Ecotourism to fund the development of national parks

This is one of the resolutions proposed at a workshop which brought together officials of Minfof and partners in development since Wednesday in Yaoundé. Strong in its huge tourist and cultural potential, the Mount Cameroon national parks in Buea and Campo-Ma’an in Kribi are major factors of economic growth of the country.

Despite the set of governmental measures to ensure their sustainable management, these protected sites have been subjected to poaching practices, abusive exploitation of medicinal plants and deforestation. Bush fires remains one of the problems that threaten their survival, a set of factors that have prompted the Government to set up a land use plan.

It is in line with the validation of document that leaders of different administrations concerned, including the Ministry of forests and Wild lifre (Minfof), partners in conservation including the World Bank, Giz and Kfw, administrative, traditional and religious authorities came up with when they gathered Wednesday in a workshop organized in the Mvog Betsi Zoo in Yaoundé.

The works were placed under the chairmanship of Denis Koulagna Koutou, Secretary-General of Minfof. Mount Cameroon and Campo-Ma’an national parks management plans constitute the framework of any intervention in these areas for the next five years.

According to Denis Koulagna Koutou, it aims to promote the development of ecotourism and sustainable funding for taking in charge different activities which are being carried out. "They have been developed at the regional level in accordance with the national guidelines in this matter", said Samuel Eben Ebaï Minfof regional delegate for the south west.

Participants suggested that the revenue generated by ecotourism should be used at the site level for activities of parks facilities and the development of riparian communities and major local economic operators.

Furthermore, they encouraged conservatives to put emphasis on communication and disseminating the results of research being carried out. The outcome of this series of workshops will be submitted for the approval of the Prime Minister.