Securing land tenure for local communities to protect Cross River gorillas

Full Solution

by Andrew Dunn, Wildlife Conservation Society

Cross River Gorilla

WCS Nigeria Program

In a process facilitated by the Wildlife Conservation Society, nine communities surrounding the Mbe Mountains formed a conservation association to safeguard local forests and watersheds – and Africa's most endangered ape, the Cross River gorilla. Strengthening traditional management rights for local people improved their sense of ownership and reduced levels of hunting. The association is working to limit forest loss and protect habitat corridors by improving sustainable agriculture.

Last update: 05 Oct 2020

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Context

Challenges addressed

Erratic rainfall

Wildfires

Poaching

Lack of alternative income opportunities

Lack of technical capacity

Unemployment / poverty

The solution seeks to protect endangered wildlife by reducing levels of hunting, as well as protecting local watersheds by reducing rates of forest loss. The landscape inhabited by Cross River gorillas is increasingly fragmented, so protecting the Mbe Mountains safeguards an important corridor linking two protected areas. Previously low levels of community support for conservation have improved considerably.

Scale of implementation

Local

Ecosystems

Agroforestry

Tropical evergreen forest

Theme

Species management

Connectivity / transboundary conservation

Protected and conserved areas governance

Sustainable livelihoods

Local actors

Traditional knowledge

Protected and conserved areas management planning

Forest Management

Location

Mbe Mountains, Cross River, Nigeria

West and Central Africa

Process

Summary of the process

A strategic alliance between the Wildlife Conservation Society and the nine communities, represented by the Conservation Association of the Mbe Mountains, has helped to ensure that the three buildings blocks are combined effectively to produce the solution. Demonstrating reduced rates of hunting and forest loss within the Mbe Mountains has improved donor confidence in, and funding for, CAMM. This recognition, and improved local control of forests and wildlife, has in turn strengthened levels of community support for conservation. Speaking with one voice, and with better levels of trust between the nine communities and improved capacity of CAMM, the demands for more secure land tenure by the nine communities cannot be easily ignored.

Building Blocks

Creation of conservation association unites local communities

The nine communities surrounding Mbe were helped to come together to form a single community organization to represent their interests and promote conservation. In the past, these communities have not always cooperated readily and there is some historic distrust and rivalry. The Conservation Association of the Mbe Mountains (CAMM) was created with a written constitution and officers elected to a General Assembly, Management Committee, Board of Trustees and a Technical and Supervisory Stakeholders Group. Regular CAMM meetings now promote dialogue and have improved trust between the nine communities. CAMM also represents local interests and perspectives when dealing with local and state government. WCS facilitated legal registration of CAMM in 2013 and is supporting capacity building of CAMM and construction of a headquarters.

Enabling factors

The communities needed to trust each other and work together towards a single purpose. Significant time was needed to establish this trust, since there are frequent disagreements among the communities. Presence of an NGO to facilitate the process was critical to success. The initiative also had support from influential local politicians and businessmen as well as the Cross River State Forestry Commission – government agency responsible for the management of wildlife and forests within the state

Lesson learned

To fully secure local land tenure the nine communities, or CAMM, require a certificate(s) of occupancy from the state government. A benefit sharing formula was required since the communities do not own equal areas of forest within the Mbe Mountains.The nine communities don’t yet trust each other fully and there are periodic disputes, which are best resolved by CAMM. Within each community there are often a number of men known as elites who typically act for selfish interests rather than for the common good. As CAMM has become stronger it has been able to reduce the influence of these elites. The influence of the Chairman of Boki Local Government Area has also helped. The penalties against poaching are low and not always enforced by CAMM. Stricter penalties may be required, legalized as local government bylaws. The CAMM constitution is large and cumbersome and needs to be streamlined. Levels of capacity within CAMM are low - needs close mentoring and long-term financial support from WCS.

Strict enforcement of community laws by community rangers

A boundary has been demarcated around a central core area of some 100km2 within which there is no hunting or collection of forest produce allowed. A team of 14 community rangers were recruited by WCS from the nine communities to enforce community rules and regulations established by CAMM. These community rangers are employed by WCS and supervised by a resident WCS project manager. Daily patrols have reduced levels of hunting dramatically, and hunting is now much lower in the Mbe Mountains than in surrounding government-managed protected areas. Ranger patrols collect data using handheld devices that are automatically downloaded at the end of each patrol. Ranger morale and pride was developed and encouraged through training and provision of field equipment including uniforms.

Enabling factors

Long-term support from an NGO was critical for success. Recruiting community rangers and project manager directly from the communities improved the project’s level of acceptance by local people in the early stages. Use of CyberTracker and SMART for law enforcement monitoring has enabled WCS to demonstrate success and generate continued funding. The Mbe Mountains is a relatively small area that is easily policed. Use of Cross River gorilla as a flagship species for the area and for fundraisin

Lesson learned

With support of local communities, strict law enforcement was accepted and worked to reduce hunting. The use of ex-hunters as rangers is effective but they require close supervision and regular monitoring if they are meant to give up hunting permanently. Use of CyberTracker and SMART for monitoring law enforcement and gorilla distribution improved transparency and accountability of the project and was critical for success. The penalties imposed by CAMM are not always enforced and they are not considered an effective deterrent. Community sanctions are perhaps more effective. Strict law enforcement in the Mbe Mountains may have merely displaced hunting to neighboring areas such as Cross River National Park. Monthly and quarterly reports produced by WCS and shared with CAMM and nine communities were important in building trust.

NGO facilitates stakeholder dialogue, builds capacity and trust

The long-term presence and commitment of the Wildlife Conservation Society in the Mbe Mountains has been crucial for conservation success. CAMM lacks capacity and funding so WCS facilitated regular CAMM meetings and promoted necessary dialogue required between the nine communities. The presence of an independent NGO helped broker trust between the communities and to develop a common vision. A draft management plan has been produced and CAMM received support to work with the Boki Local Government to develop community bylaws for the Mbe Mountains. WCS has also helped to build the capacity of CAMM, mentoring them to develop their own funding proposals and with report writing and financial management. WCS is also assisting CAMM with the construction of a new headquarters.

Enabling factors

Long term presence and commitment of an NGO. Long term funding required. Transparency and mutual respect develops trust between the NGO and local communities. Patience and long-term approach required for capacity building of CAMM.

Lesson learned

Initially there was a great deal of mistrust by the nine communities towards WCS that took many years to overcome and still requires constant effort. Support from external elites and politicians was useful in solving local community issues or disputes between communities. Local government is more effective on the ground than state government institutions. Social media is an effective tool for dialogue and awareness raising.

Impacts

The solution has dramatically reduced levels of hunting in the Mbe Mountains, and hunting is now lower in Mbe than in surrounding government-managed protected areas. In the long-term, reduced levels of hunting will have a positive impact on the status of Cross River gorillas. The solution has effectively engaged with nine different communities who are now represented by a single umbrella organization known as the Conservation Association of the Mbe Mountains. Conservation of the forest has helped protect local watersheds and forest-based livelihoods, which represent a particularly important source of income for women. Some livelihood benefits have been provided although they need to be on a much larger scale. Protecting important forest corridors by supporting cocoa farmers to reduce rates of forest loss offers hope for the future. Developing a sense of local ownership and pride has perhaps been more significant, helping to improve levels of support for conservation and discouraging hunting. The long-term benefits from ecotourism and REDD+ processes are still unknown.

Beneficiaries

The main beneficiaries are the nine communities surrounding the Mbe Mountains as well as the Cross River gorilla and endangered wildlife species; with watershed protection and safe drinking water provided for many more downstream communities.