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Theme: THE DEGRADATION OF WETLANDS AND ITS SOCIO ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS IN NDOP CENTRAL SUBDIVISION, NORTH WEST PROVINCE CAMEROON

this being a possible reason why other wetland sites do not yet satisfy criteria set in place to be enlisted as Ramsar sites. Yet to evaluate wetland degradation, a paucity of baseline data gives little chances of measuring this concept with the needed finesse which provides for precision.
As concerns this research, the degradation of wetlands was articulated around variables like wetland loss, wetland transformation, loss of wetland water quality and flow patterns and the loss of wetland fauna and flora biodiversity in Ndop Central Subdivision. The evaluation of these parameters entailed the application of novel research tools; to note are the use of a G.P.S., satellite images and G.I.S. software. Other classical techniques were used like that of interviews, questionnaires, observations and grouped discussions. These techniques were very useful and complimentary in furnishing information for a diachronic analysis of the earlier mentioned parameters. These are however far from being perfect because in some cases only assumptions could be made e.g. in evaluating the change in the biodiversity, IUNC (2001) red list categorization criteria could not be applied exactly because the population of species had to be known over periods of ten decades. However, one category (“extinct” species) was inferred conveniently because interviews could easily tell exactly which animal species no longer existed. In the same line, exact delimitations on surfaces occupied by different phenomena on satellite images are hardly exact especially as automatic analysis tends to regroup different land use occupations into one sub category. This may occur at times in a situation where, for example a large expanse of rice fields has the same appearance as an extensive grass field. Both have similar spectrum of reflectance and could be easily misinterpreted.
Amidst these conditions, field investigations were at times marked by confusion in local names (especially in the vernacular) coinciding with different items. This was especially experienced with the names of some fauna species. Some other animal species were only described and it was based on such descriptions that an approximation was made on their actual English and scientific names.

A lot of findings on this area reveal that the wetlands of Ndop Central Subdivision were degrading at a rapid rate in aspects like surfaces occupied, surfaces transformed, the biodiversity and the composition of its wetland waters. The issues have been addressed in some respect by others like Akendo I.N. (1998), Koghan (2004) and Tanteh G.C., (2004). Their research on the factors that account for this change, fall in line with those of this research which mostly highlights anthropogenic factors. Although this chapter focused more on anthropogenic factors, it is equally possible to infer from other studies that some natural