The montane forest of the Western Highlands of Cameroon is fast disappearing. The largest remaining portion of this forest is the Kilum-Ijim mountain forest. This forest area has one of the most densely populated areas of Cameroon with more than 300 000 persons living within a day?s work to the forest. There is a high pressure on the forest and its resources by the community members.

The Kilum mountain forest harbour endemic species and threatened bird species classified by the IUCN as a redlist species. Very good examples include the Bannermans? Tauraco and the Lake Oku Clawed frog (Xenopus Longipes).

CAMGEW has been working in this community forest for some years now. We have been sensitizing community members through field environmental studies and in class room with students, youths and forest users. This is aimed at reducing the pressure on forest resources. More than 2000 students, youths and forest users have been directly sensitized as of now. CAMGEW runs a radio program twice a week over the Oku community radio to sensitize a wider community.

Despite all these, there is still need to be done as concerns the conservation of the community forest. The greater community needs to understand the idea of community benefit from the community forest. We have to stop thinking of individual benefit and start thinking of future generations.