The FLEGT VPA is a trade process initiated in 2010 between Cameroon and the European Union which aims to eradicate the trade in illegal timber through well-defined legality grids. Despite the efforts made by each stakeholder, this process is still not operational. This study, which took place from July 2017 to January 2018, aimed to contribute to the sustainable management of Cameroon's forests through the evaluation of the implementation of the FLEGT-VPA. To achieve this, we carried out an assessment of Annexes 7 and 9. The analysis shows that the specifications necessary to ensure the implementation of the FLEGT-VPA have been implemented at 57.77% on the basis of its Annex 9. Specifically, all 75 types of information are made public (85.54%) and well shared (82.776%). In addition, several problems were raised, notably the low rate of carrying out audits (4.76%); the low rate of implementation of the traceability system (13.06%) due to the low use of the computer system; the low promotion of FLEGT products (16.67%); the low/insufficient capacity building (40%); the low rate of issuing and promoting FLEGT permits, which are only issued to wood processing units (41.67%). In spite of all the difficulties encountered, the actors are particularly interested in its administrative agreements (80%); civil society organizations (100%); and private sector actors (88.9%) and wish for the effective implementation of the agreement. This may be possible if the legality grids and regulatory texts are revised with the support of the FAO-FLEGT projects and all stakeholders, and if SIGIF II is delivered and operational because it conditions the implementation of the key actions of the process.

The toxic impact of heavy metals contamination on soil have been emphasized in the past year, however, the risk of soil contamination in forest areas cannot be neglected. The purpose of this study is to investigate the concentration and distribution of seven major elements (Na, Mg, Al, P, K, Ca and Fe) and the potential ecological risks of three metals (Mn, Cu, and Zn) induced by human activities after the conversion from natural forest (NF) to plantation forest (PF). The result showed that the average metal concentration followed the order: Fe>K>Al>Na>Ca>Mg>P>Mn>Cu>Zn. Mn and Cu were strongly influenced by soil disturbance. All sampling sites were considered as slight pollution (1≤PI<4) and as low potential ecological risk index for individual metals (<40), and the environment (RI<65). Contamination with Mn, Cu and Zn was uncontaminated to moderately contaminated (0

The Dja Faunal Reserve has a significant role in environment/wildlife conservation because of the biodiversity it contains. However, competition between humans and animals for resources leads to human-wildlife conflicts. The overall objective of this study was to contribute to the improvement of human-wildlife conflicts management in the southwestern periphery of the Dja Faunal Reserve. A total of 95 peoples were interviewed in 8 villages using stratified random sampling. The aim was to collect information on the species responsible for the damage, the crops devastated, conflict causes, and impacts of human-wildlife conflicts. This study shows that the loss and fragmentation of wildlife habitats (57%), changes in feeding behaviour due to the proximity of plantations (39%) and the increase in the size of riparian populations (4%) are the main causes of human-wildlife conflicts. Majority of the conflicts were due to wildlife attacks on crops (91%) and often happened at night (70%). Rodents were the main animal species responsible for the damage including hedgehogs (20%), porcupines (18%) and palm rats (11%). The economic losses due to human-wildlife conflicts were estimated at 20 339 335 to 28 597 740 Franc CFA per year. Several suggestions were made, including raising public awareness of the ban on occupying reserved and classified areas, and revising law No. 94/01 to take into account the management of human-wildlife conflicts.