The rapid increase in anthropogenic activities, socioeconomic development, and land use land cove... more The rapid increase in anthropogenic activities, socioeconomic development, and land use land cover (LULC) changes since the opening of economic reforms (1978), have changed the ecosystem service value (ESV) in Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao (GKHM) region located in South China. This leads to the requirement of a significant tailored analysis of ecosystem services regarding incisive and relevant planning to ensure sustainability at regional level. This study focuses on the use of Landsat satellite imagery to quantify the precise impact of LULC changes on the ecosystem services in GHKM over the past three decades (1986-2017). The most renowned established unit value transfer method has been employed to calculate the ESV. The results show that the total ecosystem service value in GHKM has decreased from 680.23 billion CNY in 1986 to 668.45 billion CNY in 2017, mainly due to the decrease in farmland and fishponds. This overall decrease concealed the more dynamic and complex nature of the individual ESV. The most significant decrease took place in the values of water supply (-22.20 billion CNY,-14.72%), waste treatment (-20.77 billion CNY, −14.63%), and food production (-7.96 billion CNY, −33.18%). On the other hand, the value of fertile soil formation and retention (6.28 billion CNY, +7.26%) and recreation and culture (5.09 billion CNY, +12.91%) increased. Furthermore, total ESV and ESV per capita decreased significantly with the continuous increase in total gross domestic product (GDP) and GDP per capita. A substantial negative correlation exists between farmland ESV and GDP indicating human encroachment into a natural and semi natural ecosystems. The results suggest that in the rapidly urbanizing region, the protection of farmland and to control the intrusion of urban areas has marked an important societal demand and a challenge to the local government. This required a pressing need for smart LULC planning and to improve policies and regulation to guarantee ecosystem service sustainability for acceptable life quality in the study area and other fast expanding urban areas in China.
The smallholder farming systems in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are highly diverse and heterogeneous ... more The smallholder farming systems in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are highly diverse and heterogeneous in terms of biophysical and socio-economic characteristics. This study was conducted in upper Eastern Kenya (UEK) to categorize farm households and determine the influence of socio-economic characteristics (SeC) and soil fertility management practices (SFMP) on soil fertility across farms. Conditioned Latin hypercube sampling (cLHS) was performed to determine 69 soil sampling sites within Meru and Tharaka Nithi counties. From each household (whose field soil sample was obtained), data relating to resource endowment and soil fertility management were collected through a household questionnaire survey. Standard laboratory procedures were used to analyse soil samples. Data reduction was performed using categorical principal component analysis (CATPCA) (for SeC and SFMP) and standard principal component analysis (PCA) (for soil properties). Two-step cluster analysis identified three distinct...
This report provides a synoptic analysis of the legal and governance frameworks that relate to th... more This report provides a synoptic analysis of the legal and governance frameworks that relate to the use and management of mangrove forests globally. It highlights the range of challenges typically encountered in the governance and tenure dimensions of mangrove forest management. This assessment forms part of a broader study that includes national-level assessments in Indonesia and Tanzania. It was carried out under the USAID-funded Tenure and Global Climate Change Program. The report provides information on the challenges for mangrove rehabilitation and restoration, legal frameworks for the governance of mangroves, mangrove governance and tenure in practice, and lessons in mangrove governance for policy and practice. Primary findings from this assessment show that authority over mangrove forest management is overwhelmingly vested in state institutions and that mangrove protection is a central objective. Given the ambiguous role of mangroves situated between the land and sea, the conf...
Maize production in low-yielding regions is influenced by climate variability, poor soil fertilit... more Maize production in low-yielding regions is influenced by climate variability, poor soil fertility, suboptimal agronomic practices, and biotic influences, among other limitations. Therefore, the assessment of yields to various management practices is, among others, critical for advancing site-specific measures for production enhancement. In this study, we conducted a multiseason calibration and evaluation of the DSSAT–CERES-Maize model to assess the maize yield response of two common cultivars grown in Trans Nzoia County in Kenya under various agricultural strategies, such as sowing dates, nitrogen fertilization, and water management. We then applied the Mann–Kendall (MK), and Sen’s Slope Estimator (SSE) tests to establish the yield trends and magnitudes of the different strategies. The evaluated model simulated long-term yields (1984–2021) and characterized production under various weather regimes. The model performed well in simulating the growth and development of the two cultiva...
