Voice of Nature (VoNat) has engaged over 50 local and traditional leaders from communities in and around the Mount Mbam area, West Region of Cameroon, in mapping restoration sites and options for the landscape. This was during a 1-day workshop organized in Bangourai on Febraury 20, 2025, within the framework of the VoNat’s “Community First Conservation, Restoration & Livelihoods Development Initiative.”
The Divisional Officer for Bangourain, Ndi Jules Patrick, chaired the workshop, which was attended by the, Mayor, Chief of Forestry Post, Delegate of Agriculture, village heads, chiefs and other leaders in the Bangourain subdivision amongst others. The workshop was an opportunity for VoNat to present preliminary results of a baseline study about biodiversity species, land use & ownership system, degradation, hydrology, agriculture, and socio-economic and cultural activities in and around Mount Mbam that it has been carrying out since February 3, 2025.
Local and traditional leaders from over 15 communities in the area, leveraged the preliminary results to develop and present some restoration options they are willing to accompany VoNat and its partners in carrying within different areas in their respective communities. The DO of Bangourain, appreciated VoNat’s “community first” restoration and conservation approach and praised the community leaders for throwing their weight behind the organization for species conservation, landscape/soil restoration, and livelihood development in the area.
The Bangourain administrative boss used the workshop to caution the community leaders against bush burning and reckless deforestation actions in the Mount Mbam area . Community leaders also expressed their support for the project, while underscoring the need for urgent innovative actions to restore their soil health and make available pastures for the herder communities.
The workshop was a great avenue for VoNat to have a clear understanding of areas that the communities in the Mount Mbam area will want restored and the restoration options in each of the areas. The organization will be leveraging this information in developing a more comprehensive restoration, conservation and socio-economic (livelihood) development programmes for the Mount Mbam area. CO2balance and the Global Diversity Foundation (GDF) supported the organization of this workshop.