The Kilum-Ijim Forest Project: biodiversity monitoring in the montane forests of Cameroon

5 Pages·1999·3.6 MB·

by  Fiona Maisels

The Kilum-ljim Forest Project: biodiversity
monitoring in the montane forests of Cameroon
FionaMaiselsc,handPhilipForhoseha
La foret de Kilum-ljim est une importante aire pour les oiseaux, dans la province du Nordouest du
Cameroun, et une partie des montagnes Camerounaise EBA. Quatre especes qui sont considerees
commevulnerablesparleBirdLifeInternationalviennentencelieu: Tauracobannermani,Platysteira
(peltata) latincincta, Ploceus bannermani et Malaconotusgladiator; il ya egalement deux autres
especesquisontpremenacees:AndropadusmontanusetBradypterus(lopezi•bangwaensis. Lesbuts
et resultats du projet concernant la foret de Kilum-ljim sont decrit id.
Introduction threatened species, the presence of restricted-range
species, the presence of an assemblage of species
TDheCameroonhighlands restricted to a particular biome. and the presence of
ata collected on different taxa demonstrate the congregations of waterbirds. seabirds or migratory
Cameroon highlands to be of high biological species. Basedontheapplicationofthesecriteria,the
importance10 The montane forests ofthis region are Kilum-ljimforestintheCameroonmountainsEBAhas
.
considered to be a priority area forconservation on been identified as an Important Bird Area, because it
a global scale and the area is classified as critical in istheonlyviablefragmentremainingofthe Bamenda
ahierarchyofprioritylistingsofglobalEndemicBird HighlandssectionofthisEBA(Table 1).Conservation
Areas10,18. The current Important Bird Areas (IBAs) ofthe Kilum-ljim forest iscritical forthesurvivalofat
criteria6 include the Cameroon mountains in the least two bird species.
,
Afrotropical Highlands biome which corresponds
closelywith phytochorionVIII ofWhite’s Vegetation The Kilum-ljim Forest Project
ofAfrica21, within which are found many species of TheBamendaHighlandsisanuplandareawithinthe
global conservation concern. Northwest ProvinceofCameroon, and isrecognised
WWF
Endemic Bird Areasand Important Bird Areas as a discrete biological unit by 2\ The Kilum-
Birdspecieswithbreedingrangesoflessthan 50,000 ljim Forest is a relatively well-studied area within
km2 (restricted-range species) tend to occur on these highlands, and the largest remaining patch of
islands or in isolated patches of habitat such as montane forest in West Africa (Fig. 1). Since 1987,
montane forests10 The boundaries of areas with BirdLife International has been working toconserve
concentrationsofr.estricted-rangespecieshavebeen this forest within the framework of th—e integrated
delineatedbyBirdLifeInternational, andtheareasso conservation and development project Kilum-ljim
defined called Endemic Bird Areas (EBAs)10,18 The Forest—Project, formerly the Kilum Mountain Forest
areaofEBAscovers2%oftheearth’slandsurface.,but Project and, subsequently, itssisterprojectthe Ijim
contains the entire ranges of20%oftheworld’s bird Mountain Forest Project. The total area enclosed by
species. Eighty-five percent of EBAs have one or the Kilum-ljim forest boundary is 200 km2, ofwhich
morethreatenedorextinctrestricted-rangespecies18 approximately half is montane forest and the rest
. degradedmontanegrassland,varioustypesofscrub-
Using this approach, the Cameroon mountains
land,andasmallareaofAfro-subalpinegrassland(of
were identified as a high priority for conservation.
high conservation importance) at the summit ofMt.
Tthweensteyc-osnedvehnigbhiersdtspoefcaiensyaEreBAcoinnfiAnferdictao(tahfitserEBtAh,e Oku (Mt. Kilum)5’12’13,16’19’20. The area supports many
endemictaxa,includingmammals,birds,herpetofauna
AlbertineRiftMountains),andtenofthese27species
arelistedasgloballythreatened18 MostEBAsvaryin and plants1>2’8’9’22.