Incidences of forest fires have increased in recent decades largely as a result of climate change... more Incidences of forest fires have increased in recent decades largely as a result of climate change and human factors, resulting in great environmental and socioeconomic losses. Post-fire forest restoration is therefore indispensable for maintaining forest ecological integrity and for the sustainability of the affected forest landscapes. In this study, we conduct a systematic review of the available literature on forest restoration in the past two decades (2002–2022) and propose a comprehensive framework for consideration in forest restoration after the occurrence of forest fires. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systemic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) model was adopted for this study, where three academic literature databases (Scopus, CAB Direct, Web of Science), the Google Scholar search engine, and specialized websites were used for literature searches. A final list of 36 records from the initial 732 was considered for this study after the screening stage and subsequent inclus...
The Nenjiang River Basin is an important foodstuff base and eco-environmental fragile area in Nor... more The Nenjiang River Basin is an important foodstuff base and eco-environmental fragile area in Northeast China. With the rapid rise in human population, human-induced changes in land use/land cover form an important component of regional environment and ecosystem service change. At the local and regional level, the ecosystem service concept can act as a decision support tool for a stakeholder to reach sustainable land use management. However, the prevailing ecosystem service evaluation would produce a biggish warp when it is applied to concrete area. So, it is essential to evaluate ecosystem service change according to the local actuality. Method: According to 1:250,000 land use/land cover maps of China and the adjusted equivalent value per unit area of ecosystem services in the Nenjiang River Basin, we evaluated the ecosystem service change of the river basin from 1980 to 2005. Results: The forest and wetland, which are mainly located in the upstream mountainous area of the Nenjiang River Basin, were the two valuable land cover types, accounting for more than three quarters of the total ecosystem service value of the river basin. As for individual ecosystem service, besides the food production, all of the ecosystem service values declined from 1980 to 2005. The total decline of 2.43 billion USD was mainly due to the cultivation of grassland (14.34 % of the area in 1980) and wetland (4.62 % of the area in 1980) in the downstream plain. Conclusions: Due to the increase in population and the concomitant requirement of grain, the inconsistency between decision-making at the macro-level, and the objective of agricultural production at the micro-level, cultivated land was increased through zealous reclamation of grassland, marginal woodland, and even fallow land. Tremendous land use/land cover changes had caused great damages to the ecological environment such as land degradation and ecosystem service recession. So, the policies of the Grain for Green and Construction of Ecological Province projects should be well-implemented to optimize land use/land cover.
Detecting and monitoring forest cover change and its drivers has become a vital component of fore... more Detecting and monitoring forest cover change and its drivers has become a vital component of forest management globally as it helps in decision-making and policy development. The objective of this study was to analyze the spatio-temporal trends of forest cover change and its drivers from 1985 to 2020 in the Cherangany hills forest ecosystem, Kenya. Landsat satellite data and Google Earth Engine (GEE) algorithms were used for land cover mapping and change detection. In addition, a literature review was undertaken to establish the drivers of forest cover change over time in the study area. The results show an overall decline in the forest, water features, and built-up areas land cover categories in the study area while croplands, grasslands, and bareland registered gains. The percentage area under forests declined by about 14.1% (13,782 ha) during the 35 years. This loss translates to an annual average forest loss of 0.40% or 394 ha. Conversely, cropland and grassland registered an increase of about 8.1% (7944 ha) and 5.8% (5616 ha) respectively over the 35-year study period. The drivers of forest cover change in the ecosystem comprised the conversion of forests to croplands and grasslands, grazing, encroachment, illegal logging, firewood harvesting, charcoal production, forest fires, excisions, climate change, population growth, policy, and institutional failures. The findings of this study will help the relevant forest managers re-evaluate the past conservation and management strategies and focus the rehabilitation efforts on the forest ecosystem's degradation hotspots for sustainable forest management.
