A subnational assessment of restoration opportunities for degraded ecosystem services of the Sanaga and Kadey watersheds, East- Cameroon

Abstract

The Kadey and Sanaga watersheds in the East Region of Cameroon face severe degradation of ecosystem services caused by unsustainable practices such as deforestation, mining, overgrazing, and wildfires. This degradation threatens biodiversity, reduces productivity, and compromises the livelihoods of local communities, necessitating urgent restoration efforts. The study applies the Restoration Opportunities Assessment Methodology (ROAM) to identify and prioritize potential restoration interventions for these degraded landscapes. The research highlights the importance of restoring ecosystem services to improve forest productivity, enhance water quality, and secure local livelihoods. By identifying the drivers and extent of degradation, the study provides critical data for sustainable forest landscape restoration. The findings are essential for policymakers, conservationists, and local stakeholders to address land-use challenges effectively. The assessment used a combination of primary data collection methods, including GPS mapping, stakeholder interviews, and community surveys, and secondary data from satellite imagery and government reports. Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA) was employed to establish links between land-use types, administrative units, and degradation drivers, while spatial tools mapped restoration opportunities across the watersheds. The study revealed five key degradation drivers notably, deforestation for agriculture, wildfires, unsustainable harvesting of timber and fuelwood,mining activities, and overgrazing, contributing to significant landscape degradation. Restoration opportunities were identified over a total surface area of 426,913 hectares across agroforestry systems, communal forests, gallery forests lands, gold panning and micro-zoning zones. Restoration options include agroforestry practices, enrichment planting, soil stabilization, and community-driven reforestation activities, integrated with sustainable landuse management. The results highlight the need for integrated restoration strategies targeting both ecological and socio-economic objectives. Agroforestry interventions and reforestation in degraded areas, alongside sustainable agricultural practices and stakeholder collaboration, are recommended to rehabilitate the watersheds. These measures ensure ecosystem recovery,improved livelihoods and long-term landscape resilience.