Land-Use Change Analysis in Mt. Kenya Forest Landscape its Potential in Biodiversity Management Policing

Abstract

On the matter of climate change and sustainability, natural vegetation, particularly forests, plays the single most important function. They are critical environmental regulators through their role as carbon sinks; notwithstanding their significance as drivers of ecosystem functions by acting as habitats for many species of flora and fauna. Understanding their spatial distribution and structure is, therefore, critical in making environmental decisions by governments and conservation actors. It is precisely important given the exponential population rise in areas adjacent to protected areas causing a corresponding rise in the demand for settlement and farming land, and its associated resources. Conducted in July 2021, this study sought to assess and provide spatial data on land use in the Mt. Kenya Forest complex, a major water catchment and bio-geographical region in Kenya. It broadly sought to investigate, through high-resolution satellite imagery, forest cover change in the landscape over the period 2008 - 2018. The major vegetation forms were also analyzed and documented. Supplemental data was derived from a systematic literature survey from scientific databases and reports along with grey literature sources. From the analysis, the first 5-year period, 2008 – 2013, reported a decrease of forest cover by -1.18%. However, the second phase, 2013 – 2018, recorded an increase in forested area by +1.5%. From a general point of view, the analysis reported a notable increase in forest cover and a decrease in non-forest land. This study concludes that biodiversity management policing and land use practices have an effect on sustainability of protected landscapes. With the understanding that rural communities are “custodians” of natural resources, the study recommends a balanced trade-off between forest resources exploitation and protection through continued implementation of the existing national and county natural resources and sustainability management policies. This study recommends further analysis of other main forest ecosystems in Kenya and using other habitat health indicators.