Farm Forestry (FF) is the act of incorporating trees into a farming system for ecological, econom... more Farm Forestry (FF) is the act of incorporating trees into a farming system for ecological, economic or subsistence benefits. This study aimed at assessing the status of farm forestry in Tarakwa location, Uasin Gishu County, Kenya. Purposive sampling was used in selecting 50 farmers practicing farm forestry as respondents for the study. Data was collected using structured questionnaires, analysis done using Microsoft Excel 2013 and results presented in form of tables and graphs. The common farm forestry practices in the study area were boundary planting, alley cropping and farm woodlots. Study findings also revealed that both exotic and indigenous tree species were planted by the farmers with the five most preferred tree species being Eucalyptus grandis (86%), Cupressus lusitanica (80%), Grevillea robusta (78%), Pinus patula (62%), and Acacia mearnsii (40%). Farm forestry was practiced for commercial purposes; (timber, electricity transmission poles, charcoal) domestic use; (timber, ...
This assessment provides a synoptic analysis of the legal and governance frameworks that relate t... more This assessment provides a synoptic analysis of the legal and governance frameworks that relate to the use and management of mangrove forests globally. It highlights the range of challenges typically encountered in the governance and tenure dimensions of mangrove forest management. This assessment forms part of a broader study that includes national-level assessments in Indonesia and Tanzania. It was carried out under the USAID-funded Tenure and Global Climate Change Program.
International Journal of Biodiversity and Conservation, 2020
Forest communities play a vital role in the conservation of forest resources. Understanding commu... more Forest communities play a vital role in the conservation of forest resources. Understanding communities' use, attitudes and perceptions of forests and management measures is significant in attaining conservation goals and reducing forest resource use conflicts. This study sought to assess local community' forest resources use and their perception towards forest status, use and management. Data was collected through household surveys using semi-structured questionnaires, participant observation, Key Informant Interviews (KII), and Focus Group Discussions (FGD). A total of 112 respondents from three adjacent villages within 5 km from the forest boundary were randomly sampled for the household survey while descriptive statistics were used for data analysis. Most (94.6%) of the households reported using products from forests. These products formed an integral part of the households' energy needs, construction materials, medicine, income generation and daily dietary needs. Firewood was the most collected product from the forest (76.4%) whereas bush meat was the least (4.7%). There were mixed views on the forest management with more than half (54.5%) expressing dissatisfaction with the current management regime citing insecure land tenure system, inadequate integration of the community in forest management and corruption. There was perceived forest degradation due to illegal logging, illegal grazing, forest fires, climate change and encroachment for farming. For sustainable forest management practice therefore, there is a need for incorporating Indigenous knowledge (IK) in forest management plans and putting in place grievance address mechanisms to cater for the needs of local communities when designing forest policies and implementing forest restoration programs.
Studies on traditional use of medicinal plants can provide leads towards discovery of pharmaceuti... more Studies on traditional use of medicinal plants can provide leads towards discovery of pharmaceutical drugs for treatment of both human and livestock diseases. This study sought to identify and document the use of medicinal plants by residents of Mwala Sub-county in Machakos County, Kenya. The research employed cross-sectional research design where simple random sampling was used to select the households to be sampled. A sample size of 61 households was used for the study and data collected by use of semi-structured questionnaires. Voucher specimens were collected, pressed, dried, mounted and identified at the Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI) Herbarium. Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet and Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) were used for data analysis and results presented in the form of tables and graphs. The study focused on identifying medicinal plants used, diseases treated, parts of the plant used, and methods of preparation and routes of administration. Research findings documented a total of 51 plants species from 31 families used to treat 38 different disease conditions in the study area. The commonly used plant species was Aloe secundiflora (11.1%) while Malaria (19.8%) was the most cited disease. The most used plant parts were the leaves (52.8%) and bark (19.4%). About 75.4% of the respondents acquired knowledge on medicinal plant use through apprenticeship from relatives. With the stocks of medicinal plants declining in the area, there is need for conservation, domestication and better management of key medicinal plants. Additionally, documentation of the indigenous knowledge is necessary to ensure intergenerational benefits from the herbal medicines.
