Pseudohydrosme ebo

This species is only known from Ebo forest, a proposed Important Plant Area in the Littoral Region of Cameroon, where only three collections have been made. In 2020, plans to convert a substantial area of Ebo forest into logging concessions were announced. Alongside the direct impacts of habitat loss, the establishment of the logging concessions would have resulted in additional logging tracks, allowing easy access for other exploitative activities such as small-scale agriculture and poachers (Mahmoud et al. 2020, Cheek et al. 2021). In August 2020, the Government of Cameroon opted to suspend the plans to convert the forest into logging concessions, but the area still remains legislatively unprotected (Mahmoud et al. 2020, Alberts 2020). Additionally, exploitation of Ebo forest is ongoing and includes timber extraction, slash and burn agriculture, oil palm and open cast mining (Mowbray 2017, Cheek et al. 2018, Mahmoud et al. 2020).

Oil palm is a large threat to this species and to Ebo forest (Mahmoud et al. 2020). In 2016, to the west of Ebo, a large expanse of forest was converted into an oil palm plantation expected to reach 300,000 ha (Hoyle and Levang 2012, Mowbray 2017). The deforestation for the oil palm plantation reportedly began before the completion of a consultation process and necessary surveys, and before official permission was granted (IDM 2018). A narrow buffer around the plantation, approximately 5km from the proposed national park boundary, is in place. The small buffer is unlikely to prevent encroachment and exploitation of the proposed national park area, particularly as the illegal bushmeat trade and logging already goes unnoticed in the area (Casey and Elias 2015, Mowbray 2017, IDM 2018). 

The proposed Important Plant Area boundary is also surrounded by extensive logging concessions which will undoubtedly impact the biodiversity within Ebo forest (Global Forest Watch 2021). Illegal logging already takes place within Ebo forest and is unlikely to cease, even if the area were to be officially protected (Mowbray 2017). Selective logging damages canopy level vegetation which negatively impacts the habitat of this species. Illegal logging of the forest is often preliminary to more extensive, organised timber extraction, but also manifests as slash and burn agriculture (Mahmoud et al. 2020, Cheek et al. 2021). The development around the Ebo forest area, such as the establishment of oil palm plantations and logging concessions, has resulted in further establishment of road networks and an increase in inhabited areas (Mahmoud et al. 2020). An increase in inhabited areas will further contribute to the shifting agriculture and collection of non-timber forest products which is already prevalent in Ebo forest (Morgan et al. 2011, Cheek et al. 2018, Abwe et al. 2020).

There are currently no known ex situ conservation sites for this species (BGCI 2021). However, this species occurs within the boundary of a proposed Important Plant Area, formerly the proposed Ebo National Park (Cheek et al. 2021, UNEP-WCMC and IUCN 2021). To secure conservation efforts here, official designation of Ebo National Park is needed. Research is also needed into this species' distribution, population status and trends, and life history and ecology.