By Haggai Okumu
Grassroots conservation groups from across Kenya have a clear message for government and decision-makers: listen to us. Speaking at a recent workshop in Nairobi, community representatives shared stories of being left out of decisions that affect their natural resources and livelihoods. The result? Ecosystems and biodiversity are deteriorating whilst communities watch helplessly.
“Many government projects are implemented without adequately involving the communities living in the affected areas,” participants explained. The consequences are striking: Blue Swallows abandoning grasslands, forests facing mining threats, water sources at risk.
Real Stories, Real Losses
Habib Namayi from the Busia Environmental Conservation Education Program (the Site Support Group for Busia grasslands) described what this looks like on the ground. The Affordable Housing Programme was implemented in his area without proper community consultation. Wildlife habitats were disturbed, and bird species like the Blue Swallow (globally Vulnerable) have abandoned the grassland.
“These sites face intense pressure from land conversion,” Namayi said. “Important bird species have been forced to leave.”
Similar concerns emerge elsewhere. Agnes Lugo of the Arabuko-Sokoke Forest Adjacent Dwellers Association raised the alarm about titanium mining exploration licences issued without community involvement. “As a community, we are not opposing mining,” she emphasised. “What we want is for the law to be followed. Communities should be consulted before such licences are issued.”
She questioned whether required Environmental and Social Impact Assessments and public participation procedures had been properly observed, urging authorities to revoke improperly issued licences and restart the process according to legal requirements.
Why Communities Matter
Joseph Mangi from the Sabaki River Conservation and Development Organisation highlighted what communities contribute to conservation: “Through community involvement and continuous monitoring, we can prevent encroachment in critical habitats. Monitoring allows us to detect threats early and respond before they escalate.”
This expertise matters now more than ever. Allan Sai, Chairman of the Cherangany Ecosystem Site Support Group, explained the urgency. The Cherangany Hills Forests are among Kenya’s most important water towers and wildlife habitats, yet they face mounting pressure. Without proper community involvement, they may soon lose their ability to function effectively.
“Communities need a better understanding of environmental policies and laws. They also need to be meaningfully involved through proper public participation,” Sai said. “This will empower us to better protect ecosystems whilst addressing the climate-related challenges we face.”
The Path Forward
Community representatives made clear what must change: greater public participation in environmental decisions, effective monitoring of emerging threats, and recognition of local indigenous knowledge. Communities possess deep, practical understanding of their ecosystems and deserve to be partners in conservation, not afterthoughts.
The annual workshop, held in July and organised by Nature Kenya, brought together representatives from 30 Site Support Groups (SSGs) across Kenya. SSGs are community-led organisations working at the grassroots level to conserve Kenya’s most critical ecological areas, known as Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs). They monitor sites, carry out habitat restoration, influence local policy, and promote nature-friendly livelihoods such as beekeeping, ecotourism, and butterfly farming, alongside environmental education and awareness-raising.
Their collective message is unmistakable: protecting Kenya’s natural heritage requires trusting and involving the communities who know these ecosystems best. The voices from Arabuko-Sokoke Forest and Sabaki River Estuary to Busia grasslands and Cherangany Hills Forests are united on one point – without genuine community participation, conservation cannot succeed.