International Journal of Natural Resource Ecology and Management
Embobut forest is a constituent block of the Cherangani hills ecosystem, which entails the five m... more Embobut forest is a constituent block of the Cherangani hills ecosystem, which entails the five major water towers in Kenya and home to the indigenous hunters and gatherers-the Cherangany/Sengwer community. This study aimed at investigating forest utilization and conservation in Embobut, Cherangani hills in the western part of Kenya. Data was collected using questionnaires, Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and Key Informant Interviews (KII) and analysis done using Microsoft office excel 2013. A total of 42 respondents living inside and within a radius of 5 Kilometers from the forest were sampled for the study. Research findings indicated that 95.2% of the respondents benefited from the forest with fuel wood being the most harvested forest product (71.4%). Honey (26.2%) and herbal medicine (21.4%) were the second and third most harvested products from the forest. Other benefits and products obtained from the forest included grazing, building poles, wild fruits, and bush meat. Despite the conservation efforts by community members and the Kenya Forest Service (KFS), a number of conservation challenges existed in the study area including illegal grazing, illegal logging, charcoal burning, forest fires and encroachment into the forest. The researcher therefore recommends the Implementation of the Cherangani hills Forest Strategic Management Plan (2015-2040) to address the existing challenges. Integration of the indigenous communities into the political processes especially around land-use issues and forest management will also be critical to ensuring their future wellbeing while concurrently achieving conservation goals.
The rapid increase in anthropogenic activities, socioeconomic development, and land use land cove... more The rapid increase in anthropogenic activities, socioeconomic development, and land use land cover (LULC) changes since the opening of economic reforms (1978), have changed the ecosystem service value (ESV) in Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao (GKHM) region located in South China. This leads to the requirement of a significant tailored analysis of ecosystem services regarding incisive and relevant planning to ensure sustainability at regional level. This study focuses on the use of Landsat satellite imagery to quantify the precise impact of LULC changes on the ecosystem services in GHKM over the past three decades (1986-2017). The most renowned established unit value transfer method has been employed to calculate the ESV. The results show that the total ecosystem service value in GHKM has decreased from 680.23 billion CNY in 1986 to 668.45 billion CNY in 2017, mainly due to the decrease in farmland and fishponds. This overall decrease concealed the more dynamic and complex nature of the individual ESV. The most significant decrease took place in the values of water supply (-22.20 billion CNY,-14.72%), waste treatment (-20.77 billion CNY, −14.63%), and food production (-7.96 billion CNY, −33.18%). On the other hand, the value of fertile soil formation and retention (6.28 billion CNY, +7.26%) and recreation and culture (5.09 billion CNY, +12.91%) increased. Furthermore, total ESV and ESV per capita decreased significantly with the continuous increase in total gross domestic product (GDP) and GDP per capita. A substantial negative correlation exists between farmland ESV and GDP indicating human encroachment into a natural and semi natural ecosystems. The results suggest that in the rapidly urbanizing region, the protection of farmland and to control the intrusion of urban areas has marked an important societal demand and a challenge to the local government. This required a pressing need for smart LULC planning and to improve policies and regulation to guarantee ecosystem service sustainability for acceptable life quality in the study area and other fast expanding urban areas in China.
