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

every local resident, to a contemporary period marked by a weakness and non-respect of traditional policies. Interviews on the field revealed that there were several sacred wetland bushes in the past which no longer exist today and for those existing, almost all have been influenced by either one human activity or another. The same situation applies to some animal species which were not supposed to be hunted according to traditional norms, but today, such taboos are no longer respected. It is the case with the otter shrew, which according to local laws if shot and missed meant a miraculous death for the hunter (Forpah C.H,2004). Today, the younger generation are either ignorant about the laws or are simply not interested in respecting them or are simply hunting to satisfy their needs in protein.

2.2.1.9. Increase in route network
The increase in the population of this region was accompanied by an increase in the in the road network. Road construction became a priority for bodies like the U.N.V.D.A, which needed to develop roads to satisfy the needs of local farmers who had to evacuate their crops to markets and warehouses. Other smaller roads and foot paths were equally developed through local community groups, (Mbanga L.A.2004). The impact of roads on the wetlands was analysed in this study through satellite images and aerial photographs. The results were presented on table 22.

Table 22: Change in road density from 1963 to 2002 in Ndop Central Subdivision.

Year	Total road length in km.	Road density (km/km2)
1963	78.32km	0.19km/km2
2007	115.867km	0.29km/km2

Source: calculated from aerial photo 1963 and satellite image 2007
It is evident from table 22 that the road density has increased in this region. The road density increased from about 0.19 km/km2 in 1963 to 0.29km/km2 in 2007.
Some of these roads cut across wetlands and their construction necessitated drainage and filling up with soil at several locations where these roads pass. Culverts and bridges were equally constructed intermittently in areas where water courses cut across. These changes equally affected the wetlands in some areas. Some roads act as barriers in certain areas, leading to floods during torrential rainfall from streams whose initial tracks were deviated (photo 2).