This blog post is part of the series What to Read.
By Dr. Kouadio Raphaël Oura, winner of the call for blogs and articles in collaboration with NELGA. Editorial and content support provided by Marie Gagné
As Africans, we often have the impression that for the West, and even for some of us, communities on our continent engage in practices that lack respect for the environment. It's as if responsible practices of nature protection were the sole domain of Western values. These values dictate that human behaviour should conform to the objectives of sustainable development as defined by the United Nations.
However, the environmental history of our continent reveals the existence of significant customary values for the protection of biodiversity. These values, handed down from generation to generation, were present long before colonization and have continued since, even if they have evolved and sometimes weakened.
Indeed, customary prescriptions for the protection of nature foreshadowed the principles of sustainable development. They are based on respect for cultural norms rooted in local knowledge. This knowledge is conveyed and protected by traditional authorities who ensure respect for the social, economic, natural and spiritual environment. One of the key principles is to avoid wasteful consumption of resources, to ensure a balance between nature and society. This moderation in resource consumption leads to the protection of the environment, natural species and cultural values.
Sacred forests in Africa are an eloquent example of these values of biodiversity protection. Such forests can be found in countries as diverse as Senegal, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Cameroon and Ethiopia. For many African peoples, sacred forests have a broader dimension: they represent places of worship and communication with ancestors, spirits and deities, to ensure their benevolence or seek their advice through ceremonies, prayers and rituals. Respect for sacred forests is governed by prohibitions and taboos that regulate access to resources.
In many countries, sacred forests are the last remaining forest islands, as in Benin and Togo. Despite their small size, they play an important role in protecting flora and fauna, particularly endangered species, and in capturing carbon. In recent years, however, these community standards have been shaken up, jeopardizing the preservation of biodiversity. The legacy of colonization, certain post-colonial biodiversity conservation policies and the vulnerability of communities to climate change have led to a breakdown in natural protection standards, resulting in a change in practices. As a result, farmers are less and less respectful of prohibitions and engage in practices whose effects on the environment can be harmful.
For this issue of What to Read, I have reviewed four recent articles that examine this under-explored issue and the challenges posed by these new farming practices. Specific case studies from Guinea, Benin, the Ivory Coast and Cameroon clearly show that traditional knowledge linked to sacred forests could contribute to strengthening community capacities and good practices for safeguarding biodiversity on the African continent. These papers invite us to renew these ancestral practices. They remind us of the importance, as Africans, of returning to some of our fundamentals, putting our values at the heart of the current fight against biodiversity degradation and climate change on the continent. Such an approach requires an in-depth analysis of the spatial dynamics of sacred forests. These are natural heritages from which populations derive enormous benefits, and which deserve to be better known. This requires ethnobotanical knowledge of the plant species found in these sacred forests. If you're interested in research into biodiversity conservation through ancestral values as practiced in sacred forests, this digest is for you.
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Publications reviewed in this issue:
- Sacred forests in the Western Highlands Cameroon: What benefits for local population and nature?
- Diversity and ethnobotanical knowledge of plant species in the Badjamè sacred forest and related areas in south-west Benin
- Diachronic analysis, using Landsat images, of the spatial dynamics of the sacred forests of the Upper Niger Basin in the Republic of Guinea (1986-2017)
- Analysis of the occupation dynamics of coastal ecosystems in the Bouche du Roy community protected area in Benin
Sacred forests in the Western Highlands Cameroon: What benefits for local population and nature?
By Bertine Tiokeng, Merveille Lilie Ngougni, Tsobou Roger, Victor François Nguetsop, 2024
This contribution highlights the importance of traditional knowledge through the benefits of sacred forests for local populations.
The authors examine the various socio-cultural services of supply and regulation provided by the sacred forests of the Western Highlands of Cameroon. Indeed, the sacred forests of this region play a key role in conserving of biological diversity. They are part of daily life, as they are the site of secret meetings and various ritual ceremonies to make contact with the invisible world. They are home to gods who are venerated and respected by the entire village.
This original research reveals that sacred forests also provide the entire population with basic necessities. These include firewood and timber, medicinal and mystical plants, and foodstuffs such as fruit and mushrooms. In terms of regulation services, these forests are home to water sources that supply villages. They also regulate the climate by absorbing some of the CO2 generated by human activities.
The authors conclude, however, that these sacred forests, long protected by villagers, are under increasing threat. Threats in this part of Cameroon include the invasion of exotic plants, agricultural expansion and the erosion of traditional values. As a result, the surface area of sacred forests in the High Plateaux of western Cameroon is declining significantly, while new behaviours on the part of the local population are causing degradation.
This is why, in the current context of changing mentalities, the authors propose that the state of Cameroon join forces with traditional authorities to consolidate endogenous conservation strategies for better preservation of biodiversity.
Diversity and ethnobotanical knowledge of plant species in the Badjamè sacred forest and related areas in southwest Benin
By Hounto G., Tente B., Yabi F. and Yabi I., 2016
Sacred forests are renowned for their diversity in flora and fauna, but the exact species composition is not always established. Considering the context of heavy degradation, it is appropriate to conduct an inventory to appreciate threatened or endangered species. Hence the interest of this study, which provides information on the diversity of plant species in the Badjamè sacred forest in southern Benin. The knowledge generated by this original research on ecological and socio-economic aspects provides tools for decision-making and can support the design of a land development plan.
