Mountain Partnership

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Cameroon

The mountainous areas of Cameroon are distributed across the country and generally separated by narrow plains. There are high plateaux in the centre and to the west of the country and the highest ranges are located in the three provinces to the north-west, west and south-west; in these areas biodiversity is particularly rich. In the west, the highest peaks are generally volcanic: Mount Cameroun (4,100 metres), for example is an active volcano and a significant risk to all those living in the region, not least from gas emissions. Mt. Cameroun erupted eight times in the course of the last century, most recently in 1999 and 2000.

With their varied climate, the Cameroon Mountains have been designated by Conservation International as one of the world's 25 biodiversity hotspots, home to many endangered species in need of special protection. These areas are inhabited by chimpanzees, gorillas, elephants and a number of rare bird species, all of which are at risk due to the pressure to occupy land for agricultural purposes; crop production and grazing. Human populations in these areas also suffer from extreme poverty and marginalization.

Cameroon would clearly benefit from a comprehensive sustainable mountain development programme to protect its mountain ecosystems and biodiversity, and more specifically to combat soil erosion and land degradation, as well as helping mountain communities towards more sustainable livelihoods. The Cameroon Mountains Conservation Foundation devotes part of its efforts to promoting ecotourism in the region and helping mountain villagers to market local products. The Government intends to develop tourism and ecotourism in these areas, as well as designating protected areas.

Cameroon established a National Committee for the International Year of Mountains (2002) to create awareness about the importance of mountains to life and to foster concrete action to achieve sustainable mountain development. At the end of 2002, the national committee was transformed into a Permanent Committee charged with overseeing the National Programme for Sustainable Mountain Development.

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