Preliminary Strategy Report for Land-use Planning in the Mayumba National Park and Community Based Natural Resource-use Zones

WCS Mayumba Project October 2006 DRAFT Incomplete -Not for distribution 1. Introduction and Baseline Data

This document is designed as a guide to the process of land-use planning in the Mayumba National Park (MNP) and its associated community based natural resource use zones (CBNRZ). While not in and of itself a management plan, it is the logical precursor to the development of such a plan. The objectives of the current document are as follows:

1. Provide a brief description of the geographical, political, biological, and socio- economic landscape of the project area. 2. Describe current status of zoning within the area and propose new zoning system. 3. List and describe the stakeholders in Mayumba Park conservation and resource-use zones. 4. Identify priority structures fro development and actions necessary to advance the land-use planning process. 5. List and describe current and perceived hurdles to land-use planning in the area. 6. Propose logical ‘next step’ for the development of a Management Plan for the Park and the CBNRZ.

1.1 Historical perspective

In August 2002, the President of the Gabonese Republic, OMAR BONGO ONDIMBA, made conservation history through the unique act of creating thirteen national parks. These parks together protect nearly eleven percent of the surface area of : a staggering 30,000 km 2 in a country itself of only 267,667km 2. The personal involvement of the President at all stages of the selection and creation of these parks is a reflection of his commitment to protecting the extraordinary richness and bio-diversity of the country. It also reflects his vision for a more dynamic and diverse economy for Gabon, in which the country’s great wealth of wildlife, forest, savanna and water contributes significantly to the wealth of the nation while remaining intact and largely undisturbed. Following the example of nations such as , , Costa Rica and Belize, it is hoped that eco-tourism will become a fruitful and sustainable harvest for Gabon, nourishing the development and growth of the nation in a manner that is at the same time both durable and environmentally sound.

The potential for genuine, durable, and economically self-sustaining conservation in Gabon is immense. Over eighty-five percent of the country remains forested, and these forests harbor the world’s most important populations of forest elephants, chimpanzees and gorillas. Gabon’s beaches host Africa’s most important nesting aggregation of highly threatened leatherback turtles, and its coastal waters witness the annual migration of around ten percent of the planet’s humpback whales. In addition to these and numerous other natural wonders, Gabon enjoys an unprecedented political stability in a region torn by civil war, uncertainty and economic turmoil. In contrast to many other African nations, the municipal and regional infrastructure of Gabon, though stretched, is adequate to provide a foundation upon which further development can be built. In such a light, the bold move by the President of the Republic to protect such a large area of the country can be seen as anything but political rhetoric or economic adventurism. In Gabon, sustainable and environmentally sensitive development has a genuine chance of success.

Gabon’s new network of national parks is largely terrestrial, with tropical forest constituting the greatest area under protection. In the north of the country, the Akanda National Park protects important estuarine habitat for migratory , and other parks (Pongara, Loango) have buffer zones that include some small areas of coastal sea. However, the only area dedicated wholly to the protection of the marine environment and marine species is Mayumba National Park. The Park was created by Presidential Decree, No. 614/PR/MEFEPEPN on the 30 August 2002, principally as a means of protecting what is generally acknowledged to be the most important nesting beach for leatherback turtles in Africa, and potentially the world. WCS, acting as principal partner to the government for Mayumba National Park began a long-term support project for the park in May 2004. This was the first such project of its kind in the Mayumba area.

1.2 Political considerations

Mayumba town and Park are situated within the Province of ‘Nyanga’, which has its main seat in the town of Tchibanga. The area is further sub-divided in two ‘Departments’ with their own local administration capacity; the Basse Banio and the Haute Banio. Each is characterized by having an independent Prefects Office and other administrative functions. The principal town of the Basse Banio is Mayumba, while in the Haute Banio, the administration is centered on the large village of Ndindi. Each of these villages has its own Mayors Office, and a Prefecture, however, Ndindi does not have a hospital or a wildlife and forests office. The political character of the area is strongly influenced by that of several government Ministers who have their origins and surviving family in the region. Political allegiances and political campaigning are therefore strong and influence many aspects of life. There are many small cultural or quasi-political groups set up around the towns or villages, that ally themselves to the government and very rarely, the opposition, via support for a particular Minister.

1.3 Geographical situation

The area is situated in the extreme South West of Gabon, close to the international border with Congo. To the West, the region is delimited by the Mayombe chain of forested hills, and to the east, by the Atlantic Ocean. Mayumba Town sits at the tip of a narrow tongue of sandy soil between the Ocean and the Banio Lagoon. This major waterway runs 70km from its mouth at Mayumba, in a roughly south-westerly direction and parallel to the coast, to the border village of Ndindi. The lagoon in Mayumba separates the town from the rest of mainland Gabon, and is reached only by a government run car ferry, giving the town the feel of an island, despite the fact that its peninsula is attached to the rest of Gabon 70km to the south-west.

1.4 Access

Mayumba Town is 700km by road from Libreville. Roughly 400km of the road is tarmaced, with the remainder being in a poor state of upkeep. Particularly in the south of the country, many sections of the road are frequently blocked by deep mud and standing water during the rainy season. The drive from the capitol takes approximately 15 hours and requires a solid 4x4 vehicle. As such, Mayumba is one of the more distant and isolated towns in Gabon. Ndindi is even more isolated, as there are no practical roads reaching it from the rest of the country. A dirt track from Mayumba that winds for part of its length through the Mayumba National Park is sometimes used, but the road is heavily eroded, and frequently flooded or blocked by fallen trees, and is only undertaken infrequently, and by very experienced drivers. Most people access Ndindi via an open boat service that takes roughly 5 hours on the Banio Lagoon from Mayumba and leaves every two days.

Air travel to Mayumba is currently provided via a twice weekly flight by La National Airways, although the service is occasionally cancelled. Over the past few years, air travel to Mayumba has been hit-and miss, with the departure of the Avirex service, and a period of nearly 6 months with no planes at all. In these circumstances, some passengers fly to the towns of Gamba or Tchibanga, and then finish their journeys by renting space in a regular pickup truck service. Access and travel issues have an important handicapping effect on the development of the region, and on tourism in particular. In 2005, a US/Gabon sponsored consultancy visited Mayumba and several other Park areas, to assess transport needs and access issues, but we have yet to receive the consultants report.