.
size from a few square kilometres to more than The Kilum-ljim Project overallgoal is that:
100,000 km2. In many cases it is not practical to representativeareasofthe Cameroon montanefor-
address conservation efforts at the EBA as a whole. est biomeare conserved in the long term.
The aim of BirdLife’s Important Bird Areas (IBA)
programme is ‘to identify and protect a network of The Projectpurpose is:
sites at a biogeographic scale, critical for long-term the biodiversity, extent, andecologicalprocesses of
theKilum-ljimForestaremaintainedandtheforest
viability of naturally occurring bird populations,
across the range of those bird species for which a is usedsustainably by the localcommunities.
sites-based approach is appropriate’6. The IBA pro- Towardtheseends,ourbroadconservationgoalsarethat:
grammeselectssitesbasedonthepresenceofglobally
1. The extent and quality of the montane habitats
110-BullABC Voi6No2 TheKilum-ljimForestProject:Maisels&Forboseh
forwhichtheKilum-IjimForestisofoutstanding GimeroonHighlands,—Coopers'MountainSquirrelParaxenis
conservation interest are improved or main- coopen (Vulnerable) also endemic to doe Gimeroon
tained. Highlands,doeOkuClawedToadXenopussp.(endemicto
2. The key species important for ecological proc- Like Oku and nearby forest), and Steindachners' Puddle
esses within each habitat, such as forest Frog Pbrymbatrachus steindachneri (endemic to die
regeneration and food webs, are maintained. Bamendi Highlands)8-9- all occur in die forest. Endemic
3. Populations ofrare species ofKilum-Ijim Forest plantsincludediestrictendemicsDoiycilissp.nov.,(anewly
are maintained, and, ifappropriate, increased. discoveredsmalltree),Kniphofiareflexa(Liliaceae),andat
leasttwospeciesofEiiocciuloii allofwhichareendemic
Ofthe27speciesofbirdendemictotheGtmeroonMountains todieKilum-Ijimforestareaand/orincludingsitesafew
EBA. 15(55°b)arefoundintheKilum-IjimForest18.Twoare kilometresfromdieforestboundary(unpubl. data).
strictly endemic to the Bamenda Highlands: Bannennan's
TuracoTaunacobcimienmniandBanded(Black-throated) Threats and solutions
Wattle-Eye Platysteim (peltata) laticincta. for which the Theareaisaremnantofdieonceextensivemontaneforest
Kilum-Ijim forests are the Lust stronghold'. One species. diat. until relatively recendy, covereddie Bamenda High-
Green-breasted Bush-shrikeMalaconotusgladiator, isvery landsandmuchofdieCameroonmountainchain.Mostof
uncommonatthesiteandhitsonlylieenrecordedin 198a this has now iieen cleared and converted to fanu and
and 1998'. These three species and Bannermans Weaver grazingland. By 1986dieforesthadbeenreducedto50%
PloceitsbawienminiarelistedasVulnerable,andGunermn ofits 1963extent5^.Kilum-Ijimforestisthusessentiallyan
Montane GreenbulAndropadusmontamisandGtmeroon
( ) islandofmontaneforestsurroundedbyaseaofcultivation;
Bracken (Evergreen-Forest) Warbler Bmdypents (loped)
mainly maize, potatoes and beans. Tree species growing
bcmgivaensis as Near-threatened on the list of globally
threatenedspecies18.Theendemicbirdspeciestirelistedin outsidedieforestboundaryaremosdyexoticfruitortimber
Table 1.withtheirdegreeofendemidty,RedDatacategory, treessuchasavocado, eucalyptusandcypress.
and 1BA listings \ Finally. Like Oku qualifies for IBA TheKilumandIjimForestProjectswereestablishedto
category A4 (congregations) for Little Grebe Tachybaptus haltforestlossandhelpprovidesustainablealternativesto
mficollis,asthe 1%thresholdforthisspeciesinAfricais500 forest clearance. Thus, die Project has been working to
individuals'.Upto1,000birdsareregularlyseenonthelake improvefarmers’incomebyruraldevelopmenttechniques,
duringthedryseason12. so diat die need to clear natural forest is removed.
