Objective1 and 2 were completed, objective 3 and objective 4 were partially completed and modified due to pandemic. The researcher has completed scientific training objectives 1-4 and complementary training objectives 1-3.
The most significant findings of the AFRISKYFOR project so far are as follows:
Objective 1: Ecosystem service valuing significantly differs between sites and ethnic groups in both Cameroon and DRC, which is of key importance to decision-makers, as restricted access and regulated extraction of products affects locals’ peoples differently. Our findings also highlight the great value local communities place to their forests, who acknowledge not only provisioning but also regulating services and the aesthetic value of these forests. Ecosystem service valuing also significantly differs between local communities and experts, which is of key importance when designing management interventions at the site level. Our findings on carbon stocks highlight the importance of these forests as carbon sinks (or source if deforested).
Objective 2: Some threats affect most African TMF (e.g. clearing land for agriculture, climatic changes) while others are site-specific (e.g. illegal mining in DRC). Experts’ views generally agree with reported trends at the site level. Results also show that the overlap between existing protected areas and TMF is not sufficient, and that other forms of protection are urgently needed, e.g. community forest management.
Objective 3: Preliminary findings from Mt Oku ABM (Cameroon) indicate that forest protection could provide economic benefits (e.g. honey commercialisation) to local communities even in a drier future. Similar findings were found for Mt Marsabit ABM (Kenya) (e.g. honey, medicinal plants). But this is not the case in Mt Kahuzi ABM (DRC). Further work is needed to determine how context-specific threats (e.g. mining in DRC) underpin possibilities for sustainable management and alternative livelihoods of certain TMF.
Objective 4: To overcome threats to TMFs, experts suggested combining greater law enforcement, reducing forest dependency and increasing participatory forest management. For example, if licensed local hunters could be given a quota that they are responsible for, it would be in their interest to not exceed the quota and to report unlicensed hunters, to help secure the long-term persistence of the wildlife populations on which their livelihoods depend. There is room for sustainable use of selected resources in many protected areas, particularly for wild foods (something which requires site-specific assessments -ongoing).
Dissemination and exploitation of results:
Six publications have been published, including one in the journal Nature. The researcher gave three oral presentations: at Pathways Conference (Colorado, September 2017), Ecosystem Service Partnership Meeting in Africa (Togo, June 2019), and World Biodiversity Forum in Davos (Switzerland, February 2020). The researcher wrote 5 blogs, one non-academic article at ‘The Conversation’ and participated in 3 podcasts. She also participated at science outreach events with general public (Yornight, library public talks at York), and disseminated results back to local communities (Cameroon, DRC) and with mountain experts and regional and other managers of these ecosystems. In terms of exploitation, results were used to e.g. inform management plans of Oku Community Forest or Itombwe Nature Reserve.
