Ethnobotanic Resources of Tropical Montane Forests

Ndenecho Neba

Description

Mountain forests provide important ecological services, and essential products. This book focuses on the importance of mountain forests in Cameroon for the local people who depend most directly on them, and have often developed a wealth of indigenous knowledge on plants and sophisticated institutions for managing limited plant and animal resources. Such knowledge and institutions have often been threatened, or even destroyed, by centralization and globalization; yet there is increasing recognition that community-based institutions are the best adapted to ensuring that mountain forests continue to supply their diverse goods and services to both mountain and other people over the long-term. The book provides a useful combination of case studies on ethnobotanic analysis and cultural values of plants, community-based ecological planning for protected area management and eco-cultural tourism development. It provides an unusually useful combination of overviews and synthesis of theory and experience with in-depth case studies of montane forest-adjacent communities and protected areas. Throughout the book there are good summary tables, case study maps, and diagrams that are relevant to the themes in question. Finally, the book addresses the possible mutual benefits of indigenous knowledge and modern science, indigenous peoples and the development of eco-cultural tourism in protected areas, indigenous peoples and ecological planning in protected areas. It therefore emphasizes cooperation based on partnerships amongst indigenous people, governments and the global conservation community, in the interest of effective conservation. This is a valuable book for land managers, environmental scientists, environmental biologists, natural resource managers and students reading subjects such as geography, biology, forestry, botany and environmental science.

Sujets

• Anthropology

Informations

• Publié par: Langaa RPCIG
• Date de parution: 26 juillet 2010
• Nombre de lectures: 1
• EAN13: 9789956717934
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 19 Mo

Extrait

Ethnobotanic Resources of Tropical Montane Forests Indigenous Uses of Plants in the Cameroon Highland Ecoregion Emmanuel Neba Ndenecho

Ethnobotanic Resources of Tropical Montane Forests: Indigenous Uses of Plants in the Cameroon Highland Ecoregion Emmanuel Neba Ndenecho

Langaa Research & Publishing CIG Mankon, Bamenda

Publisher: LangaaRPCIG Langaa Research & Publishing Common Initiative Group P.O. Box 902 Mankon Bamenda North West Region Cameroon [e-mail] www.langaa-rpcig.net Distributed in and outside N. America by African Books Collective [e-mail] www.africanbookcollective.com

ISBN: 9956-717-30-4 ©Emmanuel Neba Ndenecho 2011

DISCLAIMER All views expressed in this publication are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Langaa RPCIG.

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Epigraph “All cultures seek to understand nature, but there can be differences depending on the specific ways people use their senses and mind. It is ethnocentric to think that only one particular cultural experience is possible. Understanding the cosmovision of different cultures is a major challenge for the future” Darshan Shankar and Bertus Haverkost Dedicated to Mirriam

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Table of Content Preface................................................................................................... vii Acknowledgements............................................................................... ix 1. Mountain Values and endogenous knowledge: Challenge for research and development....................................................................................... 1 2. Ethnobotanic resources of Kilum – Ejim mountain forest............. 27 3. Herbalism and resources for the development of ethnopharmacology in Bamenda Highlands............................................................................... 47 4. Herbalism and resources for the development of ethnopharmacology in Mount Cameroon Region........................................................................ 65 5. Indigenous trees and shrubs in silvopastoral systems in Bamenda Highlands..................................................................................................... 95 6. Plant resources for the development of ethnoveterinary medicine in the Adamaoua – Bamenda – Bamileke Plateaux......................................... 111 7. Ethnobotanical study of the Takamanda Forest Area.................... 133 8. Plant resources for the development of traditional handicraft in Bamenda Highlands...................................................................................... 153 9. Woody plants in indigenous land use systems of the Mandara – Diamare Indigenous trees and shrubs in home gardens of Bamileke Plateau..................................................... 177

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10. Development paths for indigenous plants...................................... 199 11. Development Paths for Indigenous Paths....................................... 223

