Book on “Tropical Important Plant Areas in Cameroon” launched in Yaounde.

By Ngalame Elias

Scientists of the Royal Botanical Garden,RBG, Kew in London and those in Cameroon’s IRAD-National Herbariums and the University of Yaounde 1 have been working across Cameroon, cataloguing the vast range of plant species, to help support efforts to protect these vital forest areas that is at the heart of the Congo-Basin forest region.

Their collaborative work is contained in a book titled “Tropical Important Plant Areas in Cameroon” that was launched at the residence of the British High Commission in Cameroon, June 18, 2025.

British High Commissioner to Cameroon, Matt Woods, saluted the collaborative works that resulted in the production of the content rich 300 page book.

“ This is the product of collaborative work that will go a long way to enrich research and improve biodiversity conservation,” Matt Woods said.

According to the director of the National Herbariums, Dr Bathelemey Tchengue , some 852 plant species have been identified in over 49 important sites.

Professor Philip Stevenson, Science Priority at Royal Botanic Gardens KEW notes that “ KEW is committed to providing nature-based solutions to mitigate climate change, researching wild plants and fungi to address the extinction crisis and ensuring that our unique collections are accessible and useful to researchers world-wide”

RBG Kew had been working with partners in Cameroon and the wider Africa region to help safeguard its biodiversity for decades with specific focus on initiatives on community conservation, livelihoods and species protection as well as documenting and understanding biodiversity, he notes.

Experts say Part of Cameroon’s rich biodiversity comes from the range of different environments across the country. With a coastline, savanna, desert, mountains and tropical rainforests, Cameroon is often referred to as ‘Africa in miniature’.

The rich content of the book shows among others that across Cameroon, changes in land use are threatening its crucial ecosystems.

Acres of rainforest and cloud forest are being cleared to make way for rubber and oil palm plantations, unsustainable logging practice and other agricultural projects.

Developments such as the Memve’ele Hydropower Dam and iron ore mining exploration projects border the Campo Ma’an National Park, a haven for endangered plants and wildlife, such as western lowland gorillas, central chimpanzees and the critically endangered orchid species Distylodon sonkeanum.

“While these new developments are key in supporting Cameroon’s infrastructure and supporting its growth, it needs to be done in a way that works in harmony with the rich natural environment,” it says.

Cameroon’s biodiversity is not only beautiful, but of critical importance to the culture and economy of the country. Many of the national dishes derive from indigenous plant species, like ndolé (Vernonia amygdalina) and egusi (Cucurmeropsis mannii), while culturally-important fibres and traditional medicines come from local plants, the research shows.

The Ebo forest, found in the Littoral region of Cameroon, is home to a range of communities, including the Banen, living on the edges of the forest. These groups rely on the forest for resources such as food and medicine, as well as having deep cultural and ancestral links to the forest.

Dr Francis Ngome deputy director general of IRAD appreciates the rich research findings contained in the book that will go a long way to enhance works of many scientists across Africa.

“ This is not only important for biodiversity conservation  but also to improve research capacity and support especially young researchers,” Dr Ngome said.