Evaluating respect of felling restrictions on harvestable diameters and logging methods at the forest management units (FMUs) in South Western Cameroon with decision support systems (DSS)
Paper Details
Evaluating respect of felling restrictions on harvestable diameters and logging methods at the forest management units (FMUs) in South Western Cameroon with decision support systems (DSS)
Abstract
The high biodiversity of tropical rainforests including numerous species in the IUCN Red list is being threatened by numerous anthropogenic activities carried out in the forest by various stakeholders. Logging in tropical rainforests improves the economy of tropical countries, but, this is accompanied by high forest deforestation and degradation. If logging continues in the present pace unmonitored, tropical rainforests may soon be replaced by a disproportionate and unbalanced ecosystem, especially as loggers hardly respect their logging limits. Because there are no set methods and standards to truly measure logging in Cameroon, loggers are not monitored, so may log indiscriminately beyond their logging limits. Except a system to monitor their logging activities, loggers will always derail from their logging limits in the management plan for both unprotected and protected species. Decision support systems (DSS) will help forest officials take vital decisions with respect to forest exploitation by loggers, and control their logging activities with the click of a mouse button. KatLog Pro DSS has components to monitor concession holders’ respect of logging diameter limits in the management plan, respect of protected species cutting limits, and also the fate of non-commercial species. KatLog Pro found that Concession holders do respect cutting limits of unprotected species, but they cut protected species like Iroko (Milicia excelsa (Welw.) C.C Berg) below their management diameters. Also, much Azobé (Lophira alata Banks ex Gaertn) was cut but abandoned by loggers, while mostly Desbordesia glaucescens (Engl.) Tiegh was used for road construction.
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Kato Samuel Namuene, Egbe Enow Andrew, William S. Shu (2014), Evaluating respect of felling restrictions on harvestable diameters and logging methods at the forest management units (FMUs) in South Western Cameroon with decision support systems (DSS); JBES, V5, N6, December, P289-301
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