Mount Kupe Site

The region

Mount Kupe is located across the former border between English-speaking and French-speaking Cameroon. It forms a mountain complex with the Bakossi mountains to the west and is connected by a descending crest through the Manehas Forest Reserve and the Mbumbe Forest to the Manenguba mountain and its craters to the north. Mount Kupe itself is a cone shaped volcano, whose summit rises 2,064 m above sea level and that is surrounded by secondary peaks. The steep slopes of Mount Kupe are covered by primary cloud forest, that gradually transforms towards the summit into montane shrubs and grasland.

The forests of Mount Kupe have a high conservation priority because of their varied biodiversity, the endemic species (for example, the Mount Kupe Bush Shrike) and the habitats of some endangered species (drills, chimpanzees and duikers).

About 140,000 people live around Mount Kupe. The western part of Mount Kupe is inhabited by the Bakossis, who are English-speaking. The eastern flanks, on the French-speaking side, were historically inhabited by Manehas and Bamuns. The actual population, however, is made up for 70-80% by immigrants, especially the Bamilekes and Bamenda people.

The project

The project intervenes on all the flanks of Mount Kupe, roughly from the villages along the major roads at the foot of the mountain to the summit.

History of the project:

The "Mount Kupe Forest Project" was designed in 1991, at the initiative of Birdlife International with initial funding from the European Union, followed by ODA funding. After a period of inactivity from 1995, WWF took over the project as executing agency in 1997 with GEF, DFID and WWF-UK funding until mid 2001.

Objectives:

1. Carry out ecological surveys on flora and fauna
2. Establish the Mount Kupe forest as a protected area (fragile ecological zone), managed with the participation of local communities, and formulate a strategy for the conservation and management of the forest ecosystem
3. Develop and promote appropriate agricultural practices, including agroforestry to optimise the use of exploited farmlands and wise use of forest resources, especially by developing alternatives to hunting activities and by promoting controlled ecotourism
4. Continue the environmental education programme in order for the region, and especially women, to better understand and appreciate the benefits of the forest.