1.5 Human habitation

In the Mayumba Landscape segment, most people live either in Mayumba Town, or in isolated villages on the banks of the Banio Lagoon. Figure 1 shows the location of all towns and villages in the area, and transport infrastructure such as roads and airports. There are 13 permanent villages on the banks of the Banio Lagoon, not including Mayumba. Of these, only Ndindi has road access, by this is only from Congo. Only 3 of these villages are situated on the MNP side of the lagoon, however, THERE IS NO HUMAN HABITATION WITHIN THE PARK, and no persons or infrastructure were removed from the Park following its creation. Numerous small villages also line the main road from Mayumba north-west to Tchibanga, although these do not fall within the community zones currently being considered by the project.

Most of the population in the region lives in simple wooden framed and slatted houses with corrugated iron roofs. Most lack central plumbing but rely instead on communal or home-made wells. In Mayumba, and Ndindi, electricity is available through the state operated power generating company. In several smaller villages, privately owned small generators provide light and television, while in many small fishing camps and hamlets, there is no power, and lighting is provided by hurricane lamps.

Figure 1. Map of villages and main roads in the Mayumba Landscape segment

Mayumba Town and Airport

Banio Lagoon

NDINDI

Roads Mayumba National Park Boundary Buffer Zone of MNP

Principal villages

In addition to permanent villages, the Banio Lagoon is dotted with temporary fishing camps where families or small groups of fishers spend several months or longer at a time fishing. These camps are usually rudimentary in nature and generally number no more than one or two simple timber huts. In some instances, the decision to inhabit a fishing camp rather than a village is linked to the availability of fish, but it can also be influenced by socio-religious beliefs. Witchcraft is a strongly held belief in the region, and form time to time, local people may desert a village or camp fearing that some form of curse has been put on a place or its inhabitants. Several old village sites can be seen on the Banio Lagoon that have been empty now for several years as a result of this problem, which can have serious consequences for the population.

Figure 2. Location of small fishing camps on the Banio Lagoon

1.6 Demographic and socio-economic information

The following charts show certain demographic parameters for Mayumba town, Ndindi, and data collected from other rural villages. Data were collected during two socio-economic surveys conducted by the Darwin Initiative and WCS project staff in 2005. A standard questionnaire was used to gain information, and only heads of households and their wives were questioned. This was to simplify the nature of our preliminary data, and in acknowledgement of the current social importance of heads of households, especially when answering questions regarding to the wealth or status of the family.

Figure 3 and 4 give a breakdown of the ethnicity of citizens of Mayumba town and Ndindi, indicating for Mayumba a roughly equal three-way split between the two local tribes, the Vili and the Loumbou, with another equal third belonging to the Puno group. The non-Gabonese sector mostly comprises Beninese Fishermen and west African shopkeepers. In Ndindi, by contrast, the relatively increased isolation of the village results in a more heterogeneous ethnicity, with almost 70% of the population of Vili origin.

Figure 3

Ethnicity of Mayumba Town Dziebi Non Gabonese – Echira 10% Loumbou – 24% Fang Kota Lumbou Massango Mitsogo Obamba Vili – 30% Punu Punu – 30% Puvi Vilie N= 341 Etrangez

A similar picture is found in the rural villages, with Vili being the predominant ethnicity (Figure 5). Figure 4

Ethnicity of Ndindi Town Dziebi Non Gabonese – Loumbou – 10% Echira 16% Fang Kota Lumbou Massango Mitsogo Obamba Punu Puvi Vili – 68% Vilie N= 91 Etrangez

Figure 5

Ethnicity in Villages in Periphery of Banio Lagoon and Mayumba

Non-Gabonese – 12% Loumbou – 18%

Vili – 64% N= 73

Dziebi Echira Fang Kota Lumbou Massango Mitsogo Obamba Punu Puvi Vilie Etrangez

Figure 6 shows the responses of householders to questions regarding their religious beliefs. However it is possible that the responses reflect a reluctance to talk about the subject, or a latent belief that ‘Catholic’ is the ‘correct’ response to a question of this nature. In Ndindi, the charismatic Christian church was the largest group, whereas in Mayumba and the rural villages, Catholicism was by far the largest group. Personal experience leads us to suspect that the animist and Bwiti beliefs and are a great deal more prevalent than shown, but are not openly discussed, especially not during a formal interview of this nature.

Figure 6

Religeous Persuasion: Percentage of sample

80 70 Animist 60 N=341 N= 91 Bwiti 50 Catholic 40 Charismatic 30 N= 73 Moslem 20 Protestant 10 Declined 0 Mayumba Ndindi Villages

Figure 7 shows a breakdown of the nationality of the population in Mayumba, Ndindi, and the villages. In all cases, over four-fifths of people are Gabonese, with a moderate number of Beninese in Mayumba, and, being a border village, a number of Congolese in Ndindi.

Figure 7 Nationality of population sampled

Mayumba Ndindi Villages Country of Origin # % # % # % 26 7.62 0.00 0.00 Cameroun 2 0.59 0.00 0.00 Congo Brazzaville 5 1.47 10 10.99 5 6.85 Congo RDC 2 0.59 3 3.30 3 4.11 Gabon 301 88.27 76 83.52 64 87.67 1 0.29 0.00 0.00 1 0.29 0.00 0.00 1 0.29 2 2.20 1 1.37 2 0.59 0.00 0.00 Total 341 100 91 100 73 100

Nationality issues are not a high priority for the population or the Landscape segment. Being close to the border, the population mix very freely with the Congolese, and many Gabonese have married Congolese. Certain resentments can arise however. For example, during anti-poaching information gathering missions, Gabonese residents of the Ndindi area complained about the high prevalence of Congolese hunters In their area. Another potential problem area is artesanal fisheries. There are occasional complaints regarding the monopoly of sea fishing in Mayumba by the Beninese community. However this is largely due to the fact that few Gabonese have any interest in sea fishing rather than having been forced out by the competition. In the lagoon village of Nkoka, several Senegalese fishers have set up homes and businesses despite a law stating that inland waters are the unique preserve of Gabonese fishers. This situation has been permitted due to the support enjoyed by the fishers from locally government minister.

