Abstract
Identifying and characterizing ecosystem services (ES) has been shown to have an important role in sustainable natural resource management. However, understanding communities’ perspectives is critical in determining opportunities and constraints for ES management in multi-use landscapes. To do so, a study was conducted around Mt. Marsabit forest, a multiuse landscape in Kenya. Using stratification, participants from 11 administrative locations adjacent to the forest were selected. A total of 265 households were interviewed using semi-structured questionnaires. The study analyzed local communities’ perceptions of ES derived from the forest and their involvement in its management. Respondents identified trees, forage, water, fallback land cultivation, aesthetic enjoyment, and shade as key services derived from the forest. However, overexploitation of forest resources has led to degradation. Degradation and insecurity were perceived as the major threats to the ecosystem. The local communities were minimally involved in developing governance structures or management of this forest. Family size, education level, and age were important predictors of level of involvement in management. Lack of involvement in the forest management may have largely contributed to the unsustainable extraction of resources by local communities. We suggest that meaningful engagement of communities in the management of this forest will be critical to its sustainability.
Highlights
Forests are a key natural resource altered through intense human activities worldwide, posing severe threats to their integrity [1]
About one-third (29%) of the respondents had a residency of over two decades having settled in the area between 1985 and 1994
The findings reveal a wide range of provisioning and cultural services that the local residents use for their economic, physical, and social wellbeing
Summary
Forests are a key natural resource altered through intense human activities worldwide, posing severe threats to their integrity [1]. Forests are being converted to other land uses but are experiencing increased selective exploitation of important indigenous plant species [2]. Wildlife populations are declining with many forest-dependent species facing extinction [4]. The scientific community has expressed a strong interest in finding ways to incorporate ES into decision-making processes [5,6,7] as this allows to account for the importance of nature and the environment for human well-being [8,9,10].
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