Video screenshot of the tropical mangrove ecosystem found in Cameroon. Photo: Cam-Eco
Mangroves are crucial ecosystems; not only are they viable sources of timber, they also protect shorelines from erosion and stabilize estuarine areas. However, in many tropical areas where mangroves are present, a high demand for timber and inappropriate extraction techniques result in destruction and degradation of mangrove ecosystems as well as associated watersheds. Such is the case in the Douala-Edea Wildlife Reserve (RFDE) in Cameroon. In this particular area, inappropriate uses such as slash-and-burn farming practices, harvesting of fuelwood and production of charcoal, and overexploitation of non-timber products were employed. The non-governmental organization Cameroon-Ecology (Cam-Eco) has released a video in French which demonstrates and summarizes the steps that have been taken under an ITTO project towards sustainable use of the tropical mangrove ecosystem in these areas.