The smallholder farming systems in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are highly diverse and heterogeneous ... more The smallholder farming systems in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are highly diverse and heterogeneous in terms of biophysical and socio-economic characteristics. This study was conducted in upper Eastern Kenya (UEK) to categorize farm households and determine the influence of socio-economic characteristics (SeC) and soil fertility management practices (SFMP) on soil fertility across farms. Conditioned Latin hypercube sampling (cLHS) was performed to determine 69 soil sampling sites within Meru and Tharaka Nithi counties. From each household (whose field soil sample was obtained), data relating to resource endowment and soil fertility management were collected through a household questionnaire survey. Standard laboratory procedures were used to analyse soil samples. Data reduction was performed using categorical principal component analysis (CATPCA) (for SeC and SFMP) and standard principal component analysis (PCA) (for soil properties). Two-step cluster analysis identified three distinct...
This report provides a synoptic analysis of the legal and governance frameworks that relate to th... more This report provides a synoptic analysis of the legal and governance frameworks that relate to the use and management of mangrove forests globally. It highlights the range of challenges typically encountered in the governance and tenure dimensions of mangrove forest management. This assessment forms part of a broader study that includes national-level assessments in Indonesia and Tanzania. It was carried out under the USAID-funded Tenure and Global Climate Change Program. The report provides information on the challenges for mangrove rehabilitation and restoration, legal frameworks for the governance of mangroves, mangrove governance and tenure in practice, and lessons in mangrove governance for policy and practice. Primary findings from this assessment show that authority over mangrove forest management is overwhelmingly vested in state institutions and that mangrove protection is a central objective. Given the ambiguous role of mangroves situated between the land and sea, the conf...
Maize production in low-yielding regions is influenced by climate variability, poor soil fertilit... more Maize production in low-yielding regions is influenced by climate variability, poor soil fertility, suboptimal agronomic practices, and biotic influences, among other limitations. Therefore, the assessment of yields to various management practices is, among others, critical for advancing site-specific measures for production enhancement. In this study, we conducted a multiseason calibration and evaluation of the DSSAT–CERES-Maize model to assess the maize yield response of two common cultivars grown in Trans Nzoia County in Kenya under various agricultural strategies, such as sowing dates, nitrogen fertilization, and water management. We then applied the Mann–Kendall (MK), and Sen’s Slope Estimator (SSE) tests to establish the yield trends and magnitudes of the different strategies. The evaluated model simulated long-term yields (1984–2021) and characterized production under various weather regimes. The model performed well in simulating the growth and development of the two cultiva...
Incidences of forest fires have increased in recent decades largely as a result of climate change... more Incidences of forest fires have increased in recent decades largely as a result of climate change and human factors, resulting in great environmental and socioeconomic losses. Post-fire forest restoration is therefore indispensable for maintaining forest ecological integrity and for the sustainability of the affected forest landscapes. In this study, we conduct a systematic review of the available literature on forest restoration in the past two decades (2002–2022) and propose a comprehensive framework for consideration in forest restoration after the occurrence of forest fires. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systemic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) model was adopted for this study, where three academic literature databases (Scopus, CAB Direct, Web of Science), the Google Scholar search engine, and specialized websites were used for literature searches. A final list of 36 records from the initial 732 was considered for this study after the screening stage and subsequent inclus...
