, Rhizophora and Nipa

LEVEL 2: Medium High-Dense

LEVEL 2: Medium High-Dense R2, A2, AR2, ARN2, ARNX2, where: R2= Rhizophora species with Anthropic Degradation; low

height with open spacing of small clusters or isolated stands of more or less dead or declining Rhizophora with less than 15 to 60% coverage

A2= Low and open Avicennia Species; generally reduced with anthropic degradation and a dominance of 20 to 80%

AR2 = Composite heterogeneous formation of medium height which is closed but at times open with a dominance of up to 50 to 80% Avicennia and Rhizophora

ARN2 = Composite heterogeneous formation of medium height which is closed but at times open with a dominance of up to 50 to 80% Avicennia, Rhizophora and Nipa

ARNX2 = Composite heterogeneous formation of medium height which is closed but at times open with a dominance of up to 50 to 80% Avicennia, Rhizophora, Nipa and many other species of hard land.

LEVEL 3: low-Sparse

Mangrove zone along the Cameroon coastal Belt

Figure3: Tiko-Douala-Mouanko-Manoka (Zone Two)

Figure 4: Bakassi - Ndian – Rio del Rey – Njangassa (Zone One)

Photo 1: Stumps of Felled Mangroves Visible At Low Water Tide

Antelopes Caught By Poachers in the Bakassi Mangroves zone

Environmental education should be carried

out

Giant mangrove nurseries should be

established in the degraded mangrove areas

Mangrove species restoration as an approach

to conservation should be implemented

Participatory management planning should be

instituted