Figure 8 shows the responses of the interviewed sample to questions regarding their employment. Responses are given for Mayumba, Ndindi, and the rural villages. Of significant interest are the high numbers of unemployed persons in Mayumba and Ndindi (over 50%), while levels were lower in the rural villages. This is probably an accurate reflection of the real situation, but may also be influenced by a different perception of how ‘unemployment’ is defined. In the villages, many more persons probably considered their activities in plantation working and occasional fishing to constitute ‘work’, while it is possible that in Mayumba and Ndindi, the concept of being out of work was better recognized. Fishing accounted for over half of all employment in the villages, while in Mayumba it was 11%, and in Ndindi, 2%. Fishing in the latter two sites is probably less as most persons wishing to fish choose to work from fishing camps away from denser habitation, where there are likely to be more fish. Of particular note in the table is the lack of employment linked to large, stable companies. There is no mention of employment with logging companies, oil production, or secretarial work. With few exceptions, most of the jobs given by the respondents were essentially ‘self-employed’. This is very much the case in the Mayumba region, where there are no large companies remaining and little chance for stable employment.

Another significant finding of the socio-economic survey pertained to food choice and acquisition. Figure 9 shows the number of plates of each of a selected number of food groups consumed by the respondents over the 9 days previous to the interview, and the percentages they represent. Of no surprise is the finding that sea fish form over 60% of the diet of Mayumba residents, while in the villages and Ndindi, an even greater reliance on fish is transferred to freshwater fish. These high rates of fish consumption are of particular importance when considering community-use zones and priority actions for sustainable resource management. Levels of bushmeat consumption are relatively low, probably as a result of the relative ease with which fish can be obtained (note however that the data do not include mention of bushmeat hunted for commercial sale). Almost no domestic meat is eaten in the villages or in Ndindi. This observation may be of interest if the project should consider the launching of alternative protein farming. Figure 10 indicates how such foodstuffs as were consumed were acquired, i.e. by hunting or fishing in person, as a gift, or by purchasing them from a seller. The most striking observation from these data is the reversal of tendencies between Mayumba and the villages. 80% of food (fish) is caught by the consumer in the villages, while in Mayumba and Ndindi, almost 80% of all food is purchased. This observation underlines the importance of artesanal fishing to rural communities in the Landscape segment, but also begs the question, with such high levels of unemployment in Mayumba, how does the population pay for foods purchased? Further data collection will be necessary to understand this, however, the take-home message from the preliminary socio-economic study seems clear. Sea and freshwater fishing are of vital importance to town and rural communities alike, whether it be to provide fish for sale or for subsistence.

Figure 8 . Details of employment for heads of households in Mayumba, Ndindi, and rural villages

Activite Type Mayumba Centre N= 341 Ndindi Centre N = 91 Rural N = 73 Number of Percentage of Number of Percentage Number of Percentage of persons sample persons of sample persons sample Agriculture 2 0.6 0.0 0.0 Artisan 3 0.9 0.0 0.0 Inconnu 2 0.6 0.0 0.0 Bar man 16 4.7 7 7.7 2 2.7 Baker 2 0.6 3 3.3 1 1.4 Neighborhood Chief 2 0.6 0.0 0.0 Shop-keeper/Trader 7 2.1 3 3.3 0.0 Tailor 2 0.6 1 1.1 0.0 Cook 1 0.3 0.0 0.0 Technician 2 0.6 0.0 0.0 Civil Servant 1 0.3 0.0 0.0 Security person 4 1.2 0.0 0.0 Hotel worker 1 0.3 0.0 0.0 Furniture maker 15 4.4 2 2.2 1 1.4 Gardener 1 0.3 0.0 0.0 Housekeeper 4 1.2 0.0 0.0 Plumber/carpenter/electricain 15 4.4 2 2.2 0.0 Unemployed 171 50.1 61 67.0 24 32.4 Other 8 2.3 1 1.1 0.0 Fisher 38 11.1 2 2.2 41 55.4 Restaurant worker 1 0.3 0.0 0.0 Taxi driver 2 0.6 0.0 0.0 traditional healer 4 1.2 0.0 0.0 Food stall holder 37 10.9 8 8.8 1 1.4 Various employment 0 0.0 1 1.1 4 5.4

Total 341 100 91 100 74 100 Figure 9. Foodstuffs consumed over 9 consecutive days

Food Type Number of times consumed in the household during a 9 day period Mayumba # Mayumba % Ndindi # Ndindi % Villages # Villages % Freshwater fish 372 13.32 581 85.82 563 81.01 Sea fish 1690 60.53 33 4.87 96 13.81 Bushmeat 344 12.32 44 6.50 28 4.03 Farmed meat 60 2.15 8 1.18 0.00 Poultry 326 11.68 11 1.62 8 1.15 Total 2792 100 677 100 695 100 N 341 91 73

Figure 10. Food acquisition methods

Method of Acquisition of Food Number of times consumed in the household during a 9 day period Mayumba # Mayumba % Ndindi # Ndindi % Villages # Villages % Purchased 2256 79.16 528 77.99 63 9.05 Hunted by consumer 126 4.42 18 2.66 14 2.01 Gift 167 5.86 57 8.42 57 8.19 Fished by consumer 301 10.56 74 10.93 562 80.75 Total 2850 100 677 100 696 100 N 341 91 164

1.7 Physical characteristics

1.7.1 Preliminary meteorological, sea temperature and sea salinity investigations

To record the daily and seasonal variations in weather, a standard slatted weather station was erected at the head office of the Mayumba National Park in Mayumba. The minimum and maximum temperature and humidity data was recorded using a thermo-hygrometer housed in the weather station, while rainfall was measured using a simple plastic rain gauge.

The sea temperature and salinity data were recorded using a handheld YSI (Model 63) pH, Conductivity, Salinity and Temperature probe. Seawater sampling was done between 7 and 8am from the surf zone at a depth of c. 1.5 m.

Temperature

A typical cyclical pattern is evident in both the minimum and maximum temperature data (Figure 11). The coolest period occurs from July to August with the minimum temperature ranging between 20 and 22 oC, and the maximum temperature between 25 and 28 oC. The coldest temperature recorded during this period was 17.1 oC recorded in July 2005.