The Nenjiang River Basin is an important foodstuff base and eco-environmental fragile area in Nor... more The Nenjiang River Basin is an important foodstuff base and eco-environmental fragile area in Northeast China. With the rapid rise in human population, human-induced changes in land use/land cover form an important component of regional environment and ecosystem service change. At the local and regional level, the ecosystem service concept can act as a decision support tool for a stakeholder to reach sustainable land use management. However, the prevailing ecosystem service evaluation would produce a biggish warp when it is applied to concrete area. So, it is essential to evaluate ecosystem service change according to the local actuality. Method: According to 1:250,000 land use/land cover maps of China and the adjusted equivalent value per unit area of ecosystem services in the Nenjiang River Basin, we evaluated the ecosystem service change of the river basin from 1980 to 2005. Results: The forest and wetland, which are mainly located in the upstream mountainous area of the Nenjiang River Basin, were the two valuable land cover types, accounting for more than three quarters of the total ecosystem service value of the river basin. As for individual ecosystem service, besides the food production, all of the ecosystem service values declined from 1980 to 2005. The total decline of 2.43 billion USD was mainly due to the cultivation of grassland (14.34 % of the area in 1980) and wetland (4.62 % of the area in 1980) in the downstream plain. Conclusions: Due to the increase in population and the concomitant requirement of grain, the inconsistency between decision-making at the macro-level, and the objective of agricultural production at the micro-level, cultivated land was increased through zealous reclamation of grassland, marginal woodland, and even fallow land. Tremendous land use/land cover changes had caused great damages to the ecological environment such as land degradation and ecosystem service recession. So, the policies of the Grain for Green and Construction of Ecological Province projects should be well-implemented to optimize land use/land cover.
Detecting and monitoring forest cover change and its drivers has become a vital component of fore... more Detecting and monitoring forest cover change and its drivers has become a vital component of forest management globally as it helps in decision-making and policy development. The objective of this study was to analyze the spatio-temporal trends of forest cover change and its drivers from 1985 to 2020 in the Cherangany hills forest ecosystem, Kenya. Landsat satellite data and Google Earth Engine (GEE) algorithms were used for land cover mapping and change detection. In addition, a literature review was undertaken to establish the drivers of forest cover change over time in the study area. The results show an overall decline in the forest, water features, and built-up areas land cover categories in the study area while croplands, grasslands, and bareland registered gains. The percentage area under forests declined by about 14.1% (13,782 ha) during the 35 years. This loss translates to an annual average forest loss of 0.40% or 394 ha. Conversely, cropland and grassland registered an increase of about 8.1% (7944 ha) and 5.8% (5616 ha) respectively over the 35-year study period. The drivers of forest cover change in the ecosystem comprised the conversion of forests to croplands and grasslands, grazing, encroachment, illegal logging, firewood harvesting, charcoal production, forest fires, excisions, climate change, population growth, policy, and institutional failures. The findings of this study will help the relevant forest managers re-evaluate the past conservation and management strategies and focus the rehabilitation efforts on the forest ecosystem's degradation hotspots for sustainable forest management.
Farm Forestry (FF) is the act of incorporating trees into a farming system for ecological, econom... more Farm Forestry (FF) is the act of incorporating trees into a farming system for ecological, economic or subsistence benefits. This study aimed at assessing the status of farm forestry in Tarakwa location, Uasin Gishu County, Kenya. Purposive sampling was used in selecting 50 farmers practicing farm forestry as respondents for the study. Data was collected using structured questionnaires, analysis done using Microsoft Excel 2013 and results presented in form of tables and graphs. The common farm forestry practices in the study area were boundary planting, alley cropping and farm woodlots. Study findings also revealed that both exotic and indigenous tree species were planted by the farmers with the five most preferred tree species being Eucalyptus grandis (86%), Cupressus lusitanica (80%), Grevillea robusta (78%), Pinus patula (62%), and Acacia mearnsii (40%). Farm forestry was practiced for commercial purposes; (timber, electricity transmission poles, charcoal) domestic use; (timber, ...
This assessment provides a synoptic analysis of the legal and governance frameworks that relate t... more This assessment provides a synoptic analysis of the legal and governance frameworks that relate to the use and management of mangrove forests globally. It highlights the range of challenges typically encountered in the governance and tenure dimensions of mangrove forest management. This assessment forms part of a broader study that includes national-level assessments in Indonesia and Tanzania. It was carried out under the USAID-funded Tenure and Global Climate Change Program.
