Campo Ma'an National Park is a 2,680 square kilometer National Park in Cameroon, located in the South Region of the Océan area. It is bordered by Equatorial Guinea to the south, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and the Vallée-du-Ntem and Mvila regions to the east. The park and its buffer zone cover approximately 700,000 hectares. The climate has two dry seasons: November to March and July to August, and two rainy seasons: April to June and August to October. The average temperature is 25°C.

History

The original Campo Wildlife Reserve (1,582 square kilometers) was created in 1932 through an agreement between the Government of Cameroon and the Campo Forest Company. Next to it, the Ma'an forest plantation (990 square kilometers) was established in 1980 to protect Aucoumea klaineana (okoumé), a tree species valuable for logging.

On August 6, 1999, under Decision 054/CAB/PN, the forest was changed to a Technical Operational Unit (TOU) covering 771,000 hectares. The Campo Ma'an TOU includes a land plan with protected areas, protected forests, forest management units, a maritime estate, and an agroforestry area.

In 2000, the protected area and protected forest became the current Campo Ma'an National Park. This was done to address the environmental damage expected from the Chad-Cameroon oil pipeline. The park was chosen as a site for the Global Environmental Facility and the World Bank Biodiversity Conservation and Management Project. Today, the national park is surrounded by five forest management units, industrial rubber plantations (HEVECAM), industrial oil palm plantations (SOCAPALM, CAMVERT), and a buffer zone.

Biodiversity

Campo Ma'an National Park is an area with many different plants and animals. It is home to several species that are found only in this region. The park has many mammals, such as forest elephants, duikers, hippos, bush pigs, giant pangolins, black colobus monkeys, mandrills, and leopards. A small group of forest buffalo lives in the southern part of the park. The park also has populations of critically endangered western lowland gorillas and endangered central chimpanzees. These animals are important for conservation, and the park is the site of a project to help gorillas become comfortable around humans.

The park has 122 reptile species and 165 fish species. A 2015 survey found 27 millipede species in the park, with Aporodesmus gabonicus being the most common. The area is one of 33 bird regions in southwestern Cameroon and has more than 300 bird species. The forest is mainly closed evergreen canopy, a type of forest called Atlantic Biafran forest. Many plants in this forest belong to the Caesalpiniaceae family.

There are 29 plant species that are found only in the park. A rare and critically endangered orchid from the Distylodon genus was discovered in a nearby village called Bifa. Scientists are still studying whether this orchid grows in the park. The park has 256 total plant species, with 22 listed as endangered by the IUCN.

The forest region containing the park has remained a tropical rainforest since the Pleistocene era, based on the presence of slowly spreading plant species and high levels of unique species. Some logging occurred in 1994–1995, leaving roads in the reserve area. The park faces threats from logging, poaching, farming, and coastal development. The construction of the Memve'ele hydroelectric dam and the Kribi deep-sea port also pose risks to the region's biodiversity.

Because of its rich biodiversity and the need for ongoing conservation, Campo Ma'an has been proposed as a pilot ecotourism site.

Impact on Indigenous Peoples

The Campo Ma'an Reserve in Cameroon is the traditional home of two main indigenous groups: the Bagyeli (Pygmies) and the Bantu. These groups have lived in the area for more than 4,000 years. The Bagyeli are hunter-gatherers who rely on the forest for food and medicine. They are a small group, with fewer than 10,000 people. The Bantu live along the coast and are mainly fishermen. They have a larger population divided into smaller groups, including the Batanga, Mabea, Yassa, Ntumu, Mavae, and Bulu. The Yassa, Ntumu, and Mavae live farther inland and grow crops for food. A third group, the Bebilis, also lives in the area. Like the Bagyeli, they live in hunting camps. There are more than 100 villages near the Campo Ma'an National Park.

In December 1999, the Campo Ma'an GEF/Biodiversity Project was signed, providing new funding for the park. This allowed for the creation of rules to protect the area’s natural resources. Before this, there were no guards or rules to stop people from entering the park. The Integral Protection Zone, which covers 2,901 square kilometers, is completely off-limits to people. Natural resource use is banned across 4,196 square kilometers of the region. Conflicts have occurred between local people and park officials. In May 2000, eco-guards burned a hunting camp that was disputed. In April 2001, eco-guards destroyed a Bagyeli boat used to travel in the protected area. Reports show illegal hunting and poaching continue in the reserve, but between 2011 and 2014, hunting pressure dropped by 50%. The WWF website states that a co-management agreement was signed with the Bagyeli. Currently, 15 Bagyeli people work as guides and trackers in efforts to protect great apes.