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[/one_third]Three Village Forest Management Committees (VFMCs) around the Proposed Mak-Betchou Wildlife Sanctuary (PMBWS) have received bio-monitoring training.
The VFMCs of Njoagui, Mbetta and Essoh-Attah were trained on bio-monitoring, June 18 and 19, 2015 to ensure that local communities effectively participate in the management of the proposed Mak-Betchou Wildlife Sanctuary.
Fifteen members of the committees received the training at Government Primary School Njoagui and the palace hall of the Fon of Essoh-Attah.
After reiterating the roles and responsibilities of the VFMCs, an ERuDeF staff trained the VFMCs on how to monitor illegal anthropogenic activities such as illegal hunting of threatened species, creation of farmlands in the proposed protected area, monitoring of wildlife species and how to manage human-animal conflict if it arises.
They were also drilled on the use of the Global Positioning System (GPS) and the designing of a bio-monitoring data collection sheet as well as how to record data.
Members of the village forest management committees expressed their joy for having received the training and promised to ensure their full participation in representing their respective communities in the effective management of the proposed Mak-Betchou Wildlife Sanctuary.
By Allen Tabi