TITLE:
Ethnographic Dependence of Local Communities on Ecosystem Resources and Drivers of Change in the Eastern Rio Del Rey Mangroves, Cameroon
AUTHORS:
Maria Dioh Balemba, Miranda Egbe Awo, Abinwi Shirri Iisey, Beatrice Ambo Fonge
KEYWORDS:
Ekondo-Titi Mangrove Stretch, Ethnographic Dependence, Ecosystem Resources, Land Use/Land Cover Changes (LULCC)
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Geoscience and Environment Protection,
Vol.14 No.7,
July
21,
2026
ABSTRACT: Mangrove ecosystems support coastal livelihoods but are subject to changing land use and community practices. This study examines 1) ethnographic dependence of local communities on mangrove ecosystem resources and 2) land use/land cover changes (LULCC) from 1995 to 2025 in the Ekondo-Titi segment of the Rio Del Rey estuary. Using a mixed-method approach, a total of 200 questionnaires were distributed in four sample communities of Matutu 1, Black Bush and Ekondo-Titi Beach, focus group discussions in Ekondo-Titi Beach, Matutu 1, and Matutu 2, alongside supervised land-cover classification of remotely sensed imagery for 1995, 2010, and 2025. The results revealed a high community reliance on mangrove resources with all communities relying heavily on provisioning ecosystem services. Majority of the respondents had little or no traditional knowledge on mangrove use. For LULCC from 1995 to 2025, cropland and settlement/bare soil increased by 3641.3 ha (10.8% increase) and 3371.0 ha (10.0% increase) respectively, while dense mangrove forest decreased from 11425.1 ha in 1995 to 7165.3 ha in 2025, giving a negative percentage change (−12.7%). These results suggest an urgent need for sustainable management strategies to balance ecological preservation with community livelihoods.