Warmest temperatures were recorded between February and April with average maximum temperatures in excess of 31 oC. The maximum temperature recorded during this period was 39.9 oC (during April 2006). The minimum temperature varies around 25 oC with a maximum recorded temperature of 30.2 oC (February 2006).

Figure 11 Average monthly minimum and maximum temperatures recorded at the Mayumba weather station. The error bars are 95 % confidence intervals.

34 32 T-min 30 T-Max C) o 28 26 24

Temperature ( Temperature 22 20 18 .Apr .Apr 05 .Oct 05 .Apr .Apr 06 .Oct 06 .Jun 05 .Jun .Jun 06 .Jun .Feb 06 .Feb .Aug 05 .Aug 05 .Dec .Aug 06 .Aug Month

Humidity

The maximum humidity shows little variability throughout the year, and averages > 95 % (Figure. 12). The minimum humidity levels display a pattern that appears to interact with the temperature data. Following the cold period humidity rises with the rise in temperature after August. This peak is short lived as the humidity quickly drops before the start of the main hot period. Following this the humidity remains more or less constant until the start of the subsequent year’s hot period. The minimum humidity ranged between 47 (July 2006) and 95 % (November 2005), with an average of 69.1 %.

Figure 12 Average monthly minimum and maximum humidity recorded at the Mayumba weather station. The error bars are the 95 % confidence intervals.

100 95 90 85 80 75 70 65 60 H - min Humidity (% Humidity saturation) 55 H - max 50 .Apr .Apr 05 .Oct 05 .Apr .Apr 06 .Oct 06 .Jun 05 .Jun .Jun 06 .Jun .Feb 06 .Feb .Aug 05 .Aug 05 .Dec .Aug 06 .Aug Month

Rainfall

The wettest month recorded was October 2005. In the months immediately afterwards, rainfall drops somewhat, though it is difficult to identify if this is a short dry season as observed elsewhere in Gabon. Rainfall increases again during the hot months of February and March, but in both years, April sees the start of a long and sustained dry season which lasts till September. The heaviest rain recorded in 24 hrs produced 142 mm between the 25 and 26 of February.

Figure 13 Total monthly rainfall recorded at the Mayumba weather station between January 2005 and September 2006 (Data for February 2005 we not collected).

600

500

400

300

200

100

0

6 05 05 05 06 06 06 ul Jul ov 05 ar 0 J Jan 05 Mar 05 May Sep N Jan M May Sep 06

Sea temperature and Salinity

Average monthly seawater temperature ranged between 19.7 and 25.6 oC, with the temperature increasing steadily from July (mean: 20.9 ± 0.5 oC) through to October (mean: 27.6 ± 0.2 oC) (Figure 14). The highest daily seawater temperature recorded was 30 oC in October 2005, and the lowest was 17 oC in July 2005. Salinity displayed the opposite trend, decreasing from July (mean: 35.7 ± 0.2 psu) through to October (mean: 32.3 ± 0.4 psu). Average monthly salinity means during the study period ranged from 32.2 to 35.9 psu.

The negative relationship observed between salinity and temperature was significant (p < 0.001, R 2 = 0.79, r = - 0.89), although not causative (Figure 15). This reflects the dynamics of the oceanographic environment in this region. The cold water that is present during the dry seasons comes from upwelling regions to the south of Gabon. This water is usually dense and characterized by reduced temperatures and elevated salinity concentrations. The warm water would likely originate from the surface waters in the Gulf of region, and would thus be warmer and have lower salinities due to the numerous large rivers that flow into the sea.

Figure 14 Average monthly sea temperature and salinity recorded in the coastal waters off the town of Mayumba. The error bars indicate the 95 % confidence intervals.

38 Temperature ( oC) 36 Salinity (PSU) 34 32 30 28 26 24 22 20 18 .May 06 .Jun 06 .Jul 06 .Aug 06 .Sep 06 .Oct 06 Month

Figure 15 Results of a regression analysis preformed on sea salinity and temperature data. The R 2 and r values are provided on the graph.

36.5 36.0 R 2 = 0.7887; r = -0.8881 35.5 35.0 34.5 34.0 Salinity 33.5 33.0 32.5 32.0 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 Sea temperature

1.7.2 Wildlife

Birds

Mayumba has not yet been the focus of a concentrated program of study by qualified ornithologists. As such, the species list for the area is still rather limited. The list of species seen in and around the park during opportunistic observations by project staff includes the following:

