Voice of Nature (VoNat) recently joined the South West Regional Delegation of the Ministry of Environment, Protection of Nature and Sustainable Development (MINEPDED-SW) alongside other civil society organizations in a tree planting exercise and community clean-up around the Bwiteva-Bwitingi Water Catchment in Buea, a veritable source of drinking water to scores of communities and a habitats to several amphibians species. This was done as part of activities to mark World Water Day t Observed under the 2026 theme, “Water and Gender: Where Water Flows, Equality Grows.”
The initiative also included community-wide sensitization on the importance of inclusive participation in water resource management. Stakeholders emphasized that sustainable water governance must recognize and strengthen the role of women, who remain at the forefront of water access, use, and conservation in many communities. By mobilizing community members, conservation actors aimed to restore the integrity of the catchment while raising awareness on the need for collective responsibility in protecting water resources.
VoNat was represented at this event by its Species Conservation Programme Assistant, Nkeh Juliette, and Ecosystem Restoration Assistant, Munyar Delphine. Nkeh Julliete highlighted the ecological significance of the area, particularly for amphibian species. “The Bwiteva-Bwitingi Water Catchment serves as a habitat for several frog species, making its protection essential for biodiversity conservation. VoNat’s participation in the clean-up and tree planting exercise was a deliberate step toward restoring degraded habitats, reducing pollution, and protecting amphibian populations that are highly sensitive to environmental changes,” she noted.
The integration of tree planting into the activity further reinforced the importance of ecosystem restoration in water conservation. Trees play a crucial role in protecting watersheds by preventing soil erosion, improving water infiltration, and maintaining the overall health of aquatic ecosystems. For stakeholders, combining restoration with awareness creation offered a practical and sustainable approach to addressing environmental challenges at the community level.
At VoNat, freshwater and wetland conservation remain central to its mission, particularly in the context of protecting amphibians and their habitats. Healthy aquatic systems are essential not only for species survival but also for supporting the broader ecological networks that sustain human wellbeing. The organization continues to advocate for nature-based solutions that link conservation with community development.