Humanity is failing to stop the climate crisis. It’s now beyond urgent and the planet is screaming for help. While world leaders regularly meet for historic climate talks, it is imperative to realise that pledges without real action won’t cut it anymore. To help save the world from this abyss, UYO in 2020, setup the department of Environmental Protection, Wildlife Conservation and Climate Change Mitigation with an overall goal to safeguard the ecosystem, threatened wildlife species and reduce the most pressing threats to the diversity of life on Earth through, collaboration, research, and environmental education/awareness creation, management of protected areas and enhancement of alternative livelihoods. A cross-cutting of activities under the program include:
PROGRAMS
Human development is only sustainable if it respects and protects its natural environment. Thus, UYO works towards the protection of the environment and its wildlife through conservation education and awareness campaigns especially around protected areas, habitat restoration of degraded forests and provision of alternative income generating activities to local forest users as a form of conservation incentive. UYO works closely with local forest users through workshops, seminars, radio programs, and creation of environmental clubs in schools to enhance environmental education. The overall goal is to contribute to creating and maintaining a healthy environment, and ensuring a mutually beneficial coexistence between humans and wildlife.
UYO carries out wildlife conservation research, Human Wildlife Conflict and climate change mitigation/adaption researches. A vital component on research currently being implemented under this program is socio-economic/livelihood research focused on peripheral communities of National Parks.
Due to increasing climate variations which have caused tremendous negative impacts worldwide, UYO thrives to fight against climate change and global warming through agroforestry, tree planting, protection of watershed areas, fight against environmental pollution and promotion of climate smart agriculture. The program’s sites of intervention are mostly protected Areas around Cameroon. Presently, UYO is focused on the Deng Deng National Park located in the East Region.