At the foot of Mount Cameroon along the Atlantic Coast, the Tiko Mangrove, a biodiversity-rich wetland of international importance, is under severe threat. Over the past 30 years, 1,642 hectares have been lost, with 234 tons of mangroves harvested monthly for fuelwood, construction, and agriculture. This degradation has left local communities, particularly women, youths, and children, exposed to recurrent floods, storms, and other extreme weather events.
Voice of Nature (VoNat), a community-based conservation organization, is leading a community-solutions development initiative to address this crisis. This project is supported through a Gene Seed Grant donated by the Global Diversity Foundation, reflecting a commitment to both scientific research and community-led conservation.
Currently, VoNat is conducting a scoping review to synthesize existing research on the Tiko Mangrove, assessing the extent of degradation, identifying key threats, and highlighting critical knowledge gaps.
Building on these findings, a participatory workshop is scheduled for November 2025, where local communities will map practical conservation solutions and co-design a local action plan. Through this process, residents will gain skills in sustainable resource management and develop a strong sense of ownership over mangrove conservation.
The initiative will produce the “Tiko Mangrove Community Conservation Solutions Manual”, serving as a roadmap for coordinated conservation, stakeholder collaboration, and fundraising efforts. By combining scientific research and local knowledge, the manual will guide long-term protection of the mangrove ecosystem and its biodiversity.
Through this initiative, VoNat is fostering a sustainable, community-driven conservation model, empowering local residents to conserve the Tiko Mangroves, protect livelihoods, and preserve this critical ecosystem for future generations.