Assessing community involvement in the design, implementation and monitoring of REDD+ projects: a case study of Mount Cameroon National Park - Cameroon.

The success of Reduced Emission from Deforestation and land Degradation, forest conservation, sustainable forest management and enhancement of carbon stocks (REDD+), depends on effective participation of local communities because ultimately they are the ones to implement REDD+ on the ground and are the potential benefactors of such policy. But few studies have examined community involvement in the design, implementation and monitoring of REDD+ projects. This study critically examines the level of community’s engagement in the Mount Cameroon National Park (MCNP) conservation project. Cluster multi-stage random sampling was used to collect data from 259 respondents from four geographical clusters with cultural and livelihood differences. Quantitative data were analysed using Chi-square, Mann-Whitney test, t-test, ANOVA and linear-regression models to understand the contribution of predictors on independent variables, while Kruskal-Wallis and Jonckheere-Terpstra tests compare results and establish trends between different clusters respectively. Qualitative data were coded and thematically analysed to show different perceptions between different levels of stakeholders. Results show that insecure tenure, ineffective and inappropriate communication between park managers and communities, inadequate benefit-sharing mechanism, and top-down government strategies have impeded community's engagement in the REDD+ projects within all clusters. Communities perceive REDD+ as having the potential to conserve forest, generate income and improve livelihoods. However, the present level of local engagement in the MCNP conservation project makes the attainment of these goals difficult. REDD+ should be based on effective participatory bottom-up approaches that empower and allow more decision-making powers to communities to achieve effectiveness and potential co-benefit expectations of REDD+. Assessing community’s engagement as the project progresses should be embedded within strategies to ensure sustainability in REDD+. This study provides practical insights into the effective co-management of MCNP-REDD+ projects and recommends adaptable management strategies that favour appropriate social-safeguard standards for sustainability of any REDD+ projects.