Protecting and encouraging traditional sustainable use in Cameroon: Customary use of biological resources by local and indigenous peoples in Western Dja Reserve, Cameroon

This summary report is an overview of preliminary findings of consultations by the Centre for Environment and Development (CED) and the Forest Peoples Programme (FPP) with indigenous and local communities concerning their role in the management of the Dja Wildlife Reserve, Cameroon. The goal of this work is to document a case study of indigenous and local communities’ forest use, their role in the management of biological resources, and the impact of protected areas on their rights, as defined in national laws and international conventions, especially Article 10(c) of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). The final case study due in early 2006 will contain community forest use data from three protected areas in Cameroon, and is aimed to contribute towards a review of progress of the implementation of the CBD Programme of Work on Protected Areas.