The importance of livelihood strategy and ethnicity in forest ecosystem services' perceptions by local communities in north-western Cameroon

TY - JOUR

T1 - The importance of livelihood strategy and ethnicity in forest ecosystem services' perceptions by local communities in north-western Cameroon

AU - Cuni-Sanchez, Aida

AU - Ngute, Alain Senghor K.

AU - Sonké, Bonaventure

AU - Sainge, Moses Nsanyi

AU - Burgess, Neil D.

AU - Klein, Julia A.

AU - Marchant, Rob

PY - 2019/12

Y1 - 2019/12

N2 - Human culture has an important influence on how forests are utilised, yet its influence on ecosystem service (ES) use and valuation remains underexplored. We address this gap by investigating how livelihood strategy and ethnicity affect local peoples’ perceptions of forest ES in Cameroon. Data were collected through 20 focus-group discussions in villages of farmers (Oku and Banso) and pastoralists (Fulani) in two mountains. Pastoralists identified fewer ES than farmers, and used some ES differently (e.g. wildlife was only valued for aesthetics instead of as food). Some differences were also observed between farmer groups (e.g. identity link with the forest unique to Oku farmers). While water availability was perceived as the most important forest ES for all groups, the second most important was fodder for pastoralists and medicine resources for farmers. Pastoralists also identified fewer useful forest species, most likely related to their origin in the lowlands. Our findings help highlight trade-offs in important ES for different groups (fodder vs. medicine resources), and in access to certain ES (e.g. Fulani pastoralists’ unequitable access to tourism and forest income). We show that locals dependent on provisioning ES are not a homogenous group and that the wider socio-cultural context has to be taken into account for conservation and development projects to be successful.

AB - Human culture has an important influence on how forests are utilised, yet its influence on ecosystem service (ES) use and valuation remains underexplored. We address this gap by investigating how livelihood strategy and ethnicity affect local peoples’ perceptions of forest ES in Cameroon. Data were collected through 20 focus-group discussions in villages of farmers (Oku and Banso) and pastoralists (Fulani) in two mountains. Pastoralists identified fewer ES than farmers, and used some ES differently (e.g. wildlife was only valued for aesthetics instead of as food). Some differences were also observed between farmer groups (e.g. identity link with the forest unique to Oku farmers). While water availability was perceived as the most important forest ES for all groups, the second most important was fodder for pastoralists and medicine resources for farmers. Pastoralists also identified fewer useful forest species, most likely related to their origin in the lowlands. Our findings help highlight trade-offs in important ES for different groups (fodder vs. medicine resources), and in access to certain ES (e.g. Fulani pastoralists’ unequitable access to tourism and forest income). We show that locals dependent on provisioning ES are not a homogenous group and that the wider socio-cultural context has to be taken into account for conservation and development projects to be successful.

KW - Socio-cultural assessment

KW - Montane forests

KW - Place attachment

KW - Forest use

KW - Forest management

U2 - 10.1016/j.ecoser.2019.101000

DO - 10.1016/j.ecoser.2019.101000

M3 - Journal article

SN - 2212-0416

VL - 40

JO - Ecosystem Services

JF - Ecosystem Services

M1 - 101000

ER -