Common Name Latin Village Weaver Ploceus cucullatus collaris Black-necked Weaver Ploceus nigricollis Didric Chrysococcyx caprius Speckled Mousebird Colius striatus Common Bulbul Pycnonotus barbatus tricolor Rosy Bee-eater Merops malimbicus Pied Crow Corvus albus Swamp boubou Laniarius bicolor Pied Kingfisher Ceryle rudis African Green Pigeon Treron calva Common Tern Sterna hirundo Orange-cheeked Waxbill Estrilda melpoda Blue-breasted Bee-eater Merops variegatus Black-bellied Seedcracker Pyrenestes ostrinus Woolly-necked Stork Ciconia episcopus Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis Water Thick-knee Burhinus vermiculatus Little Swift Apus affinis Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos Olive-bellied Nectarinia chloropygia Malachite Kingfisher Corythornis cristata Lesser Grey Shrike Lanius minor Greater Spotted Cuckoo Clamator glandarius Black-headed Heron Ardea melanocephala Hadada Ibis Bostrychia hagedash Osprey Pandion haliaetus Grey pratincole Glareola cinerea African Wattled Lapwing Vanellus senegallus Kittlitz's Plover Charandrius pecuarius Saddle-billed stork Ephippiorynchus senegalensis Emerald spotted wood dove Turtur chalcospilos Hautlaub’s duck Pteronetta hartlaubii Hamerkop Scopus umbretta Black-shouldered kite Elanus caeruleus African spoonbill Platalea alba White headed lapwing Vanellus albiceps Royal tern Sterna maxima Hoopoe Upupa epops European Roller (or prob juv Coracias garrulus abyssinian) European turtle dove Streptopelia turtur Palm-Nut Vulture Gypohierax angolensis Black-Headed Bee-Eater Merops muelleri Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus Black tailed Godwit Limosa limosa African skimmer Rhynchops flavirostris Wilsons storm petrel Oceanites oceanicus Cape Ganet Sula capensis Tawny-flanked prinia prinia subflava Copper sunbird cuprea Lesser striped swallow Hirundo abyssinicaunitatis Square-tailed rough winged swallow Barn swallow Hirundo rustica Senegal Centropus senegalensis African palm swift Cypsiurus parvus Pectoral patch cisticola Cistiola brunnescens Woodland / Senegal kingfisher Halcyon senegalensis African thrush Tardus pelios Yellow billed / Intermediate egret Egretta intermedia Sanderling Calidris alba Arctic tern Sterna paradisaea African pygmy kingfisher Ceyx picta African grey parrot Psittacus erithacus Giant kingfisher Megaceryle maxima Green fruit pigeon Treron calva African pied hornbill Tockus fasciatus Piping hornbill Ceratogymna fistulator African jacana Actophilornis africana African darter Anhinga rufa Blue-breasted kingfisher Halcyon malimbica Ruddy turnstone Arenaria interpres Red-eyed dove Streptopelia semitorquata Carmelite sunbird Chalcomitra fuliginosa Reichenbach's sunbird Anabathmis reichenbachii Red-throated cliff swallow Hirundo rufigula Yellow-throated tinkerbird Pogoniulus subsulphureus flavimentum Common waxbill Estrilda astrild rubriventris Common bulbul Pycnonotus barbatus inornatus Blue-spotted wood dove Turtur afer Long-legged pipit Anthus pallidiventris Northern grey-headed sparrow Passer griseus Swamp palm bulbul Thescelocichla leucopleura Rufous-tailed palm thrush Cichladusa ruficauda Gabon coucal Centropus anselli Violet-tailed sunbird Anthreptes aurantium Tambourine dove Turtur brehmeri Gabon woodpecker Dendropicos gabonensis Brown sunbird Anthreptes gabonicus Red-headed malimbe Malimbus rubricollis Pin-tailed whydah Vidua macroura

Despite the brevity of this list, Mayumba’s mosaic of lagoon, swamp, savanna, dune, beach, and open sea, and its location on a migration route are likely to offer some surprises to the ornithologist, and may develop into a potential site for visiting bird enthusiasts. Observations of note so far have included the Greater Spotted Cuckoo (Clamator glandarius ) – a species only spotted twice before in Gabon, the rare African wattled lapwing ( Vanellus senegallus ), and the European turtle dove (Streptopelia turtur ) – a new record for Gabon .

In terms of land-use planning and zoning, two areas are of particular interest. One is the lagoon mouth at Mayumba, where a great many sea birds rest and feed during their annual migration. This are is sometimes used by sport fishermen, and it may be necessary to draw up a code of conduct to avoid unnecessary disturbance to flocks of migrants, should the activity develop in the future. Another site in need of particular protection is the nesting ground for Rosy bee-eaters ( Merops malimbicus ), which nests in open savanna habitats in small sandy burrows. These concentrated nesting sites are susceptible to human disturbance and from mechanical damage from vehicle traffic.

Reptiles

(Notes from Olivier Pauwels, Smithsonian Institution) No dedicated herpetological survey was yet been led in Mayumba National Park. Only three casual reptile records were so far published from Mayumba N.P., all three of sea turtles: the Green turtle Chelonia mydas , the Olive Ridley Lepidochelys olivacea , and the Leatherback Turtle Dermochelys coriacea . However, due to its geographical location and the biotopes represented, from beach, mangroves and bunchgrass prairie to lowland swamp forest, one can expect the parks' reptile and amphibian faunas to be very close to those of Loango N.P. Some freshwater turtles, i.e., Mud terrapins (in particular Pelusios castaneus and Pelusios gabonensis ) and Softshells ( Cycloderma aubryi and Trionyx triunguis ), are known from Banio Lagoon and thus certainly occur within the park. Their effective occurrence within the park should be verified, since these species are overhunted in the country, especially the Softshells. The Eroded Forest Turtle Kinixys erosa was recorded from localities bordering the park, and certainly occurs within its borders. The total number of reptile species which could be expected from the park is around 40. Some interesting skinks and geckos with a regional distribution that were found in Loango N.P. should be included. most probably include the Seba Python, Python sebae , ubiquitous in Gabon. Venomous snakes most probably include the Black and yellow cobra Naja melanoleuca and the Rhinoceros viper Bitis nasicornis . The amphibian fauna could include as much as 30 species, maybe even more. It most probably includes Perret's Burrowing Hemisus perreti , endemic to the Gamba-Conkouati landscape. Surveys through active search and pitfall trapping during the rainy season, when most of these species show peaks of activity and reproduction, should soon reveal this herpetofaunal community. This inventory would certainly stress the interest of the terrestrial part of this essentially marine national park, and thus help diversify its ecotouristic potential.

(Notes from Eaton M.J. 2006, in prep ‘ Preliminary Assessment of Crocodile Populations in Mayumba National Park, Banio Lagoon and Associated Rivers’) Dwarf crocodiles ( Osteolaemus tetraspis tetraspis ) have been found in all habitat types but in moderate to low abundances. Dwarf crocodiles are routinely, but opportunistically, hunted in the Banio Lagoon, surrounding rivers and possibly even within Mayumba NP boundaries. Residing in inhospitable swamp and flooded forest appears to afford dwarf crocodiles some degree of protection, allowing the species to maintain modest population sizes even in the face of significant human pressures. Slender-snouted crocodiles ( Crocodylus cataphractus ) exist in very low numbers in the lower reaches of rivers feeding into the Banio Lagoon. According to villagers, healthy populations of this species are found further from the National Park, in the upper sections of rivers where access to humans is restricted by blocked waterways. Slender-snouted crocodiles occasionally venture downstream and even into the lagoon, but likely experience high mortality due to the large number of fishing nets found in these areas. Only one slender-snouted crocodile was captured and measured during a preliminary study, a juvenile found at the mouth of the Mbokou-Wara River. Nile crocodiles ( C. niloticus ) appear to have been extirpated from the Banio Lagoon, the lower sections of lagoon rivers and in the small coastal lagoons found in the National Park. According to village elders, Nile crocodiles were once very abundant in the Banio Lagoon but were hunted out for the skin trade in the late 1960’s or early 1970’s. Recommendations from the preliminary study include more extensive surveys in upstream sections of Banio Lagoon rivers to verify the presence and status of Nile and slender-snouted crocodiles. Harvest monitoring is also recommended in villages around the Banio Lagoon to determine the volume of commercial bushmeat trading, especially on the Congolese border, which could have negative implications for dwarf crocodiles and other wildlife populations.

