Category: Blog

By Gilbay Obunga

For generations, the communities living adjacent to the fragmented Taita Hills forests (a Key Biodiversity Area within the Eastern Afromontane Hotspot, sheltering endemic species like the critically endangered Taita Apalis, Taita Thrush, and Taita warty frog) have served as invisible guardians – their silent vigil protecting these critical ecosystems without official recognition. That changed on March 11th when the ink dried on historic Forest Management Agreements, transforming these informal protectors into recognised partners of the Kenya Forest Service. The signing ceremony at Dawson Mwanyumba Stadium marked the end of a 28-year wait for communities seeking legal standing in conservation since Kenya first adopted Participatory Forest Management.

Local elder Clarice Patrick’s hands, which once traced fresh tree stumps after nightly illegal logging, tell the story of this struggle. “We chased them by day,” she recalls, “but without authority, the destruction continued.” Now, those hands help draft firebreak plans and sustainable harvest quotas, embodying a remarkable transformation from passive observers to empowered decision-makers.

Seeds of Transformation
The agreements have sparked an unexpected transformation in which conservation now supports community livelihoods. As County Forest Officer Silvester Mwang’ombe observes, the challenge lies in balancing immediate community needs with long-term conservation – a tension yielding remarkable innovation. Honey profits now fund tree nurseries in a self-sustaining cycle, while patrols train future ecotourism guides, turning conservation into prosperity. Beyond economic gains, the agreements are rewriting relationships with the land – nowhere more visibly than in Ngangao forest, where some trees now bear identification tags in the Taita language, with each name serving as proof of renewed ownership.

John Maganga, Ngangao’s CFA chair, captures the paradigm shift: “We have moved from following distant rules to writing our own.” Delphina Malemba, representing the new generation’s perspective, echoes Maganga’s words. “Our ancestors protected forests out of obligation,” she reflects. “We are acting on evidence – watching springs flow again and wildlife return.” These voices chart the evolution from obligation to invested partnership, where every protected acre nourishes both forest and community.

Branching Out
The model’s success extends beyond the borders of Taita Hills. Taita Sub-County Administrator Ann Mwatika identifies a groundbreaking precedent: “These agreements legally intertwine traditional knowledge with formal conservation.” This innovative approach has already inspired five CFAs from Kilifi County to seek study visits, indicating its potential for replication nationwide.

Work remains to be done. As the ink dries, attention turns to implementation. Communities are establishing management units and initiating education programs like ‘Trees for School Fees.’ For communities, these signed agreements transcend paperwork – they represent generations of stewardship finally gaining legal standing. As the excitement settles in the hills, the communities stand ready to fulfil their ancient covenant, now bearing the full weight of law.

By: Martin Kiama

Located in Kirinyaga County, Kianyaga Valleys Key Biodiversity Area (KBA) is an idyllic landscape characterized by ridges, valleys and the meandering rivers Thiba and Mukengeria. It consists mostly of privately owned farms and is an important habitat for the endemic and globally threatened Hinde’s Babbler. The species lives in the dense bushes next to farm fences and also along riparian areas.

Despite their natural beauty, the Kianyaga Valleys face significant challenges threatening their biodiversity. The rapid growth in human population and subsequent demand for agricultural land have led to the clearing of bushes, the primary habitat of the Hinde’s Babbler. Local farmers have also planted exotic tree species, like Grevillea, as boundaries, and Napier grass along riverbanks and road reserves. These practices are beneficial to farmers but detrimental to the bird’s survival. Urbanisation and increased infrastructural development projects in the area, like the recent construction and commissioning of Thiba Dam, a large water reservoir, have exacerbated the situation. A recent visit to the site indicated that sightings of Hinde’s Babbler have become increasingly rare and that the community remains unaware of the existence of the KBA.

The future survival of Kianyaga Valleys’ biodiversity is delicate and can only be assured by concerted conservation efforts involving local communities. Community-led organizations like Castle and Kathandeini Community Forest Associations are leading in delivering conservation actions in the KBA. However, more efforts are required to promote practices that support livelihoods and conservation.

There is hope for Hinde’s Babblers, however, as the birds have also been seen in several areas around Thika, near Meru, in Makongo Forest in Makueni and in the new KBAs Mumoni and Mutitu Hills in Kitui County. Some Hinde’s Babblers have even reached Nairobi, with one bird recently caught, ringed and released at the National Museums of Kenya grounds!