Abstract

A study was undertaken to understand the contributions of indigenous knowledge in environmental management and to evaluate some useful plants in selected tribal villages of South and Southwest Cameroon. Intensive field trips were carried out and interviews were conducted with the indigenous people using questionnaires that addressed the use of each plant species for various purposes, local/traditional name of species, plant parts used methods of preparation, prescription and administration for medicinal uses. The work resulted in the documentation of fifty two species of ethnomedicinal plants belonging to thirty families. Among the documented plants, Asteraceae, Fabaceae, Acanthaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Apocynaceae, were the five dominant families with three or more species followed by Rubiaceae, Piperaceae, Lamiaceae, Poaceae, and Apiaceae with two species each. Plants used in traditional medicine are used as decoctions, infusions, macerations, powders, mixtures, squeezing, boiling, and direct eating. Thirty seven species used for varied purposes ranging from cultural, culinary, ecological, and architectural, were identified spreading over 22 families. Some of the species had some interesting uses such as plants as indicator species for rich soils, plants believed to solve boundary conflicts and witch craft, wrapping and preserving food among others. Traditions, customs, beliefs and cultural rights play an important role in environmental conservation and biodiversity of the South and South west regions of Cameroon. Hence, there is a need to utilize and vulgarize the ethnobotanical information, encourage the indigenous people as they contribute immensely in preserving the biodiversity.

Key words: Cameroon, environmental management, ethnobotany, indigenous knowledge, traditions, unconscious preservation.