Mammals The following 33 mammal species have so far been observed in the Mayumba National Park or its peripheral zones.

English Common Scientific Spot nosed guenon Cercopithicus nictitans Moustached guenon Cercopithecus cephus Crowned guenon Cercopithecus pogonias Grey cheeked mangabey Lophocebus albigena Red-capped mangabey Cercocebus torquatus Western lowland gorilla Gorilla gorilla gorilla Chimpanzee Pan troglodytes Mandrill Mandrillus sphinx Demidoff's galago Galagoides demidoff Forest Buffalo Sincerus caffer nanus Hippopotamus Hippopotamus amphibius Marsh mongoose Atilax paludinosus Giant pangolin Manis gigantea West African Manatee Trichechus senegalensis Brush-tailed porqupine Atherurus africanus Pygmy squirrel Myosciurus pumilio Can rat Thryonomys sp. Side striped jackal Canis adustus Leopard Panthera pardus Golden cat Profelis aurata Spotted-necked otter Lutra maculicollis Civet Civettictis civetta Palm civet Nandinia binotata Tree hyrax Dendrohyrax dorsalis Elephant Loxodonta africana Red river hog Potamochoerus porcus Water chevrotain Hyemoschus aquaticus Sitatunga Tragelaphus spekei Bay duiker Cephalophus dorsalis Gabon duiker Cephalophus leucogaster Black-fronted duiker Cephalophus nigrifrons Yellowbacked duiker Cephalophus sylvicultor Blue duiker Cephalophus monticola Humpback whale Megaptera novaeangliae Sperm whale Physeter catadon Atlantic humpbacked dolphin Sousa teuszii Bottlenosed dolphin Tursiops truncatus Common dolphin Delphinus capensis

Terrestrial mammals are under similar threats from legal and illegal bushmeat hunting in the Mayumba segment. Of particular concern is the hunting of forest buffalo with in appropriate weapons, and the number of wire snares that pose a frequent hazard for buffalo. Many have been observed with snares cutting into their legs. This can be fatal for the buffalo, and renders the extremely dangerous to visitors, local people, and ecoguards alike. Snares are systematically removed from all areas. While a degree of respect has now been accorded to the park itself, the project has found considerable pressure on wildlife being exerted in the buffer zone and its periphery. Greater sensitization of the population and more patrols will therefore be necessary.

A preliminary study on manatees in the Landscape has been undertaken and we await the final report from this work. However, it appears that despite manatees being a rare sight on the Banio lagoon, they are still present in low to moderate numbers in the small rivers flowing into the lagoon. Land use issues surrounding this species are likely to center around fishing practices, such as the netting of small rivers, and access to upper reaches of rivers. We have received reports of manatee populations thriving above blocked rivers, where human presence is virtually nil due to access being blocked. The project aims to send an evaluation mission into these areas as soon as funds allow, to assess the situation. Considerable care would be required in any project to make these rivers accessible, for instance as a visitor experience, as providing access to tourists could also potentially open the floodgates to hunters previously deterred by fallen trees and swamps.

2. Identification of land-use zones and issues within the Landscape segment

2.1 Mayumba National Park 2.1.1 Interface with local communities

This is perhaps the most straightforward of the zones in terms of land-use management as the regulations for their use have been laid down in law, first by the decree creating the parks in 2002, and subsequently in the new parks decree currently being signed into law. The Park consists of a terrestrial sector beginning 19km south west of Mayumba airport, on the beach. A line stretches back perpendicular to the coast for 1km, and then runs parallel to the coast, south westward for 60km to the Congo border. It then rejoins the beach, creating a terrestrial zone of 60km 2. The Marine sector of the park extends for 15km into the Atlantic Ocean, perpendicular to the coast forming a block of some 900km 2. Surrounding the park is a buffer zone of 5km.

There are no human habitations within the Mayumba National Park, greatly reducing potential conflicts with local residents. However, 9 small lagoon-edge villages are located within the buffer zone, as are several more fishing camps. Such conflicts as have arisen have not centered on the presence of the villages in the buffer zone. Given the newness of the protected area, most sensitization so far has centered on the main body of the park rather than the buffer zone. Villagers have complained that they are now no longer able to collect turtle eggs on the beach opposite their village, however, the park has welcomed the presence of villagers to collect artificial marine debris, such as fishing floats and empty water bottles, which mar the landscape and are of considerable use in the villages. The park has also given its consent to grant access to traditional burial grounds, although to date, no such areas have been identified to the park authority by villagers. Claims have been made, however, on specific palm trees apparently planted by villagers on the park side of the lagoon prior to the establishment of the park. This has been discussed with the individuals involved. It has been suggested that the park ‘purchase’ these trees to compensate for the loss of income. Fortunately there is only one area in which the trees actually fall within the Park, and we feel an amicable solution can be reached.

Figure 16 Location of Mayumba National Park boundary, buffer zone and roads

Mayumba town

Park edge villages

Ndindi

Marine sector

Buffer zone

Terrestrial sector sector Conkouati-Douli National Park

Another villager activity within the park is the collection of the roots of the hallucinogenic plant Iboga tabernanthe which is used in initiation ceremonies and other rites in the Bwiti tradition. Once a village level activity, this harvest is now commercial, and sacks of iboga are now shipped north to towns and cities elsewhere in the country. The result of this level of exploitation is a major impact on the vegetation within the park. Iboga harvesting camps frequently engage in illegal hunting while in the field, and are actively discouraged from the park. At the start of the project, a camp was established within the park to produce sea salt for sale. The enterprise was in contravention of the park laws, however, and the salt manufacturers soon left the area, especially after wire snares and bushmeat were discovered in their camp.

