Cameroon Wildlife Conservation Society, CWCS, is a lead national environment NGO in Cameroon founded in February 1997. The organisation’s head office is in Yaoundé. CWCS is administered by a board of directors with more than 100 registered members comprising environment experts, young conservation professionals and students.

It has a signed agreement with the Government of Cameroon represented by Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife, MINFOF, to provide technical assistance in the domains of nature conservation and sustainable development.

CWCS currently has a permanent staff of 15 personnel comprising biologists, sociologists, accountants and support staff and 3 main field bases in Nkongsamba for Manenguba montane ecosystems, Galim-Tignere for Tchabal Mbabo Adamawa highlands and montane ecosystems and Mouanko, for management of Douala-Edea national park with associated mangrove forest and marine coastal ecosystems.

CWCS vision and mission are stated below:

Vision: By 2035, threatened and fragile ecosystems are managed sustainably in safeguard of their ecological integrity and contribute to improve livelihood of surrounding local communities

Mission: Collaborating with Government of Cameroon, technical partners, local communities and other key stakeholders on nature protection within critical ecosystems and promoting sustainable natural resource use to contribute to improve livelihoods of local communities.

The main axes of interventions include:

Protected areas management;

Species and biodiversity conservation;

Sustainable development and community livelihoods;

Landscape restoration targeting threatened or fragile ecosystems;

Environmental education,
Scientific and applied research (forestry, species, social sciences etc.);

Climate change and REDD+ initiatives.

CWCS is a national IUCN member since 2014

VISION AND BRIEF HISTORY OF CWCS

Status:                                                National NGO

Date of creation:                      19 February 1997

Head office:                             Yaoundé

Vision:                                    By 2035, threatened and fragile ecosystems are managed sustainably in safeguard of their ecological integrity and contribute to improve livelihood of surrounding local communities

 Mission:

Collaborate with Government of Cameroon, local communities and other stakeholders to protect critical ecosystems and promote sustainable natural resource use and livelihood of local communities

Objectives:

• Carry out scientific and applied research to promote ecological integrity of threatened habitats including their species
• Enhance protection of threatened wildlife and forest resources in order to safeguard this important heritage for posterity and to promote the preservation of gene pools for the use and satisfaction of mankind
• Promote public awareness raising and sensitization on nature conservation and environmental protection
• Provide technical advice when necessary to improve collection of both living and preserved biological materials
• Collaborate with local, international NGOs and other stakeholders in nature conservation and sustainable development initiatives
• Combat climate change and other related aspects threatening global biodiversity conservation

Axes of intervention:    

• Protected areas management
• Species and biodiversity conservation
• Sustainable development and community livelihoods
• Landscape restoration targeting threatened or fragile ecosystems
• Environmental education
• Scientific and applied research (forestry, species, social sciences etc.)
• Climate change, REDD+ initiatives.

IUCN Membership:                  Since May 2014