Apartfromtheornithologicalvalueofthesite,theforest Programmesincludeencouragingnativetreespeciesplant-
supports populations of mammals and amphibians of
conservation importance. Six small mammal species are inginfarms,improvementofcropyieldsbyextensionwork
pemnidsesmii(cEntodaMnoguenrtedO)k—ua-s.pPerceiuesssosfmGounekneoyneCnedrecmopiictthoetchues gornaftcionngteotuc.rTfhainsnihnags,liiemepnreoxvItejridemmfceorrleoysptenfvfaoercwiteithviaee:ss,adbifeoruuKintidltaurrmey-e
that has been agreed in col-
laboration with the
surrounding communities,
and conversion of forest to
farmland ceased in 1992. In
thefuture,itisenvisagedthat
theforestwillbemanagedby
the local communities with
technical advice and input
500Kilometer fromtheMinistryofEnviron-
ment and Forestry (MINEF).
This is currendy being facili-
tatedbytheKilum-IjimForest
Project.However, otherseri-
ous human influences on
montaneforestarestillactive:
forestfire, andtheuse ofthe
Villages
A //\\//RFooraedsstboundary 0 2 4 6 8 Kilometers forestforgrazinganimals, es-
peciallygoats, which browse
on regenerating trees. Other,
more subtie human activities
Figure 1. Cameroon,showingadministrativedivisionsandthelocationoftheKilum-Ijimforest.
TheKilum-IjimForestProject:Maisels&Forboseh BullABC Vol6No2-111
Ecological monitoring
Table 1. RestrKiicltuemd--lrjainmgeFobriersdtsspecies ofthe Tofollowthesechangesinbiodiversity,andtoprovide
information on the sustainability ofthe various forest
TheCameroonMountainsEBAhasacriticalconservationpriority18.The uses, an ecological monitoring programme was com-
birdspecieswhichoccurintheKilum-ljimforestsandareendemictothis mencedin 1994, the purposeofwhichwastoprovide
EBAarehererankedinorderofoverallconservationimportance information for the development and updating ofthe
accordingtothefollowingcriteria.
forest management plans, and to determine whether
Endemicity.BH:endemictotheBamendaHighlandsonly.CA:Endemicto
theCameroonmontanearchipelago. the conservation objectives ofthe project were being
DegreeofthreatstatusinBirdstoWatch2°,(theIUCNlisting),whereVU met.Themajortreeandbirdspeciesweremonitoredon
=VulnerableandNT=Near-Threatened. Lc=LeastConcern. aregularbasis1415 Theoriginalprogrammehascontin-
.
IBA:whichIBAcategoriesdoesthespeciesfallinto?A1 =speciesof ued,withsomemodificationsandadditions'1". Several
croesntsreircvteadtiaosnsceomnbclearng;e1A8.2=speciesofrestrictedrange;A3=biome components are measured: forest type / habitat struc-
KIFPistheproposedorderofconservationimportanceofthevarious ture; key animal indicators (principally birds); human
species. impactonforestcondition;andtheoverallextentofthe
Species Endemicity Degree IBA KIFP different habitats. The programme investigates the
ofthreat forest on three scales.
Bannerman’sTuraco
Tauracobannermani BH VU* A1,A2,A3 1 The Bamenda Highlands landscape scale:
Banded (Black-throated)Wattle-Eye Verylarge-scalevegetationchangesaremonitoredby
Platysteira(peltata)laticincta BH VU* A1,A2,A3 1 regularanalysisofsatelliteimages,whichalsoprovide
Bannerman’sWeaver informationconcerningforestcoverchangeoverthe
Ploceusbannermani CA VU A1,A2,A3 2
BamendaHighlands,outsidetheforestboundary.
Green-breasted Bush-Shrike
Malaconotusgladiator CA VU A1,A2,A3 2 The local landscapescale:
Cameroon(Montane) Greenbul Asystemofphotographicmonitoringhasbeenestab-
Andropadusmontanus CA NT A1,A2,A3 3
lished,whichfollowschangesinvegetationoverareasthat
Cameroon Bracken (Evergreen-Forest) Warbler
Bradypterus(1opezi)bangwaensis CA NT A1,A2,A3 3 canbeeasilyphotographedfromfixedpoints,attwo-year
GreenLongtail intervals.
