Urban Natural Space Conservation Challenges and Perspectives in Bamenda North West Region of Cameroon

Natural spaces constitutes a foremost environmental resource for humans. Its values have often been rooted in ‘intrinsic’ and ‘instrumental’ conservation stances. The plight and the growing prevalence of urban planning programmes draw attention to the question of its conservation and the outcomes. Over the last decade, the urban conservation challenge has increased tremendously owing to urbanisation. Conservation bodies have the potential to contribute to natural conservation governance. Although much of the current focus is in Africa, socio economic hitches pose challenges where much of the present attention is on opportunities that urbanisation can deliver for structural transformation. This paper seeks to investigate the nature of and challenges behind the conservation of natural spaces and management drives in an expanding urban environment. From this ground, we provide a synthesis of conservation strategies of natural and artificial landmark spaces on which urban population ultimately depends. The combination of field observations, formal discussions and socio economic questionnaires show that there are natural expanses in Bamenda town with varied functional objectives and management challenges. Institutional management drives and socio cultural challenges compel the researcher to think about the state and far reaching effects that surround these areas. Field results indicate that there are natural expanses including green spaces, sacred forests, shrines, water catchments, and wetlands. The challenges considered as hindrances to protection and conservation of natural spaces go beyond rapid urbanisation due to the lack of priority regarding to these natural landmarks, minimal conservation awareness, and uncooperative attitudes of citizens. Against this backdrop, this paper attempts to strengthen conservation areas and recreational values through synergies between conservation and human attachment in Bamenda town. Gilbert Zechia Mofor | Gideon Samba | Ghislain Piebeng Kougoum "Urban Natural Space Conservation: Challenges and Perspectives in Bamenda North West Region of Cameroon" Published in International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (ijtsrd), ISSN: 2456-6470, Volume-4 | Issue-3 , April 2020, URL: https://www.ijtsrd.com/papers/ijtsrd30437.pdf