As part of the BIOCULT project, a further publication on the topic of cultural and traditional mechanisms in the protection of tropical forest fragments was published in the journal Biodiversity and Conservation.
Kenya’s coastal forests are a global biodiversity hotspot. Most of the forest fragments are small remnants of sacred forests known as Kaya forests, while there are also some larger protected areas. Historically, kaya forests have been protected by traditional taboos and rules. However, ecological, social and economic changes have made this traditional way of protection less effective. The cultural protection maintained by the Kaya elders, the guardians of the sacred forests, is being challenged by modern lifestyles. The elders are becoming increasingly isolated from the community as the younger generation sees the traditional rules as outdated. In addition, the state institutions that are officially responsible for forest protection and land management do not formally involve the elders in their decisions. However, in order to preserve these forests, strategies need to be adapted to these changing social circumstances, as the discussions at our workshop revealed.
The article can be found here.
