Establishment of Traditional Boundaries for Sustainable Forest Management in Loita Forest, Narok County, Kenya.
| dc.contributor.author | Kimiri, Kiramba Lestan | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2025-07-02T08:18:21Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2025-07-02T08:18:21Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2024-08 | |
| dc.description | A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements of the Award for the Degree of Master of Environmental Studies and Community Development in the School of Agriculture And Environmental Sciences of Kenyatta University, August 2024. Supervisors: 1. Felix Mingáte 2. Eric M. Kioko | |
| dc.description.abstract | In alignment with Kenya's decentralized approach to natural resource governance, various community forests have been placed under the stewardship of local communities, often facilitated by councils of elders. While some Maasai groups near urban areas have opted to subdivide their land, the Loita Maasai have resisted this due to concerns about potential external ownership and the erosion of their cultural heritage. Consequently, the management of the Loita forest has traditionally remained under the council elders' jurisdiction. However, a gradual transition of authority to village elders within the provincial administration has begun. The Kenya Forest Service, established under the Kenya Forest Act of 2005, aims to foster coexistence between communities and forest conservation. The formation of Community Forest Associations (CFAs), such as the Loita Community Forest Association, is crucial for this initiative. This study focuses on the challenges of creating and modifying resource boundaries, examining the alignment between user boundaries and CFA boundaries concerning forest resources. Additionally, it evaluates the adequacy of Kenyan government policies on these boundaries and forest resource management within the community. Conducted in a traditional setting where elders, led by the renowned Oloibon, make most resource decisions, the study area is remote with extensive forest and savanna lands. The Loita Maasai, organized into age sets, utilize their forest for grazing, fuel wood harvesting, water extraction, and religious and cultural purposes. Using purposive sampling, 52 respondents from nine Loita sublocations were interviewed. Data collection methods included semi-structured interviews, key informant interviews, participant observations, focus group engagements, and tape recordings, involving both community members and relevant organizations. The study employed summative content analysis for qualitative data and descriptive statistics for household survey data. It provided insights into the state of traditional resource use boundaries, the sufficiency of government laws and policies in enhancing forest governance, and the assertion of individual indigenous rights in community forest resource use and governance. The study recommends documenting indigenous knowledge and traditional governance systems for sustainable forest management, formally recognizing traditional governance in decision-making, demarcating physical forest boundaries to prevent encroachment, and protecting water sources from degradation. | |
| dc.description.sponsorship | Kenyatta University | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://ir-library.ku.ac.ke/handle/123456789/30304 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.publisher | Kenyatta University | |
| dc.title | Establishment of Traditional Boundaries for Sustainable Forest Management in Loita Forest, Narok County, Kenya. | |
| dc.type | Thesis |