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Sustainable Harvesting of Alstonia boonei De Wild. (Apocynaceae) in the Community Forest of Mbeth II, East Region of Cameroon

Received: 26 August 2014    Accepted: 11 September 2014    Published: 23 September 2014
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Abstract

This paper aims to analyze the traditional usages and, assess the abundance of stems and the mass of the barks of Alstonia boonei for its use as a medicinal plant in the community forest of Mbeth II, East region of Cameroon. Ethnobotanical surveys were conducted among the community of Mbeth II and in city markets in Bertoua and Yaoundé between January and April 2012. The management inventory was conducted in July 2012 to assess the abundance of A. boonei stems in the forest. During the inventory, samples of barks were collected from mature trees and the mass of the stem barks of A. boonei was estimated using an indirect method. A. boonei was cited by 26 informants in the village and markets in the treatment of six ailments. Malaria, typhoid fever and intestinal worms were largely cited. The stem bark is confirmed for its activity against malaria/fever. The density (number of stems/ha) of A. boonei obtained in the Community forest of Mbeth II was 0.89 stems/ha. The density of exploitable stems was therefore 0.744 stems/ha. The average volume of fresh bark for an exploitable tree is 0.0356 m3, while the average fresh mass of the bark of an exploitable tree was 34.4 kg. Considering that for all trees above 30 cm diameter at breast high (considered as a minimum exploitable diameter for the harvesting of barks), only two quarters of the bark are taken from the main stem up to the first branch, the average sustainable mass of Alstonia boonei in Mbeth II is 17.2 kg. Results discussed in this paper can be summarized, in a specific document called “the simple management plan of A. boonei as a medicinal plant in the community forest of Mbeth II”. The glaring development challenge at the back ground of what precedes is the urgent need to achieve the recommendations proposed in such a document.

DOI 10.11648/j.aff.s.2014030601.13
Published in Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (Volume 3, Issue 6-1, November 2014)

This article belongs to the Special Issue Agriculture Ecosystems and Environment

Page(s) 10-22
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Sustainable Harvesting, Alstonia Boonei, Community Forests, Simple Management Plan, Fresh Mass, Management Inventories, Exploitable Tree, Cameroon

References
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[4] Ministry of Environment and Forestry, “A Compendium of official instruments on forest and wildlife management in Cameroon”. Imprimerie nationale, Yaoundé, 1996, p 185.
[5] J-C. Carret, « La réforme de la fiscalité forestière au Cameroun: débat politique et analyse économique », Bois et Forêts des Tropiques, 2000, n 264 (2).
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[8] J. L. Betti, K. S. Bobo, “Illegal sawnwood in the East Province of Cameroon: an analysis of the economic behind illegal sawnwood trade”. ITTO Tropical Forest Update, 2007, 17/3, pp: 3 – 5.
[9] J. P. Kwaku Adotey, G. Etormam Adukpo, Opoku Boahen Yaw, F. Ato Armah. “A Review of the Ethnobotany and Pharmacological Importance of Alstonia boonei De Wild (Apocynaceae)”. ISRN Pharmacol. 2012; 2012: 587160.
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[13] E. Adjanohoun, N. Aboubakar, K. Dramane, M. E. Ebot, J. A. Ekpere, E.G. Enow-Orock, D. Focho, Z. O. Gbilé, A. Kamanyi, J. Kamsu Kom, A. Keita, T. Mbenkum, C. N. Mbi, A. L Mbiele, I. L. Mbome, N. K. Mubiru, W. L. Nancy, B. Nkongmeneck, B. Satabié, A. Sofowora, V. Tamze and C. K. Wirmum, “Contribution to Ethnobotanical and Floristic Studies in Cameroon”, 1996, CSTR/OUA.
[14] J. L. Betti, “Medicinal Plants Sold in Yaoundé Markets, Cameroon”, African Study Monographs, 2002, 23 (2): 47-64.
[15] College of Forest Engineers of Quebec. “Forestry Handbook”. The Laval University Press, 1996, p. 1428
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[18] D. Oliver-Bever, “Medicinal plants in tropical West Africa”. Cambridge Univ. Press, 1986, p. 375.
[19] P. O Osadebe, “Anti-inflammatory properties of the root bark of Alstonia boonei.” Nigerian Journal of Natural Products And Medicines, 2002, (6): 39-41.
[20] N. Zirihi Guede, « Recensement des plantes médicinales antipaludiques du Département d’Issia (Côte d’Ivoire) et étude descriptive de celles ayant une très bonne activité antiplasmodiale ». Revue de Médecines et Pharmacopées Africaines, 2004, (18): 99-103.
[21] G. Kweifio-Okai, « Antiinflammatory activity of a Ghanaian antiarthritic herbal preparation : II ». Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 1991, 33 (1-2): 129-133.
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[23] A. Rajic, G. Kweifio-Okai, T. Macrides, R. M. Sandeman, D. S. Chandler and G. M. Polya, “Inhibition of serine proteases by anti-inflamatory triterpenoids”. Planta Med.2000, 66 (3), 206-210.
[24] B. B. Fakae, A. M. Campbell, J. Barett, I. M. Scott, P. H. Teesdale-Spittle, E. Liebau and P.M. Brophy, “Inhibition of glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) from parasitic nemathodes by extracts from traditional Nigerian medicinal plants”. Phytother. Res., 2000, 14 (8), 630-634.
[25] J. L Betti, “Ethnobotanical study of Picralima nitida (Apocynaceae) in the Dja biosphere reserve, Cameroon”. In: X. van der Burgt, J. van der Maesen & J.M. Onana (eds), Systematics and Conservation of African Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, 2010, pp. 321 – 332.
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Author Information
  • Department of Botany, Faculty of Sciences, University of Douala, BP 24 157 Cameroon

