Most conservation projects now boast community participation. Whilst appealing in theory, participation can however, prove irrelevant depending on local realities. Conservation projects in the tropical rainforests of south-west Cameroon operate with superficial knowledge of local views concerning conservation. Participatory techniques, for example, failed to unearth local competition over meanings and values related to the forest, and relied on inappropriate uniform notions of what kind of community can participate. Given the chasm , research by University College London suggests, between project aims and local people’s priorities there is scant hope for long term conservation initiatives. Conservation efforts can be complex and conflict-ridden and an imported concept of community participation is woefully unprepared to deal with such problems.