Canada is a vast nation full of natural resources, beautiful landscapes and great reserves of untouched bio diverse land. When considering development we often take advantage of the fact that there is always another mountain, another forest or another breath taking view just around the corner. Losing just one of these to development really doesn't seem like too big of a threat. This allows industry to quietly develop and desecrate our wild lands while we take post card images only kilometers away. Because our resources are so plentiful we often miss out on valuable lessons to be learned from all across the globe.
In Cameroon, West Africa, the government has realized the threat of development and human sprawl. Mount Cameroon hosts one of the most bio diverse and biologically rich ecosystems in the world. This ecosystem, like so many others, is being threatened by human development. Cities and agriculture are coming closer and closer to taking over the rich landscapes that have always sustained them. The government of Cameroon has realized the importance of keeping this area wild and is planning to protect it through the designation of a National Park. The government understands that without this valuable wild land they would not be able to sustain life and growth in the area. The forests are there main source of existence. The watershed alone supports more than 300,000 inhabitants. Keeping this forest flourishing will allow the harmonious existence of the surrounding communities. It is a tough balance, but in the long run should turn out to be beneficial for both the forest and the people.
The government of Cameroon has stressed transparency and input from stakeholders to ensure that they are working towards the greater good of all parties involved. This is an important lesson that we can learn and use in our own National Park system. Cameroon also hopes that the creation of this park will create jobs and awareness through tourism. This is a great example of how a country has found tourism to be a sustainable and viable alternative to agricultural and urban development.
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