Ndang’ang’a, Paul KBarasa, Fred MKariuki, Mercy NMuoria, Paul2023-07-282023-07-282016Ndang'ang'a, P. K., Barasa, F. M., Kariuki, M. N., & Muoria, P. (2016). Trends in forest condition, threats and conservation action as derived from participatory monitoring in coastal Kenya. African journal of ecology, 54(1), 76-86.https://doi.org/10.1111/ajehttp://ir-library.ku.ac.ke/handle/123456789/26458ArticleThe coastal forests of Kenya are conservation priorities hosting high levels of biodiversity. Monitoring of biodiversity in these forests is therefore necessary to understand and reverse negative trends in good time. Using the Important Bird Area (IBA) monitoring framework, a participatory approach, state (habitat condition), pressure (threats) and response (conservation action) indicators of twelve coastal Kenya forest IBAs were assessed from 2004 to 2011. Trends for these indicators were assessed at six sites for which sufficient data existed: Arabuko-Sokoke, Dakatcha Woodlands, Gede Ruins, Lower Tana River, Shimba Hills and Taita Hills, and baselines were described for remaining six. Changes were always small, but state deteriorated in Gede, Lower Tana and Shimba Hills, remained the same (unfavourable)inArabuko-Sokoke andDakatcha, andimproved in Taita Hills. Pressure reduced in Arabuko-Sokoke, Dakatcha and Taita Hills, deteriorated in Lower Tana and Shimba Hills and remained the same (medium) in Gede. Response improved in Dakatcha, remained the same (medium) in Shimba Hills, and deteriorated in the rest. As there was an apparent overall deterioration in the forests assessed, improved management of the protected sites and increased conservation action through community engagement around protected areas and within the nonprotected IBAs are recommended. Key words: biodiversity, forest, Kenya, monitoring, participatory R esum e Les for^ets coti ^ eres du Kenya jouissent d’une biodiversit e consid erable qui en fait des priorit es en matiere de conservation. Il est des lors n ecessaire d’assurer le suivi de la biodiversit e dans ces for^ets pour comprendre, voire inverser en temps utile les tendances n egatives. En utilisant le cadre de suivi des Zones importantes pour la conservation des oiseaux (ZICO) qui est une approche participative, les indicateurs d’ etat (conditions de l’habitat), de pression (menaces) et de r eponse (mesure de conservation) ont et e evalu es de 2004 a 2011 pour 12 ZICO de for ^ets coti ^ eres du Kenya. Les tendances de ces indicateurs ont et e evalu ees sur six sites pour lesquels il y avait suffisamment de donn ees: Arabuko-Sokoke, Dakatcha Woodlands, Ruines de Gedi, Lower Tana River, Shimba Hills et Taita Hills, et des bases de r ef erence ont et e d ecrites pour les six autres. Les changements etaient toujours l egers mais l’ etat s’est d et erior e a Gedi, Lower Tana et Shimba Hills, il est rest e le m^eme (d efavorable) a Arabuko-Sokoke et a Dakatcha et il s’est am elior e a Taita Hills. La pression s’est r eduite a Arabuko- Sokoke, Dakatcha et Taita Hills, s’est accentu ee a Lower Tana et Shimba Hills et est rest ee stable (moyenne) a Gedi. La r eponse s’est am elior ee a Dakatcha, est rest ee la m^eme (moyenne) dans les Shimba Hills et s’est d et erior ee ailleurs. Etant donn e qu’il semble qu’il y ait une d egradation g en erale dans les for^ets evalu ees, une meilleure gestion des sites prot eg es et de plus fortes mesures de conservation sont recommand ees, gr^ace a l’engagement communautaire autour des aires prot eg ees et au sein des ZICO non prot eg ees.enbiodiversityforestKenyamonitoringparticipatoryArticle