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Environmental Impacts of Smallholders and Elites Oil Palm

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Environmental Impacts of Smallholders and Elites Oil Palm Environmental impacts of smallholders and elites oil palm plantations on deforestation in the Sanaga Maritime and Ndian basin landscapes: case studies of Ngwéi and Ekondo Titi Subdivisions. By TCHINDJANG Mesmin June 2017 2 Environmental impacts of smallholders and elites oil palm plantations on deforestation in the Sanaga Maritime and Ndian landscapes: case studies of Ngwéi and Ekondo Titi Subdivisions. Beginning of the project October 10, 2016 Signature of the Agreement October 10, 2016 Draft submission January 2017 Period covered by the report 03 months Final report (English version) June 2017 By TCHINDJANG Mesmin 3 Table of contents Table of contents ................................................................................................................................................... 3 LIST OF FIGURES ............................................................................................................................................. 5 LIST OF TABLES ................................................................................................................................................ 7 LIST OF PHOTOS ............................................................................................................................................... 9 ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS ........................................................................................................... 10 ABSTRACT ......................................................................................................................................................... 11 0. GENERAL INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................... 13 0.1. Context .......................................................................................................................................................... 13 0.2. Problem statement ....................................................................................................................................... 13 0.3. Objective ....................................................................................................................................................... 16 0.4. Methodology ................................................................................................................................................. 16 0.4.1. Literature review ..................................................................................................................................... 16 0.4.2. Remote sensing and GIS ......................................................................................................................... 17 0.4.3. Quadrat (plots) and transects methods .................................................................................................... 18 0.4.3.1. Biodiversity fauna and flora records within the quadras ................................................................. 19 0.4.3.2. Materials used in plant surveys ....................................................................................................... 21 0.4.3.3. Methodology to estimate carbon stocks and standards used ........................................................... 22 0.4.4. Landscape method .................................................................................................................................. 22 0.4.5. Observations and participative socioeconomic surveys .......................................................................... 23 0.4.6. Specific methods used in environmental impact assessment (EIA). ....................................................... 25 0.4.6.1. Evaluation of identified impacts ...................................................................................................... 26 0.4.6.2. Absolute importance or significance ............................................................................................... 27 0.4.6.3. Methodology for developing the environmental and social management plan ............................... 27 1. BIOPHYSICAL PRESENTATION AND GENERAL SITUATION OF PALM PLANTATIONS IN THE TWO DISTRICTS ..................................................................................................................................... 30 1.1. The Ekondo-Titi Council ............................................................................................................................. 30 1.1.1. Administrative location........................................................................................................................... 30 1.1.2. Relief and hydrography .......................................................................................................................... 31 1.1.3. Climate, vegetation and soils .................................................................................................................. 31 1.1.4. History of the settlement ......................................................................................................................... 34 1.1.5. Infrastructures and other activities .......................................................................................................... 36 1.2. The Ngwéi council ........................................................................................................................................ 37 1.2.1. Administrative situation .......................................................................................................................... 37 1.2.3. Demography ........................................................................................................................................... 39 1.2.4. Activities and socioeconomic infrastructures ......................................................................................... 39 1.3. Palm trees and palm oil production in the Ngwéi and Ekondo-Titi districts .......................................... 40 1.4. The agro-industrial plantations of the two districts. ................................................................................. 48 1.4.1. The PAMOL. .......................................................................................................................................... 48 1.4.2. The SOCAPALM ................................................................................................................................... 50 2. FLORISTIC INVENTORY WITHIN THE TWO DISTRICTS ................................................................ 53 2.1. Diversity of the arborescent stratum per diameter class. ......................................................................... 53 2.2. Diversity of the tree stratum by height class. ............................................................................................. 57 2.3. Biodiversity within families ......................................................................................................................... 63 2.4. Floristic diversity index ............................................................................................................................... 66 2.5. Dynamics of plant biological diversity........................................................................................................ 67 2.6. Fauna dynamics in the Ekondo-Titi and Ngwéi landscapes ................................................................... 69 3. LANDSCAPE RESILIENCE ASSESSMENT IN EKONDO-TITI AND NGWÉI ................................... 71 3.1. Landscape perception at Ekondo-Titi ........................................................................................................ 72 3.2. Landscape perception in Ngwéi .................................................................................................................. 76 3.3. General synthesis of individual SEPL indicators ...................................................................................... 79 3.3.1. Ecosystems Protection ............................................................................................................................ 79 3.3.2. Agricultural biodiversity ......................................................................................................................... 80 3.3.3. Knowledge and innovation ..................................................................................................................... 80 3.3.4. Governance and social equity ................................................................................................................. 81 3.3.5. Livelihoods and well-being..................................................................................................................... 82 3.3.6. Trend arrows ........................................................................................................................................... 82 3.4. Recommendations and conclusion on the SEPLs indicators of both districts ........................................ 83 4. OIL PALM PLANTATION DYNAMICS OF BOTH DISTRICTS FROM REMOTE SENSING DATA .............................................................................................................................................................................. 86 4.1. Status and land use maps for Ekondo-Titi ................................................................................................. 86 4.2. Situation and land use maps in Ngwéi .......................................................................................................
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