A person-centered approach to indigenous wildlife monitoring, community forestry, and landscape restoration
CBBM is a community conservation organization. To us, community conservation means forging alliances with indigenous peoples and local communities to develop holistic ways to addressing the interconnected crises of biodiversity loss, climate change, and cultural degradation. We recognize that conservation’s ongoing colonial legacy is contributing to a growing list of human rights abuses that are neither morally defendable nor producing effective conservation. We understand that conservation activities can impact indigenous peoples and local communities disproportionately. We believe that effective and equitable conservation outcomes must be underpinned by the recognition and respect for their rights, their socio-political and governance aims, and their self-determination. We strive for projects that originate from and are led by indigenous peoples or local communities themselves, grounded in their priorities and values. We insist that participation be based on free, prior, and informed consent.
The Baka Monitoring Network (BMN) is an innovative, bottom-up initiative dedicated to biocultural conservation alongside indigenous Baka communities of the Dja Biosphere Reserve, Cameroon. Through centring the self-determination of communities in research, education, and environmental stewardship, the network serves to support and strengthen Baka ecological and cultural knowledge grounded in their own ways of knowing.
Where communities have been legally entrusted the rights to manage local level forest resources—through Community Forestry—CBBM will work with those communities and local and international stakeholders to facilitate the realization of the biodiversity and conservation potential of locally managed forests. Our vision is to have sustainable, biodiverse, and healthy community forests that protect and enhance the wellbeing and prosperity of local communities and mitigate climate change.
CBBM’s Landscape Resilience initiatives are closely aligned with the African Forest Landscape Restoration Initiative (AFR100) goal of bringing 100 million hectares of land in Africa into restoration by 2030. Under this initiative, Cameroon has committed to restoring 12 million hectares of forests by 2030. To meet this commitment, the government relies on partnerships with civil society organizations such as the CBBM.
The Education & Training Program (ETP) opens doors for Indigenous Baka youth to access post-secondary education. By increasing mentoring opportunities and removing financial barriers, ETP provides Baka students with the tools and confidence needed to meet future career aspirations and improve their communities.
