each of the 40 m  5 m plots was subdivided into 10 consecutive 4 m  5 m subunits
(0.002 ha).
In each plot, we collected the following data: (a) local name of the area; (b) local
name and scientific name of each plant (the scientific name included the family,
genus, species and author); (c) basal diameter of the plant (cm); (d) height of the
plant (m); (e) status of the stem after cutting by farmers as follow: plant with entire
stem (i.e. which was not cut), plant cut with sprouts developing, plant cut without
sprouts developing; (f) characteristics of the woody biomass (i.e. soft, semihard, hard).
10.3 Results
10.3.1 Human–Nature Relationships
Based on the in depth household survey, we elicit the social representation and
perceptions of human–nature relationships in the study areas. Nature, in the form of
forests, animals, rivers and land, is perceived as having many strong relationships
with the local communities, essentially providing a vital space for them (Table 10.1).
The different components of Nature have specific functions that support important
socio-economic activities and environmental processes related to livelihoods
(e.g. agriculture, fishing), family life, spiritual/religious values and habitat for
different species. Table 10.1 provides an aggregated overview of the main relationships between nature and local communities across all sites, as largely the same
relationships emerge in all study villages.
Many of the activities undertaken by local communities are closely linked to
natural cycles. In particular we found three broad sub-divisions of time associated
with natural resource management:
– Day cycles: morning (kikidigi); midday (zang amos); evening (ngegolè) and
midnight (zang alu)
– Moon cycles: full (ngôn nguma) or medium full (ngôn efas nguma)
– Year (mbu) cycles: main dry season (esep), short dry season (oyôn), main rainy
season (sugu-oyôn), short rainy season (sugu-esep)
Overall these annual sub-divisions determine agricultural practices, forests product gathering, hunting, fishing, and other livelihood activities (Table 10.2). These
times are identified through changes in the local environment (e.g. species prevalence, flowering) and indicate periods when local communities engage in different
activities that can often be gender-differentiated (Table 10.2).
It is worth mentioning that there are two dimensions in the social representation
of the links between different land uses and natural resources. The first divides space
into land use patterns with fixed features such as abandoned villages (bilik), forest
(afan), hills (nkol) and rivers (osoë, otõn, ototõn). These land use types can be linked
to major local practices such as farming, NFTP harvesting, hunting/trapping and
10 Forest–Agriculture in the Centre–South Region of Cameroon: How Does. . .
325
(0.002 ha).
In each plot, we collected the following data: (a) local name of the area; (b) local
name and scientific name of each plant (the scientific name included the family,
genus, species and author); (c) basal diameter of the plant (cm); (d) height of the
plant (m); (e) status of the stem after cutting by farmers as follow: plant with entire
stem (i.e. which was not cut), plant cut with sprouts developing, plant cut without
sprouts developing; (f) characteristics of the woody biomass (i.e. soft, semihard, hard).
10.3 Results
10.3.1 Human–Nature Relationships
Based on the in depth household survey, we elicit the social representation and
perceptions of human–nature relationships in the study areas. Nature, in the form of
forests, animals, rivers and land, is perceived as having many strong relationships
with the local communities, essentially providing a vital space for them (Table 10.1).
The different components of Nature have specific functions that support important
socio-economic activities and environmental processes related to livelihoods
(e.g. agriculture, fishing), family life, spiritual/religious values and habitat for
different species. Table 10.1 provides an aggregated overview of the main relationships between nature and local communities across all sites, as largely the same
relationships emerge in all study villages.
Many of the activities undertaken by local communities are closely linked to
natural cycles. In particular we found three broad sub-divisions of time associated
with natural resource management:
– Day cycles: morning (kikidigi); midday (zang amos); evening (ngegolè) and
midnight (zang alu)
– Moon cycles: full (ngôn nguma) or medium full (ngôn efas nguma)
– Year (mbu) cycles: main dry season (esep), short dry season (oyôn), main rainy
season (sugu-oyôn), short rainy season (sugu-esep)
Overall these annual sub-divisions determine agricultural practices, forests product gathering, hunting, fishing, and other livelihood activities (Table 10.2). These
times are identified through changes in the local environment (e.g. species prevalence, flowering) and indicate periods when local communities engage in different
activities that can often be gender-differentiated (Table 10.2).
It is worth mentioning that there are two dimensions in the social representation
of the links between different land uses and natural resources. The first divides space
into land use patterns with fixed features such as abandoned villages (bilik), forest
(afan), hills (nkol) and rivers (osoë, otõn, ototõn). These land use types can be linked
to major local practices such as farming, NFTP harvesting, hunting/trapping and
10 Forest–Agriculture in the Centre–South Region of Cameroon: How Does. . .
325