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Preface This book puts together case studies of mountain dwellers and indigenous knowledge on useful plants, cultural survival, and plant-dependent livelihoods in mountain areas. It explores new directions in conservation thinking and in protected area management. These new directions start from the premise that mountain dwellers have for millennia been at an ecological balance with available plant and animal resources, that is, the rate of exploitation of these resources was in balance with their natural regenerative capacity. They have long contributed in maintaining biodiversity and ecosystems within their tribal lands. This was achieved by living in ways that left these resources and mountain environments intact, and by resisting outsiders’ efforts to take over their lands or exploit their resources. Today, growing populations and the expansion of the modern economy are causing abrupt changes in mountain environments. Mountain forests are global centres of biological diversity, containing plants and animals that have value for human consumption and medication, provide possibilities for development of pharmaceuticals, and attract tourists. About a quarter of the world’s forests are in mountain areas, providing a wide range of goods and services to mountain people, those living downstream, and domestic and foreign visitors. Wood is perhaps the most obvious product of mountain forests – a source of energy, construction materials, fencing and many other products for both mountain people and others. This book demonstrates that mountain forests are important for many other reasons. At a global scale, perhaps the most important values of mountain forests are their roles in trapping, storing, and releasing water, and protecting slopes and soils from soil erosion. In these ways, mountain forests contribute to the well-being of billions of people worldwide, in ensuring that rivers flowing from the mountains provide reliable and good quality supplies of water. Mountains therefore provide important ecological services. They also provide goods (products). As a number of case studies in this book make clear, mountain people recognize these diverse values. The book focuses on the importance of mountain forests for the local people who depend most directly on them, and have often developed a wealth of indigenous knowledge on plants and sophisticated institutions for managing limited plant and animal resources. Such knowledge and institutions have often been threatened, or even destroyed, by centralization and globalization; yet there is increasing recognition that community-based institutions are the best adapted to ensuring that mountain forests continue to supply their

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diverse goods and services to both mountain and other people over the long- term. The book provides a useful combination of case studies on ethnobotanic analysis and cultural values of plants, community-based ecological planning for protected area management and eco-cultural tourism development. It provides an unusually useful combination of overviews and synthesis of theory and experience with in-depth case studies of montane forest-adjacent communities and protected areas. Throughout the book there are good summary tables, case study maps, and diagrams that are relevant to the themes in question. Finally, the book addresses the possible mutual benefits of indigenous knowledge and Western Science, indigenous peoples and the development of eco-cultural tourism in protected areas, indigenous peoples and ecological planning in protected areas. It therefore emphasizes cooperation based on partnerships amongst indigenous people, governments and the global conservation community. Such partnerships must be built on indigenous knowledge, institutions and values attached to flora and fauna. Indigenous people may be well placed and able to cooperate to ensure that partnerships achieve effective conservation. This is a valuable book for land managers, environmental scientists, environmental biologists, natural resource managers and students reading subjects such as geography, biology, forestry, botany and environmental science. Ndenecho Emmanuel Neba 2011

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Acknowledgments Born in a mountain environment in Cameroon and after receiving western education I have grown up to appreciate the strengths and to challenge the weaknesses of traditional and cultural heritages. Consequently, I have developed research interest in endogenous knowledge systems, technologies and ethnobotany. Understanding the cosmovision of modern and traditional cultures is a major challenge for anyone working with development. In each situation, the best combination between traditional practices and practices from other parts of the world can be identified through participatory assessment and development. Most of what is documented in this book seeks to enhance this exchange of concepts and approaches between different cultures. Some of the material has previously been published in scholarly journals by the author. These include: xThe Journal of the Cameroon Academy of Sciences, University of Buea, Cameroon. xInternational Journal of Environment and Sustainable Development, London, England. xAfrican Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, Volume 3 (3), Academic Journals. xJournal of Environmental Sciences, University of Jos, Nigeria. The author acknowledges with thanks the reproduction of material from these journals. Maps, diagrams and photographs were also reproduced from many authors. The list is too long to reproduce here. The various sources are cited, and an effort was made to trace the copy right holders, but if I have inadvertently overlooked any, I apologize, and will be pleased to make the necessary amendments at the first opportunity. The documented material, pictures, and diagrams reflect the great diversity of concepts, approaches and practices that still exist related to people, animals, plants, the environment, the culture and religion in various localities. The author acknowledges that this book is a first step to provoke researchers to react, either in support of or challenging certain approaches or positions.

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