International Journal of Biodiversity and Conservation, 2020
Forest communities play a vital role in the conservation of forest resources. Understanding commu... more Forest communities play a vital role in the conservation of forest resources. Understanding communities' use, attitudes and perceptions of forests and management measures is significant in attaining conservation goals and reducing forest resource use conflicts. This study sought to assess local community' forest resources use and their perception towards forest status, use and management. Data was collected through household surveys using semi-structured questionnaires, participant observation, Key Informant Interviews (KII), and Focus Group Discussions (FGD). A total of 112 respondents from three adjacent villages within 5 km from the forest boundary were randomly sampled for the household survey while descriptive statistics were used for data analysis. Most (94.6%) of the households reported using products from forests. These products formed an integral part of the households' energy needs, construction materials, medicine, income generation and daily dietary needs. Firewood was the most collected product from the forest (76.4%) whereas bush meat was the least (4.7%). There were mixed views on the forest management with more than half (54.5%) expressing dissatisfaction with the current management regime citing insecure land tenure system, inadequate integration of the community in forest management and corruption. There was perceived forest degradation due to illegal logging, illegal grazing, forest fires, climate change and encroachment for farming. For sustainable forest management practice therefore, there is a need for incorporating Indigenous knowledge (IK) in forest management plans and putting in place grievance address mechanisms to cater for the needs of local communities when designing forest policies and implementing forest restoration programs.
Studies on traditional use of medicinal plants can provide leads towards discovery of pharmaceuti... more Studies on traditional use of medicinal plants can provide leads towards discovery of pharmaceutical drugs for treatment of both human and livestock diseases. This study sought to identify and document the use of medicinal plants by residents of Mwala Sub-county in Machakos County, Kenya. The research employed cross-sectional research design where simple random sampling was used to select the households to be sampled. A sample size of 61 households was used for the study and data collected by use of semi-structured questionnaires. Voucher specimens were collected, pressed, dried, mounted and identified at the Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI) Herbarium. Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet and Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) were used for data analysis and results presented in the form of tables and graphs. The study focused on identifying medicinal plants used, diseases treated, parts of the plant used, and methods of preparation and routes of administration. Research findings documented a total of 51 plants species from 31 families used to treat 38 different disease conditions in the study area. The commonly used plant species was Aloe secundiflora (11.1%) while Malaria (19.8%) was the most cited disease. The most used plant parts were the leaves (52.8%) and bark (19.4%). About 75.4% of the respondents acquired knowledge on medicinal plant use through apprenticeship from relatives. With the stocks of medicinal plants declining in the area, there is need for conservation, domestication and better management of key medicinal plants. Additionally, documentation of the indigenous knowledge is necessary to ensure intergenerational benefits from the herbal medicines.
International Journal of Natural Resource Ecology and Management
Embobut forest is a constituent block of the Cherangani hills ecosystem, which entails the five m... more Embobut forest is a constituent block of the Cherangani hills ecosystem, which entails the five major water towers in Kenya and home to the indigenous hunters and gatherers-the Cherangany/Sengwer community. This study aimed at investigating forest utilization and conservation in Embobut, Cherangani hills in the western part of Kenya. Data was collected using questionnaires, Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and Key Informant Interviews (KII) and analysis done using Microsoft office excel 2013. A total of 42 respondents living inside and within a radius of 5 Kilometers from the forest were sampled for the study. Research findings indicated that 95.2% of the respondents benefited from the forest with fuel wood being the most harvested forest product (71.4%). Honey (26.2%) and herbal medicine (21.4%) were the second and third most harvested products from the forest. Other benefits and products obtained from the forest included grazing, building poles, wild fruits, and bush meat. Despite the conservation efforts by community members and the Kenya Forest Service (KFS), a number of conservation challenges existed in the study area including illegal grazing, illegal logging, charcoal burning, forest fires and encroachment into the forest. The researcher therefore recommends the Implementation of the Cherangani hills Forest Strategic Management Plan (2015-2040) to address the existing challenges. Integration of the indigenous communities into the political processes especially around land-use issues and forest management will also be critical to ensuring their future wellbeing while concurrently achieving conservation goals.
Uploads
Papers by Brian Rotich