The reintroduction program was also seen as an effort to restore the habitat itself. By bringing back these species, the NCW aimed to re-establish the natural processes that had been disrupted by their absence. Measures were taken to restore the natural habitat of these species to ensure successful reintroduction. Restoration of the reference ecological conditions entailed the restoration of the native vegetation and the management of exotic and/or invasive plants.
Habitat degradation resulting from developmental activities is being effectively mitigated in the reserve through strategic measures aimed at controlling human settlements and enforcing regulations pertaining to grazing and hunting activities.
To restore the ecosystem's structure, function, and biodiversity, collaborative efforts with the National Centre for Vegetation Cover (NCVC) have facilitated extensive plantation drives across designated areas.
Invasive Species Management: A comprehensive management plan has been devised by the National Centre for Wildlife in partnership with the NCVC to address the proliferation of invasive species within the reserve.
In addition to these efforts grazing pressure is being managed by zoning the reserve.
The NCW successfully reintroduced Sand Gazelle (Gazella marica), Arabian/Idmi Gazelle (Gazella arabica), and Arabian Oryx (Oryx leucoryx) into the protected area, selecting individuals from healthy captive-bred populations while ensuring genetic diversity. The Houbara Bustard (Chlamydotis undulata) has also been successfully reintroduced in the area. From the early 1990s to 2025, a total of 425 Sand Gazelles, 103 Idmi Gazelles, and 400 Arabian Oryx have been reintroduced. Additionally, 90 Houbara Bustards and 20 red-necked Ostriches have also been released into the reserve. Although population growth has been modest, the recent population estimation exercise indicates that the populations of all these reintroduced species remain stable within the reserve.
This building block focuses on the establishment of agroforestry systems in the villages of Ebéa and Maloumba, benefiting indigenous Bakola/Bagyeli communities. The system integrates cacao, plantain, and non-timber forest products (NTFPs) to provide diversified livelihoods and improve food security. Agroforestry helps reduce deforestation by promoting sustainable land use while enhancing soil fertility and increasing resilience to climate change. This initiative not only generates income for indigenous communities but also preserves their cultural heritage by combining traditional knowledge with modern agricultural practices.
Land ownership: Securing land rights for indigenous communities is crucial for the success of agroforestry.
Training and capacity building: Providing education on sustainable farming practices and crop management is essential for long-term success.
Access to markets: Ensuring that communities have access to markets to sell their products motivates participation and economic growth.
Inclusive planning: Engaging all members of the community, including women and youth, strengthens the project’s impact.
Diversification: Integrating various crops and NTFPs reduces economic risks and enhances food security.
Ensure that initial training is comprehensive and includes post-implementation support, as communities may face challenges in maintaining agroforestry systems without proper guidance.
The introduction of improved stoves in Lokoundjé addresses both environmental and economic challenges. These stoves, measuring 5 meters by 1.3 meters, significantly reduce the need for wood by increasing fuel efficiency, which directly contributes to the conservation of mangroves. By tripling the production of smoked fish, the stoves also boost local economies. The stoves were designed and built with community participation, ensuring that they meet local needs while reducing pressure on natural resources.
Community involvement: Full participation of the community in the design and construction process ensures that the stoves are culturally appropriate and fit for purpose.
Technical support: Access to experts for the design and maintenance of the stoves ensures their long-term functionality.
Economic incentives: The ability to increase fish production and income encourages widespread adoption.
Community buy-in: Involving users in the design process improves adoption and long-term use.
Sustainability: Without proper training, the stoves may not be maintained, leading to reduced effectiveness over time.
Ensure that ongoing technical support and follow-up training are provided to maintain stove efficiency and functionality in the long term.
This building block involves the reforestation of degraded mangrove areas in Lokoundjé. Through the planting of 6000 mangrove seedlings across 4 hectares, the initiative aims to restore essential ecosystem services provided by mangroves, such as carbon sequestration, flood protection, and fisheries support. Local communities, particularly indigenous groups like the Bakola/Bagyeli, are actively involved in the planting and monitoring of mangrove health, reinforcing both ecological and social sustainability.
Community involvement: The involvement of local communities, particularly those directly affected, is essential to ensure the continuity of maintenance.
Availability of seedlings: Access to healthy mangrove seedlings and training in appropriate planting techniques are necessary for successful reforestation.
Government support: Legal support to protect reforested areas from exploitation also ensures the sustainability of restoration efforts.
Commitment is essential: Giving communities the means to replace damaged seedlings fosters a sense of ownership.
Resilience in reforestation: Regular monitoring and replacement of seedlings, particularly in difficult environments, is essential to the success of the project.
It is important to plan post-planting maintenance and to involve stakeholders early in the process to help avoid neglect of newly reforested areas.
It aims to raise awareness among local and indigenous communities of the importance of conserving mangroves and adopting sustainable practices. The campaign uses a range of tools, including brochures, posters, loincloths and radio broadcasts, to reach various segments of the population. Awareness-raising activities aim to educate communities about the environmental and economic benefits of mangrove conservation, while promoting the adoption of improved stoves to reduce deforestation. The aim is to create a strong sense of local ownership, ensuring long-term commitment to conservation efforts.
Cultural relevance: The communication tools, such as pagnes, are adapted to local customs, increasing acceptance.
Media access: Radio broadcasts ensure that information reaches remote areas.
Local leadership support: Engagement of administrative and local leaders amplifies the campaign’s impact.
Effective communication:Adapting communication to the local context strengthens community involvement.
Consistency: Ongoing dissemination and distribution of materials are essential to reinforce the message.
Challenges: Ensuring that all community members, including marginalized groups, are reached can be difficult, and multiple platforms should be used to broaden outreach.
Several preselected sites with permanent camera traps installations have been chosen for vulture data collection, including six watering holes and one vulture feeding site. The data collected from camera traps can be used to estimate DDCR’s vulture population size, distribution, and record certain behaviors such as social interactions.
The entirely fenced off natural reserve provides vultures an area with an abundant source of antelope carcasses and a refuge from harmful human activity. The increasing number of vultures recorded by Camera trap within the DDCR can be attributed to several reasons including DDCR policies on protecting the reserves natural habitat, limiting human activity within the reserve, and promoting natural ecological processes to occur such as not removing the carcasses of oryx and gazelle from the desert.
Ensure camera traps are not in front of moving vegetation in order to avoid the camera trap from getting triggered often and depleting the batteries.
Exchange the SD card in the camera trap regularly in order to avoid that the memory space gets full.
