Mbembe forest reserve is a hub to virgin plants species - Botanists

Researchers have found out that the Mbembe Forest Reserve, MFR, harbours some seven new plant species that have not been known anywhere on earth.

Recently, a team of Botanists from the Tropical Plant Exploration Group TroPEG, a Cameroon-based NGO, in collaboration with the Rufford Small Grant Foundation, visited the MFR to assess and understand the forest, woodland and savannah biodiversity, carbon stock, use of plant livelihood of the entire landscape in a sustainable manner.

Presenting the findings of the research the Buea-based Tropical Plant Exploration Group, TroPEG, undertook in 2012, to local communities, decision and policy makers of Cameroon and beyond at the Presbyterian Church Centre in Bamenda recently, TroPEG Research Director, Moses Nsanyi Sainge, revealed that the MFR reserves some seven new plant species that have not been known anywhere on earth.

Talking about specific objectives of the biodiversity assessment and conservation status of plants in the MFR, Nsanyi Sainge said the goals were to identify plants with high conservation, sustainability and medicinal value, to produce a preliminary checklist of plants as well as estimate the potential carbon (above ground biomass) of the forest and produce a vegetation report of plants of the area and publish new species, if any.

“Our overall objective of this project was to assess the biodiversity and conservation status of plants in the Mbembe, Fungom and Kimbi forest areas with emphasis on the forest around Dumbu, Kwei, Gimbeu and Mayo Binka.

Ours is, therefore, to contribute to further awareness for decision-makers to take decisions towards conservation, climate change mitigation, sustainable development and biodiversity policy for the MFR.

The research revealed that the MFR area is highly rich in species diversity; it harbors high carbon stock, Green Carbon. The plants of MFR area are well utilised by the local communities and still maintain its biodiversity potentials and high carbon stock.

About animal kingdom, species of chinis, apes and other animals and birds are crowded in the MFR.

The researchers, however, revealed it faces a lot of challenges from Nigerians who invade and carryout wanton forest exploitation there.

The Regional Delegates of Environment and Nature Protection, Laban Tansi Bambo and Regional Delegate of Forestry, Grace Nyieh Mbah, were all of the opinion that the new and unnamed seven plants species discovered should be christened in local language and English scientific names.

They praised TroPEG and Rufford for promoting the MFR for sustainable development and poverty alienation.

“This will now expose the Mbembe Forest and not what Northwest Region is always mistaken as a Savanna Region. We have low land forest and mountain forest,” the officials observed.

There are 2,500 herbs, grouped in 54 families and 14 are medicinal. Currently, there are plans to transform the MFR into a management unit because of its rich flora and fauna.

The Mbembe Forest Reserve is found in Donga Mantung Division of the Northwest Region of Cameroon. Created in 1934, as the Mbembe Native Authority Forest Reserve under the United Kingdom Trusteeship, it was mapped in 1994 and covers 47.000 hectares of land.