Two small sea fishing camps were located in the centre of the park’s coastline near Bame, and gave rise to some discussion over a potential purchase of the holdings from their owners. This year, nature intervened, and some extremely high tides and aggressive erosion swallowed the entire site of the two camps into the sea.

2.1.2 Interface with oil industry

Of greater concern to zoning issues within the park than villager access is the presence of oil companies. At the time of the creation of the park, the oil company ‘Perenco’ was already producing oil from offshore platforms previously owned by Shell and Elf (Figure 17). Discussions were held within WCS and the Park to consider the most appropriate response to the presence of the oil company. The suggestion was made that a small area around each platform be de-gazetted from the park. It was felt by some that the continued presence of the company within the park limits might set a dangerous precedent that oil production could take place within a park. Others argued that by keeping oil infrastructure and operations within the park, greater influence and dialogue could be maintained with the oil companies to harmonize approaches and seek to minimize threats together.

Unfortunately, this discussion has now become a mute point, as the government of Gabon has roundly chosen in favor of permitting oil exploration and production within the limits of its national parks and has inserted a clause in the new parks law to make provision for this. We await the details of the law to see if this will transpire to be a blanket authorization, or whether companies will have to go through a stringent series of checks and conditions before being granted permission. This development puts ‘Oil Exploration’ and ‘Oil Production’ zones firmly on the national park map, with concomitant consequences for other zoning activities (i.e., zoning for tourism). Figure 17 shows the current position of oil platforms and older infrastructure in the park and its periphery. Also shown is the expected route of a terrestrial oil transport pipeline planned by French oil company Maurel et Prom, which will cut across the park and link via a sub-sea pipe to the Perenco network offshore. Unfortunately, the planned route for this pipeline takes it directly though what was last year the most densely nested area of turtle beach in the country, and thus, probably, the continent. The action of Maurel et Prom in seeking to pipe oil across a national park is undoubtedly the first of many more issues that threaten to erode the planned sanctity of the area. Whenever instant financial gain is balanced against a long-term investment, it is likely that the protected area will have to readjust to a new ‘zoning’ reality and add new layers of land-use to its GIS database. Of course, the national economy is of vital concern to the project, underpinning as it does, the overall welfare of the population that the park aims to benefit through its presence. The project must now seek ways in which to limit the impact of oil and other extractive industry projects within its borders through careful zoning and monitoring, while at the same time attempting to turn a potentially negative situation into a positive one through working agreements with the companies themselves.

The other major oil company within the parks boundaries, as mentioned, is Perenco, who maintain a large number of platforms within the protected area. It has been difficult to establish a good working relationship with Perenco, who have seemed reticent about attending meetings or taking park requests seriously. However, with a new team in place, Perenco now appear more open to a dialogue with the park, and recent meetings are paving the way towards a collaboration on fisheries and oil pollution surveillance, and towards a more proactive relationship with regular meetings and communication between staff on the platforms and park management. Good relations are also being developed with another neighboring company, Vaalco, who exploit a field outside of the protected area, but may be open to collaborating with the project on the same themes of threats surveillance, recording of marine wildlife and general support.

Figure 17 Actual and proposed oil production infrastructure in and around Mayumba National Park

Perenco storage tanker

Perenco platforms

Vaalco platforms and storage tanker

Maurel et Prom proposed pipeline

Despite the potential benefits of collaboration with oil companies, there remains the menace of marine and coastal pollution from oil production and transport. Mayumba’s coastline is still polluted on a regular basis by crude oil washing ashore. While so far we have been fortunate in that quantities have not been catastrophic, and the arrival of the oil has not coincided with the main turtle season. This threat still hangs over the park and its periphery. The project now has an efficient surveillance team, and is actively promoting a Landscape level approach to pollution detection, monitoring and reporting, but is still in the process of building a vulnerability map for the area. This has been hampered by a lack of detailed information on coastal currents and the exact position and nature of certain oil production infrastructure. We are currently working with oil companies in the landscape to complete this project.

2.1.3 Zoning for tourism The National Parks decree states that no activities other than research, and tourism (and now oil production) can be practiced in the park. The project is therefore aware of the potential for tourism development to have a beneficial effect on the protected area, but also a deleterious one. Adequate land-use planning is therefore critical. Mayumba National Park is unique in having an extremely small terrestrial protected area and must thus be particularly careful about the type and placement of any infrastructure within its limits, whether it be ecoguard camps, or tourism lodges. In appropriate or poorly conceived projects may mar the physical beauty and wild nature of the coastline, or cause physical damage to the environment through disturbance, pollution or the destruction of plant or animal life.

Our experience with ecotourism market leaders ‘Wilderness Safaris’ has led us to believe that there is probably insufficient animal life present all year-round within the park to warrant or justify the construction of a full-time tourist lodge within the park limits. The main animal attractions within the park are by nature seasonal, with humpback whales present July to October (and access by boat outside of the park), and turtles nesting November to April (highest densities within the park). Hence an ideal scenario for development within the park would include a seasonal camp for turtle visitor, set up near the epicenter for nesting, but far enough back from the beach so as to avoid impact on the physical profile of the coastline or the nesting beach. Such a camp would ideally be dismantled at the end of the turtle season, thus allowing the site to recover during the intervening months. Access to the site would be via boat and car/quad, and visitors would be accompanied by guides throughout the experience.

A walking circuit is currently under development within the park that takes visitors through a variety of habitats during a single day’s hike. Longer safaris may become possible in the future as surveillance infrastructure is completed in the south of the park (see MOV ‘Tourism Promotion’ for more details). Figure 18 shows the park and its periphery and sites considered for tourism development.