This research uses a methodological approach based on phytosociological inventories and ethnobotanical surveys to show that the sacred forest examined has a significantly higher index of floristic diversity than the surrounding savannahs, fields and fallows. The authors reveal that, out of a total of 89 plant species recorded in the study area, 25 are found in the fields and fallows, 32 in the savannahs and 44 in the sacred forest. These data illustrate that the Badjamè sacred forest is richer and more diverse in plant formations than the savannahs, which in turn are richer and more diverse than the fields and fallows.
The results of the analysis also demonstrate that the Badjamè sacred reserve is home to plant resources that are highly useful to local populations in medical, dietary, environmental and socio-cultural terms. Nevertheless, these populations continually exert strong pressure on the forest, leading to the degradation of this local heritage. In particular, the authors point to “current land pressure, intensified harvesting of certain species for medicinal purposes, and socio-cultural changes brought about by the strong establishment of monotheistic religions.”
The authors recommend the immediate implementation of measures to protect and safeguard the biological diversity of the Badjamè sacred forest. This could involve an analysis of the spatial evolution of these sacred forests.
Read the full publication(Publication only available in French)
Diachronic analysis, using Landsat images, of the spatial dynamics of the sacred forests of the Upper Niger Basin in the Republic of Guinea (period 1986-2017)
By Fodé Salifou Soumah, Kouami Kokou, Mohamed Diakité, Youssouf Camara, Sidiki Kourouma, Souleymane Kourouma, 2021
In recent years, the use of endogenous knowledge in developing innovative and specific responses to biodiversity conservation has gained prominence within certain international institutions. For example, the great attention paid to sacred forests prompted the French Development Agency (AFD) to fund a project for spatial observation of Central and West African forests (OSFACO) in 2017. This article, which highlights the current conservation challenges facing sacred forests, is part of this sub-regional project.
An analysis of the spatial dynamics of 20 sacred forests in the Upper Niger Basin in the Republic of Guinea over the period from 1986 to 2017 and of field surveys reveals that these areas are today heavily anthropized, despite their ancestral value. The authors found that, withregression rate the exception of one site, all the initial areas have regressed, from 2,581.10 ha in 1986 to 1,206.6 ha in 2017, an average loss of 57.5% in 31 years. This is equivalent to an average annual rate of regression of around 4%. According to the authors, this considerable reduction in surface area is mainly due to agricultural expansion (63%). They also cite population growth, the proximity of villages and the weakening of traditional management systems as other major sources of deforestation of these sacred heritages in Guinea.
In response to these concerns, the authors propose developing and implementing village land development schemes with a land-use plan (POS). Given the current threats to these sacred forests, they also recommend raising public awareness of the importance of preserving biodiversity.
Read the full publication(Publication only available in French)
Analysis of the occupation dynamics of coastal ecosystems in the Bouche du Roy community protected area in Benin
By Rose Kikpa Bio, Ismaël Mazo and Jérôme Dupras, 2023
Coastal areas, home to 60% of the world's population, include vital ecosystems such as mangroves, now threatened by anthropogenic and climatic pressures. Mangroves are a unique type of tropical forest. Mangrove trees can grow in muddy soils, often submerged by tides, and have aerial roots enabling them to breathe. These forests are rich in biodiversity, help capture CO2, filter water and protect coastlines from erosion.
This article examines the effects of the 2016 creation of la Bouche du Roy Community Area of Biodiversity Conservation (Aire Communautaire de Conservation de la Biodiversité - ACCB), covering 9,678 hectares and home to 17 villages. This vast expanse of mangroves supports the fishing activities of 9,814 inhabitants. The authors of the study collected data using satellite imagery, GPS surveys and field surveys, analyzing land-use dynamics over 20 years to understand how the ACCB has influenced the size of the mangrove.
The results of this innovative and highly informative research reveal that the area covered by mangroves between 2000 and 2010 fell by 32%, while fields and fallow land almost doubled over the same period, from 579.8 hectares to 1116.54 hectares. However, between 2010 and 2020 (after the creation of the ACCB), the trend was reversed: the area of mangroves increased by 29%, while that of field and fallow mosaics decreased by 7.92%.
The study also shows that the reduction in forest size is not irreversible. For the authors, gains in the mangrove surface area are mainly due to the creation of the ACCB, the participatory management approach adopted and the use of the spiritual beliefs of the surrounding populations. Approximately 503 hectares of ACCB mangroves have been sacralized. This biodiversity management system now helps to control human activities and constitutes a genuine strategy for conserving ecosystem zones. A report by the NGO Eco-Benin, which has developed this approach, explains that sacralization consists of demarcating spaces during a ritual ceremony to place them under the protection of existing deities. According to the NGO, local populations have respected the ban on logging, and no infractions have been recorded since the site was sacralized in 2015. In short, the new sacred forests draw their existence from the traditional values of the local populations, thus helping to preserve threatened ecosystems.
Read the full publication(Publication only available in French)
About 'What to Read'
What to Read is a periodic blog in which Land Portal researchers share their reading list and tell you why the selected pieces stand out in a sea of information. It is a reflection on some of the most important new articles and reports that aims to identify the most current points of discussion around land and related issues, distill key messages and points of debate, and offer you an entry point to learn more. Sign up to receive the What to Read digest.