Cry The Beloved Mount Cameroon

By Mofor Samuel
Mount Cameroon(pictured), the highest mountain in Sub-Saharan West Africa, is an active volcano and located in the town of Buea, Southwest of Cameroon.
Many residents would agree with this view that in the past few years, this mountain town has witnessed an increase in temperature during the dry season. Many feel that the unusual weather patterns are evidence of global warming. Yet many others charge that man has unwittingly tampered with the natural process. It is reasonable to expect people to behave with respect for the environment. But getting people to make the needed change is not so easy.
The issue of bushfires on the mountain should be of great concern to both the residents and government authorities, not leaving out forest conservation organizations. In fact, in the months of January and February the whole mountain is as if there is eruption as bushfires spread across it.
Majesty, stability, and strength come to mind when one thinks of Mt Cameroon. Some find it hard to believe that the mountain could be in danger. The reality is that the mountain is under threat.
Mt Cameroon serves as water storage, wildlife habitats and biodiversity- it is a sanctuary for flora and fauna that disappeared in the lowlands. Gorillas, chimpanzees, drills and elephants and a number of plant species threatened with extinction depend on the mountain habitats. The mountain contains biodiversity from which everyone benefits. Since the mountain has protected areas because of conserved natural beauty, it is a favourite destination for tourists. The mountain communities benefit from the influx of tourists, though uncontrolled tourism can threaten the fragile ecosystem. And the traditional knowledge accumulated by mountain inhabitants may prove invaluable for protecting flora and fauna that we all depend on.
Conservationists cite several specific problems that undermine the bulwark of Mt Cameroon’s ecosystem. All are serious and are getting worse. Some of the problems threatening the mountain are development projects: The construction of roads causes erosion on the steep slopes and the roads provide access for loggers, who do more damage. Subsistence farming and poaching by the local population destroy the fragile vegetation. Population pressure is driving people to farm on unproductive areas. The tendency of bush fallowing, bushfires “the Ankara” i.e. the burning of grass covered with soil. This practice destroys the soil’s fertility. This type of farming brings marginal benefits. Another activity that is of great threat to the environment of this mountain area is poaching. Apes like gorillas, chimpanzees, drills, and elephants are now endangered species since they are threatened with extinction as a result of poaching. Bushfires ignited by villagers who want to harvest honey often leave several hectares of land burnt with all that this may have as consequences.
The consequences of man’s assault on the mountain’s ecosystem are already being felt. Floods, landslides, deforestation and even poverty and hunger are just some consequences of environmental devastation on the mountain. Less obvious is the role increase in temperature can play in encouraging the spread of infectious diseases. Mosquito-borne disorders are projected to become increasingly prevalent, since mosquitoes proliferate faster and bite more when the air becomes warmer. Buea area is heating up and mosquitoes are already expanding into this formerly “forbidden territory”, bringing illnesses with them. Finally, there are the effects of floods and drought, which can result in polluted water supplies.
No doubt, the Cameroon Government has begun to act. National parks have been created to safeguard the most spectacular scenery and most endangered species.
Forests are replanted and logging banned in some areas. Even protected areas of Mt Cameroon suffer from environmental pressure. Improving the livelihoods of mountain people, building their capacity to protect the mountain’s ecosystem and to use mountain resources more wisely can go along way to reduce the devastation on the mountain environment.