Urolaisepichlora CA Lc A2,A3 4 The individual speciesscale:
LittlNeesOolcivhea-rbiasckshelleyi CA Lc A2,A3 4 Essentially,muchomftheworkisperformedusingatotalof150
Mountain Robin-Chat permanent20x20 plotsrandomlyplacedwithineachmajor
Cossypha isabellae CA Lc A2,A3 4 vegetation type. In halfofthese plots, trees are identified,
Yellow-breasted Boubou measuredandtagged,seedlingscounted(toassesssuccessof
Laniariusatroflavus CA Lc A2,A3 4 forestregeneration)andhabitatstructureassessed.Intheother
BroCwins-tbicaoclkae(dch(uCbhbuib)bd’iss)coCliosrticola CA Lc A2,A3 4 thahlef,inodnilvyidturaelestroefe>s1a0recnmotdtbahggaerde,mbeuatsmuarpepdeadn,dstoagthgaetd,foarensdt
CameroonOliveGreenbul
Phyllastrephuspoensis CA Lc A2,A3 4 userswillnotceasetheirnoimalactivities.Themeasurements
Cameroon (Blue-headed) willberepeatedatthree-yearintervals.Birddensityhasbeen
SunbirdNectariniaoritis CA Lc A2,A3 4 regularly monitored in the known vegetation types (using
CameroonOlivePigeon highlyskilledlocalfieldassistants,whoidentifyandestimatethe
Columbasjostedti CA Lc A2,A3 4 distance to calling and singing birds). Human activities are
MoutainGreenbul
Andropadus tephrolaemus CA Lc A2,A3 4 monitoredbyestimatingdensityofsignssuchassnares,and
debarkedandfelledtrees.
*ltisprobablethatintheforthcomingBirdstoWatch3,bothBannerman’s
TuracoandBanded(Black-throated)Wattle-eyewillbeplacedinthe Conclusions
Endangered category. ConservationofanimportantareaofWestAfricanmontane
forestisatpresentassuredbyco-operationbetweenBirdLife
aretheselectiveremovalofplantandanimalspeciesforfood, International, MINEF-Cameroon, the traditional au-
medicine,carvingandfirewood. Someofthelargerbodied thorities of the area, and the village communities
(hunted)mammalshavebecomelocallyextinctandmostof usingthe forestforimportantforest-basedresources
theothersarenowextremelyrareinthearea.Somespecies such aswater, fuelwood, and medicinal plants. This
of plant have been over-exploited and their populations co-operation takes the form of facilitating Commu-
drasticallyreduced. nity Forest Management, rural development, and
operating a biodiversity monitoring programme.
112-BullABC Vol6No2 TheKilum-ljimForestProject:Maisels&Forboseh
1. BandedWattle-eyePlatysteira(peltata,)laticinctain 4. BandedWattle-eyePlatysteira (peltata)laticincta
the hand (BirdLife International) (BirdLife International)
2 & 3. BandedWattle-eyePlatysteira(peltata)laticinctaat 5. Bannerman’sTuraco Tauracobannermani(BirdLife
the first-evernesttobe discovered, Mt. Oku/Kilum, International)
Cameroon (C. Parrot/ BirdLife International) 6. Bannerman’sTuraco Tauracobannermanionnest,
Mt. Oku, Cameroon (RogerFotso/BirdLife
International)
TheKilum-IjimForestProject:Maisels&Forboseh BullABC Vol6No2-113
. . :
BirdLife intends to continue the monitoring pro- 8. Fulling, O. 1992. Ergiinzende Angaben iiber
grammelongaftertheofficialProjectcloses(mid-year GaumenfaltenmustervonNagertieren(Mammalia:Ro-
2000), in orderto remain informedabout the results dentia)ausKamerun.Bonn.Zool.Beitr.43:415—421
of community forest management on the long-term 9. Hutterer,R.andFulling,0.1994.Mammaldiversityinthe
conservation ofbiodiversity ofthe forest. bOikoduiveMrosuintyta&isnyss,temCaatmicesrionotnr.opicIantl.ecSoysymsptoemssi.uBmononn
MuseumKoenig.
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