Restoring southwest Cameroon

In October 2024, as part of my MSc in Natural Resources Management, I headed to Buea, South West Cameroon, for six weeks of fieldwork, motivated by my ambition to make a positive impact on a large scale and in a global context through environmental restoration. It was my first time in Africa and a truly unique experience, exploring tropical landscapes, diving into a vibrant culture and meeting hospitable and proud people who made me feel right at home.

During my time there, my role was to assess degraded sites (such as old quarries, water catchments, landslide-prone areas) and develop tailored restoration strategies, focusing on community engagement mechanisms and building collaborations with local and international partners.

In Buea, I was hosted by LARREN (Landscape Research and Restoration Network), a young local organisation that aims to raise environmental awareness among local communities and actively involve them in the restoration and conservation of degraded natural areas.

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"Think globally, act locally." – Patrick Geddes

Buea is located in the foothills of Mount Cameroon, surrounded by a majestic rainforest. Deforestation, urban expansion, agricultural intensification and overuse of agrochemicals are just some of the causes of degradation of this forest and the natural resources it supports, such as clean groundwater, unique volcanic fertile soil for food production and endemic biodiversity. Such degradation damages global regulatory processes and affects people around the world. Many Cameroonians are determined to leave the country in search of a better future, particularly in the context of the now eight-year-old violent but little-known 'Anglophone conflict' in the English-speaking regions of Cameroon. However, the members of LARREN are here to stay, with a clear vision of leading Cameroon towards environmental transformation and protecting some of the world's most precious resources.

Most of LARREN's members were born in the Fako Division of Southwest Cameroon and come from a variety of backgrounds, including foresters, conservationists, ecologists and policy specialists, with most of the team being lecturers and educators at local universities and academic institutes. Through fieldwork and daily interactions, it became clear that LARREN's deep concern for the future of the environment and the community they call home was driving their commitment to take the first step as an environmental organisation in Fako Division.

^{Below: The first three photos show degraded sites identified by LARREN around Buea and Limbe. Click on each image for more information.}

"The creation of a thousand forests is in one acorn." — Ralph Waldo Emerson

Apart from field work, part of my time in Buea was spent building professional links between LARREN and other organisations, as well as identifying funding opportunities to support LARREN's long-term impact. The international organisations include FAO, GIZ, KfW and the Israeli Embassy; I also met with leaders of local organisations such as Korup United, SOWEDA, PSMNR and AREECA.

The most eye-opening meeting was with Mr Paul Efome Ngale, the Mayor of Limbe (a coastal town 30 minutes’ drive from Buea). During the meeting, the Mayor raised concerns about the impact of mass migration into Limbe due to the conflict, the demographic challenges it poses, his plans for managed urban expansion and environmental projects being undertaken to address the city's pressing environmental problems (i.e. landslides, flooding, waste management and water pollution). Following the meeting, where we presented LARREN's objectives and vision, an official partnership was established between LARREN and the Limbe City Council, embedding LARREN in the city's environmental efforts and ensuring LARREN's ongoing role in the restoration of Cameroon's natural resources.

"The only way to predict the future is to have power to shape the future." – Eric Hoffer

My time in Cameroon with LARREN has provided me with a unique blend of field experience, technical-ecological skills and invaluable insights into community participation mechanisms within landscape restoration efforts. This opportunity has not only deepened my understanding of the drivers of environmental degradation and the challenges faced by grassroots NGOs, but has also reinforced the critical role of integrating local knowledge, culture and governance in achieving long-term environmental sustainability in an African context. I gained the tools and motivation to make a meaningful contribution to large-scale restoration projects while promoting environmental stewardship internationally.

David was supervised by Dr Louis Njie Ndumbe (University of Buea) and Dr Verina Ingram (Wageningen University). Verina has been a member of LARREN and supervised the MSc and PhD studies of Dr Ndumbe, LARREN's Secretary General.

David can be contacted at Davidtsof@gmail.com