TITLE:
Riparian Vegetation Structure, Land-Use Disturbance, and Restoration Priorities: The Case of River Bortoh in Nkambe, North-West Region, Cameroon
AUTHORS:
Limbi Blessing Tata, Njiafu Changoh Benardin
KEYWORDS:
Riparian Vegetation, Land-Use Disturbance, Rapid Ecological Assessment, River Restoration, Tropical Stream, Cameroon
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Geoscience and Environment Protection,
Vol.14 No.10,
October
23,
2026
ABSTRACT: Riparian corridors along small tropical streams are increasingly modified by agriculture, grazing, and fire, yet baseline ecological data for many such systems in Cameroon remain scarce. This study characterizes riparian vegetation structure, land-use disturbance, and hydrological condition along a 250-m surveyed reach of River Bortoh in Nkambe Central Subdivision, North-West Region, Cameroon. Five 50-m sites were assessed sequentially from upstream to downstream, with observations made on both riverbanks. A structured rapid-assessment protocol was used to record accessibility, vegetation, disturbance, and hydrological and geomorphic indicators. All sites were accessible and dominated by shrubland-grassland vegetation, with riparian width ranging from 20 - 50 m. Farming was High at four sites, and species of invasive concern, principally elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum) and eucalyptus (Eucalyptus grandis), were recorded at four sites. Banks were visually stable at all sites and no recent flood evidence was observed; these observations describe conditions during the visit and do not establish longer-term hydrological or geomorphic stability. All five sites were considered suitable for quantitative baseline monitoring and targeted community-based restoration.