Figure 18 Tourism zoning in the Mayumba National Park and its periphery

Mayumba Hotels

Nkoka village – interested in community tourism Possible camp site project for more budget orientated visitors

Proposed temporary camp for turtle viewing

Possible camp site nr surveillance infrastructure

The village chief of Nkoka village volunteered an interest in beginning a tourism product based around his village on the Banio Lagoon. The project is now in discussion with the Chief to explore possible avenues for creating a community tourism project based both at the Banio village site, but also at the nearby proposed site for the seasonal turtle visitor camp. The philosophy of the project is very much to put the benefits of tourism in the pockets of the local community. For this reason, and to minimize the footprint of tourism on the park, the project will seek to promote Mayumba town hotels as the principal base for visitors, from which excursions and occasional overnights in the park can be organized. If infrastructure is to be built within the park, the project is very much in favor of this being managed as a community project, staffed by villagers and with a revenue sharing scheme aimed at promoting wise-use and a vested interest in the integrity of the environment.

3. Land-use planning in community-based natural resource-use zones

Following on from the results of the preliminary socio-economic study, the project has selected community fisheries management as one of the most pressing priorities for community-based natural resource management. All members of the community are affected by the status of the fishery, and it is no overstatement that the future of the area rests to a great extent on the capacity of the population to feed itself. In the absence of industry investment in the area, subsistence fishing and the sale of fish is one of the principal economic activities for the entire regional population. A government fisheries office is located in Mayumba, but currently lacks resources and capacity to undertake a serious program of fisheries study and monitoring.

The first task of the project in addressing the apparent need for land-use planning in regard to fisheries was to identify the fishing zones present in the region. For the sea fishery in Mayumba, this was done through interviews and a participatory mapping exercise. Fishermen were asked to describe their fishing zones and practices, and to draw their resource-use zones onto a pre-drawn large scale map of the coastline. Some guidance was given with regard to scale, but otherwise the fishers were left to fill out the maps in their own fashion. The two variables of interest were a) the overall zone fished, and b) the zones where particular fishing methods are used or particular species fished.

As with many aspects of our dealings with the Beninese community, there was considerable reticence from some fishers to divulging their fishing zones, however, in the few maps we were able to complete, there was considerable agreement in species zones, encouraging us that the composite map generated by their communal efforts is based on genuine information.

Figure 19 Examples of fishers participatory zone maps for the Mayumba sea fishery

In Figure 20 we combine the information given by the fishers during the participatory mapping sessions to produce a preliminary zone-use map for the sea fishery.

Figure 20 Combined participatory zone-use maps from the sea fishing community at Mayumba

Shark Pseudotolith sp. Large bony fishes

Barracuda Sardine Lobster and large bony fishes

The furthest fishing ground for bar is situated at an extreme distance from Mayumba, and project wishes to verify this location before adding it to the community fishery zone map. Figure 20 shows the overall zone considered at this point to include all areas within the community fishing grounds. In addition to the sea fishery, the map shows the entire length of the Banio Lagoon within the CBNRZ. Although the project has not yet begun participatory mapping or other data collection on this fishery, we have confirmed that no area of the lagoon is without some form of fishing pressure. Therefore, the two zones together give a current total area of 33.700 km 2.

Figure 20 Current community based natural resource-use zones for artesanal fishing

Gamba area

Nyanga River

CBNRZ MAYUMBA

112km

70km

Having identified the nature and size of the zone, the project is now in the process of verifying certain details and adding detail to the resource-use map. For instance, we have recently begun a program of capture analysis, weighing entire catches from one fishing boat every two days. The vessel selected for evaluation first takes a handheld GPS with it, either during the setting of the nets, or on recovery. In this way, the project is able to determine the exact fishing area, the size of the net, and sometimes the duration of the fishing effort. This data is then used to generate CPUE statistics for the fishery, which will be used to strengthen the preliminary analysis made by ParFish (see MOVs) and provide a baseline for long-term monitoring of capture trends. This data in turn will provide the foundation for formulating management measures aimed at preserving stocks and while optimizing captures. We expect this to be an uphill struggle given the natural suspicion of the Beninese fishing community to all outside involvement in their affairs, but with good collaboration with the government fisheries office, we believe good progress can be made. We expect less opposition from Gabonese fishers on the lagoon. Fish catches in these areas are already so low that there appears to be an impatience for some kind of explanation and solution to the problem. The project is awaiting approval of a new grant from the Central African World Heritage Forest Initiative that it is hoped will make significant advances in these projects. For a full description of project involvement in the Mayumba oyster fishery, see MOVs. The current project sea fishing inventory of species is also available as an MOV and will be used by fisheries staff to conduct accurate capture evaluations.

4. Conclusion

This document represents a work in progress. The land-use planning process for the Mayumba segment of the Gamba-Conkouati landscape is now convened, and the project is actively involved in related data-collection, monitoring, and stakeholder participation programs. However an enormous amount remains to be done. Within the Mayumba National Park, clear laws and a harmonious relationship between WCS and the Park Authority have paved the way to a relatively straightforward process of management. The Parks Authority process of creating a management framework for the next five years in the park, including activities and time-lines, is now essentially complete. The greater challenge is to be found outside the protected area, in the community use zones. Here, the project lacks a clear mandate to manage projects, and the vested interested of local government, economic entities such as oil and timber companies, the needs of local peoples, and the aspirations of the conservation community create a complex cocktail of motivations, expectations, and indeed, frustrations. The Mayumba Project has worked hard to build working relationships with as many stakeholders and stakeholder groups as possible in order to ease its progress in management. For the time being, on almost all issues, we are still in the phase of data collection, stakeholder meetings, and gaining the confidence of the local population. The next phase of this process will be finalization of data collection and the in-depth analysis of results, facilitating the formulation of management recommendations (particularly in the community fishery and oyster harvesting realms. At the same time, we continue to work towards building the institutions and the formal links necessary to advance our programs. We are currently in the process of signing a memorandum of understanding with both the government agencies of the Centre for Pollution, and the Ministry of the Environment. We are also formalizing our relationship with the Gabonese Navy with respect to the sharing of some infrastructure and information pertaining to sea missions. We work closely with the central government fisheries office in promoting measures such as the use of turtle excluder devices in the coastal trawl industry, and we regularly lobby for greater controls on foreign vessels fishing under license in Gabon, such as the EU tuna fleet. The building of these relationships, and our lobbying on what are occasionally deeply entrenched positions is enormously time consuming and draining on staff and resources, however, it is only through a multi-level approach to such issues that lasting progress can be made. By necessity therefore, our approach to land-use planning continues to be at the same time local, national, and international in scope.