  • Ministry of Environment and Nature Protection, Cameroon

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    Jean Lagarde Betti, Joseph Ambara. (2014). Sustainable Harvesting of Alstonia boonei De Wild. (Apocynaceae) in the Community Forest of Mbeth II, East Region of Cameroon. Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, 3(6-1), 10-22. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.aff.s.2014030601.13

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    Jean Lagarde Betti; Joseph Ambara. Sustainable Harvesting of Alstonia boonei De Wild. (Apocynaceae) in the Community Forest of Mbeth II, East Region of Cameroon. Agric. For. Fish. 2014, 3(6-1), 10-22. doi: 10.11648/j.aff.s.2014030601.13

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    AMA Style

    Jean Lagarde Betti, Joseph Ambara. Sustainable Harvesting of Alstonia boonei De Wild. (Apocynaceae) in the Community Forest of Mbeth II, East Region of Cameroon. Agric For Fish. 2014;3(6-1):10-22. doi: 10.11648/j.aff.s.2014030601.13

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  • @article{10.11648/j.aff.s.2014030601.13,
      author = {Jean Lagarde Betti and Joseph Ambara},
      title = {Sustainable Harvesting of Alstonia boonei De Wild. (Apocynaceae) in the Community Forest of Mbeth II, East Region of Cameroon},
      journal = {Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries},
      volume = {3},
      number = {6-1},
      pages = {10-22},
      doi = {10.11648/j.aff.s.2014030601.13},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.aff.s.2014030601.13},
      eprint = {https://download.sciencepg.com/pdf/10.11648.j.aff.s.2014030601.13},
      abstract = {This paper aims to analyze the traditional usages and, assess the abundance of stems and the mass of the barks of Alstonia boonei for its use as a medicinal plant in the community forest of Mbeth II, East region of Cameroon. Ethnobotanical surveys were conducted among the community of Mbeth II and in city markets in Bertoua and Yaoundé between January and April 2012. The management inventory was conducted in July 2012 to assess the abundance of A. boonei stems in the forest. During the inventory, samples of barks were collected from mature trees and the mass of the stem barks of A. boonei was estimated using an indirect method. A. boonei was cited by 26 informants in the village and markets in the treatment of six ailments. Malaria, typhoid fever and intestinal worms were largely cited. The stem bark is confirmed for its activity against malaria/fever. The density (number of stems/ha) of A. boonei obtained in the Community forest of Mbeth II was 0.89 stems/ha. The density of exploitable stems was therefore 0.744 stems/ha. The average volume of fresh bark for an exploitable tree is 0.0356 m3, while the average fresh mass of the bark of an exploitable tree was 34.4 kg. Considering that for all trees above 30 cm diameter at breast high (considered as a minimum exploitable diameter for the harvesting of barks), only two quarters of the bark are taken from the main stem up to the first branch, the average sustainable mass of Alstonia boonei in Mbeth II is 17.2 kg. Results discussed in this paper can be summarized, in a specific document called “the simple management plan of A. boonei as a medicinal plant in the community forest of Mbeth II”. The glaring development challenge at the back ground of what precedes is the urgent need to achieve the recommendations proposed in such a document.},
     year = {2014}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Sustainable Harvesting of Alstonia boonei De Wild. (Apocynaceae) in the Community Forest of Mbeth II, East Region of Cameroon
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    T2  - Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
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    AB  - This paper aims to analyze the traditional usages and, assess the abundance of stems and the mass of the barks of Alstonia boonei for its use as a medicinal plant in the community forest of Mbeth II, East region of Cameroon. Ethnobotanical surveys were conducted among the community of Mbeth II and in city markets in Bertoua and Yaoundé between January and April 2012. The management inventory was conducted in July 2012 to assess the abundance of A. boonei stems in the forest. During the inventory, samples of barks were collected from mature trees and the mass of the stem barks of A. boonei was estimated using an indirect method. A. boonei was cited by 26 informants in the village and markets in the treatment of six ailments. Malaria, typhoid fever and intestinal worms were largely cited. The stem bark is confirmed for its activity against malaria/fever. The density (number of stems/ha) of A. boonei obtained in the Community forest of Mbeth II was 0.89 stems/ha. The density of exploitable stems was therefore 0.744 stems/ha. The average volume of fresh bark for an exploitable tree is 0.0356 m3, while the average fresh mass of the bark of an exploitable tree was 34.4 kg. Considering that for all trees above 30 cm diameter at breast high (considered as a minimum exploitable diameter for the harvesting of barks), only two quarters of the bark are taken from the main stem up to the first branch, the average sustainable mass of Alstonia boonei in Mbeth II is 17.2 kg. Results discussed in this paper can be summarized, in a specific document called “the simple management plan of A. boonei as a medicinal plant in the community forest of Mbeth II”. The glaring development challenge at the back ground of what precedes is the urgent need to achieve the recommendations proposed in such a document.
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