Effects of Human Encroachment on Natural Regeneration of Indigenous Trees Seedlings in Kimakia Forest, Murang’a County, Kenya

Abstract

Degradation of the world's forests has been increasing due to human induced activities. As the world population continues to increase so is degradation. Natural regeneration of indigenous trees seedlings is the most effective way of rehabilitating degraded forests. The main objective of the study was to assess the effects of human encroachment on natural regeneration of indigenous trees seedlings in Kimakia Forest. A descriptive research design was used while mixed research method was used to collect the data in the field. By use of photography, human encroachment was identified inside Kimakia Forest. Ecological data were obtained from twenty quadrats with an inter-quadrant spacing of 40 Meters that were laid systematically in ten (10) transects, each measuring 800 Meters long and laid perpendicular to the forest edge at an inter-transect spacing of 500 Meters. Indigenous trees seedlings in each quadrat were counted and recorded respectively. To determine the extent of human activities by the members of the community in the forest, questionnaires were administered to a sample of 218 households through stratified random sampling technique. Interviews were conducted on key informants selected through purposive sampling technique. Ecological data was analyzed using Shannon Wiener Diversity Index while quantitative data was analyzed using SPSS software version 20. Qualitative data was grouped into themes and was later used to back up quantitative data. Species diversity was established to be moderately good with an index of 2.01. Regression analysis showed that there was no significant relationship between the total regeneration of indigenous seedlings counts and the distance from the forest edge with a P-value of 0.076. The study rejected the hypothesis that the diversity of indigenous tree seedlings in Kimakia Forest is significantly affected by the distance from the forest edge with a P-value of 0.675. Land scarcity and readily available market for forest products were major factors leading to human encroachment. Other factors included unemployment and low income per month. The study concluded that human activities in Kimakia Forest affect natural regeneration of indigenous trees seedlings. Market availability for forest products and population pressure will continue causing negative impacts in Kimakia Forest if there is no proper forest management. This study recommends Kenya Forest Service to map out regeneration curves of indigenous trees seedlings in the forest into various categories; for example, good, average and poor so as to monitor sustainability through natural regeneration. This will also enhance viable track of the various reasons attributed to low and high counts of indigenous trees seedlings in the forest.