What Occurs within the Mangrove Ecosystems of the Douala Region in Cameroon? Exploring the Challenging Governance of Readily Available Woody Resources in the Wouri Estuary

Mangrove ecosystems provide key ecosystem services in coastal areas. This study describes the riparian mangrove of the Wouri estuary, in the Douala region (Cameroon), emphasizing the changes in this ecosystem over the past decade and its current state. It highlights the different groups of actors wh...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environments (Basel, Switzerland) Switzerland), 2024-06, Vol.11 (6), p.121
Main Authors: Bissonnette, Jean-François, Kossivi, Fabrice Dossa, Celestin, Arnaud Nsangou, Satchie, Yangue Abidah, Haman Moussa, Miassi, Yann Emmanuel, Gravel, Nathalie, Guillaume, Marie, Onguene, Raphaël
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Anthropogenic factors
Camps
Coastal erosion
Coastal zone
Cooperation
Ecosystem management
Ecosystem services
Ecosystems
Environmental economics
Estuaries
Estuarine ecosystems
Exploitation
Forest management
Garbage
Human influences
Mangroves
Overexploitation
Regulation
Sustainable ecosystems
Urbanization
Wood
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Mangrove ecosystems provide key ecosystem services in coastal areas. This study describes the riparian mangrove of the Wouri estuary, in the Douala region (Cameroon), emphasizing the changes in this ecosystem over the past decade and its current state. It highlights the different groups of actors who participate in the management and regulation of the resource. Finally, an analysis of the governance of the mangrove wood resource based on the theory of common goods by Elinor Ostrom (1990) is proposed by examining the results obtained from the previous points. The scientific interest lies in contributing to a better understanding of the socio-ecological changes in the mangrove in the context of increasing anthropogenic pressures, highlighting the governance challenges and conservation opportunities in a strategic region of Central Africa. This research reveals complex processes that characterize mangrove ecosystems on the Manoka and Cap Cameroon Islands. The lack of urbanization regulations, continued infrastructure growth, repeated flooding, and coastal erosion all have a negative impact on natural landscapes and forests. The use of wood for smoking and fishing, as well as coastal pollution resulting from deficient garbage management, also have a considerable influence. Strategic interventions are needed to ensure sustainable ecosystem management. Recommendations include the application of rules to prevent forest overexploitation.
ISSN:2076-3298
DOI:10.3390/environments11060121