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The fight against climate change is one of the major concerns of the international community and has led to a search to identify cost-effective ways to manage ecosystems in a way that removes atmospheric carbon-dioxide while providing essential societal benefits. As bamboo ecosystems in Cameroon are poorly known, this study sought to evaluate the distribution of bamboo, develop allometric equations for it and estimate carbon stocks associated with bamboo in the Western Highlands of Cameroon. Landsat 8 OLI imagery was used to increase data on the distribution and carbon stocks of Phyllostachys aurea Carrière ex Rivière & C. Rivière in the study area. P. aurea is reportedly the most exploited species for ecological, socioeconomic and cultural activities in the region, posing a challenge for the sustainability of the species. Twelve circular plots were established in P. aurea stands in the Western Highlands. Five per cent of the bamboo stems were harvested. Every stem was sorted into leaves, branches, and culms. These were weighed, and sub-samples taken to the laboratory. Sub-samples were oven-dried for biomass estimation. Regression analysis was used to develop the allometric equations. The best equation was used to estimate the carbon stocks. The Western Highlands region of Cameroon is estimated to have 241,296 ha of bamboos. The dominant bamboo species identified in the study area include Oldeania alpina (K.Schum.) Stapleton (syn. Yushania alpina K.Schum.), Bambusa vulgaris Schrad. ex J.C.Wendl. and P. aurea. Focusing on P. aurea the best fit equation with a bias of − 6.98%, Adj.R² = 0.711, AIC = 17 and RSE = 0.262, was selected. The mean density of P. aurea was 38,017 ± 4510 culms.ha−1. The mean culm aboveground biomass was 3.15 ± 0.94 kg. The AGB of P. aurea was estimated at 119.05 ± 3.63 t.ha−1, mean AGC was 55.95 ± 5.81 t C.ha−1 and mean aboveground carbon dioxide equivalence (AGCO2eq) was 205.35 ± 58.01.22 t CO2.ha−1. P. aurea constitutes a significant carbon sink in the Western Highlands of Cameroon. Policymakers and development planners should therefore recommend this species for carbon markets, international initiatives such as AFR100, and the Nationally Determined Contribution addressing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 13 (SDG13) to combat climate change.

Over the last two decades, bamboo has received increasing attention owing to its socio-economic and environmental importance. Environmentally, bamboo plays an important role in carbon sequestration, thus enhancing climate change mitigation. In Cameroon, knowledge about the importance of Bambusa vulgaris Schrad. ex J.C.Wendl. to climate change mitigation is deficient, despite the fact that it is the most abundant bamboo species in Cameroon's Bimodal rainforest agroecological zone (Agroecological zone 5 - AEZ5). This study was initiated to develop allometric equations and estimate carbon stocks of B. vulgaris in Cameroon's AEZ5. The destructive, clump-based method was used for bamboo biomass data collection on 40 clumps and 86 culms. Regression analyses were performed to obtain allometric models for B. vulgaris biomass prediction which were used for B. vulgaris carbon stocks estimation in AEZ5. The best allometric model for culms was obtained when all predictive variables including age, diameter and height were considered into the model. For clump, the best model was obtained when the number of culms per clump, girth and average diameter were considered in the model. Model quality adjustment was better for clump aboveground biomass (AGB) compared to those of culm AGB. The model of B. vulgaris of the evergreen rainfall forest was validated with a bias of 45.5 %. Bamboo aboveground biomass proportions were 77 %, 15 % and 8 %, respectively for culms, branches and leaves. The mean density and carbon stocks of B. vulgaris were estimated at 2,0679 culms.ha−1, 257 clumps.ha−1, and 61.65 tC ha−1. B. vulgaris has a veritable carbon sequestration capacity which policymakers should consider in climate change mitigation strategies like those linked to payments for ecosystem services, voluntary carbon stocks market, Bonn Challenge, AFR100 initiative, and the Paris agreement ratified by the government of Cameroon.

Rattan is an important Non-Timber Forest Product (NTFP) with huge potential to boost socio-economic development in indigenous communities of Cameroon in particular and the entire country in general. Rattan is mainly harvested from the wild, with no involvement of stakeholders in renewing the resource, leading to resource scarcity. Insufficient knowledge on rattan distribution and growth rate in Cameroon jeopardizes the sustainable management of its resource base. It was in this context that this study was initiated to (i) determine economically important rattan species and their distribution; (ii) identify their habitats and conservation status; (iii) examine harvester's perceptions/observations on annual growth rate and age of maturity. Findings revealed that Eremospatha macrocarpa exists in all AEZs, Calamus deerratus was found in AEZ 2 & 5, Laccosperma secundiflorum, L. Robustum, was found in AEZ 3, 4, and 5 and Eremospatha wendlandiana was found only in AEZ4. They grow in diverse habitat/environments with some habitats/environments specifically suitable for some rattan species. The current conservation status of commercial rattan species identified shows Least Concern (LC), but resource scarcity is high. Most harvesters observed that rattan takes either 2–3 years (51%) or 4–5 years (35%) to attain maturity. The harvesters' observation on the annual growth rate of economic rattan species varied in relation to the species and AEZs. However, overall 25% and 23% of the respondents observed a growth rate of 2–3 m and 3–4 m respectively. Kruskal-Wallis test shows a significant variation in harvesters' observations in the different AEZs for all growth and maturity parameters of different rattan species (p 0.05)”. All five economically important rattan species are widely distributed in the Southern part of Cameroon. The availability of E. macrocarpa in all zones indicates its great adaptation to different climatic and ecological conditions. Increasing the rattan resource base will involve its domestication, especially in the southern part of Cameroon where all rattan species thrive. The findings of this study are important for policymakers and development planners who seek to ensure the sustainable harvesting and management of the rattan resource base in Cameroon.