Regional Reforestation Project - Cameroon
This project is a community-led reforestation effort, designed to counter the effects of environmental degradation in the semi-arid region of the Extreme North of Cameroon.
Cameroon is bordered by Nigeria on the west, Chad on the northeast, the Central African Republic on the east, and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo on the south. The Extreme North has a population of about 2 million people.
The region suffers from sparse rainfall and high median temperatures. Its characteristic vegetation is savanna scrub and grass. It is experiencing deforestation, erosion, soil infertility, and desertification.
Reforestation is the restocking of existing forests and woodlands which have been depleted. In addition to mitigating the degradation, reforestation can also improve the quality of life by soaking up pollution and dust from the air, rebuilding natural habitats and ecosystems, and mitigating the effects of global warming.
The project has the ultimate goal of improving environmental conditions and community practices. It will combine the leadership and organizational skills of community leaders from groups such as schools, churches and mosques with the technical knowledge to start and maintain local tree nurseries.
The project will support the efforts of the communities of the region by assisting local leaders in taking charge of remediation of their local environmental problems.
The project will also support the local economy by providing financial compensation to local tree nurseries for the trees planted.
Participating communities will benefit by the increased availability of trees in the marketplace for their local use.
Technical expertise and environmental education will be provided to the communities and schools, which will have a long-lasting effect on the region.
The project is being run by Peace Corps Volunteer M. Cleaver.
This project has been fully funded, through the generosity of Six Senses Resorts & Spas as a part of their Clean Water Projects initiative.
We encourage others to continue to donate using the Donate button below, and we will notify Peace Corps Volunteer M. Cleaver of your donation. Additional funds will be used to fund the next project by this PCV and/or other projects by PCVs in Cameroon.
This project has been finished. To read about the conclusion of the project, CLICK HERE.
Conclusion of Regional Reforestation Project – Cameroon
This project has been completed under the direction of Peace Corps Volunteer Matthew Cleaver. To read about the beginning of the project, CLICK
HERE.
This project was to assist community leaders in remediation of the causes of deforestation, erosion, soil infertility, and desertification, all of which directly impact on the availability of safe water.
The project was designed to support the local economy by providing financial compensation to local tree nurseries for the trees planted.
Matthew reports:
The project was implemented by six local tree nurseries, which produced 1,620 trees for 24 community groups. Upon receipt of the trees, these groups out-planted and commenced care for them.
The project combined the leadership and organizational skills of community leaders from groups such as schools, churches, and mosques, with technical knowledge of local tree nurseries.
The goal of the project was to improve environmental conditions and community practices in the area. Additional objectives were to support local tree nurseries (directly through financial compensation for the trees planted an extension of additional technical expertise, and indirectly by developing a local marketplace for trees), to improve the community development skills of local leaders, and to educate local communities about the environment and the importance of trees.
The project successfully achieved two objectives. First, local tree nurseries benefited: they received technical support and consequently strengthened the technical expertise. They produced 1,620 trees and were financially compensated at the market rate. The local marketplace for trees became more developed as leadership skills of community leaders were enhanced through project planning, meetings, and community organization for project implementation.
Tree nursery managers have acquired knowledge and skills in tree production, marketing, and income generating activities. Their capacity to independently produce and sell trees has been increased.
Secondly, community leaders received some education on the environment and the importance of trees. However, the extension of this information to the respective communities has been only minimally effective thus far.
Community leaders have acquired knowledge and skills in project planning and implementation as well as leadership and organizational skills. Their capacity to design and manage projects effectively has been increased. They have also acquired extended skills in tree transplanting and care. Their capacity to manage trees and pursue further reforestation efforts has been increased.
It is estimated that 1,000 people directly benefited from this project.
We again wish to thank Six Senses Resorts & Spas for providing the funding for the Water Charity participation in this project.