IRREPLACEABLE
D A K AT C H A W O O D L A N D , K E N YA
GIVING COMMUNITIES
A POLITICAL VOICE
One of northern Kenya’s last standing dryland forests was threatened by a politican’s
inability to see the economic benefits of conserving woodland – spurring locals into action
by Paul Gacheru
D
Woodland Conservation Group and the
Dakatcha Community Forest Association
joined forced to begin lobbying and
advocating for their forest. It was thanks
to training offered by Nature Kenya
that they had the skills and knowledge
to act. Together, they organised
community awareness meetings
and held consultations with county
officials to push for forest protection.
Their campaign reached its peak when
they presented their concerns to the
Kilifi County Assembly committee on
Environment and catalysed a national
response from the Kenya Forest Service,
spurred on by local media coverage.
Finally, their hard work paid off when
the Dakatcha Woodland Conservation
Group was made a permanent member
of the Sub-County Committee on the
Environment, where they can raise their
issues directly to decision makers.
Today, 42 community forest scouts
protect the woodland, and local
people earn a sustainable income from
beekeeping. But if ordinary people had
not been empowered to take political
action, the story might have been very
different.
I
B A
F A C
T
F
I
L
E
akatcha Woodland is one of
the last dryland forests on
the north coast of Kenya,
a refuge for Endangered
species found at only a handful of
other sites. These include the Sokoke
Scops-owl Otus ireneae and the
Golden-rumped Sengi, an adorable
elephant shrew. Despite this, it has no
formal protection, leaving it vulnerable
to logging, illegal charcoal production
and the encroachment of agriculture –
especially pineapple growing. In recent
years this unique habitat risked being lost
altogether when a local politician actively
incited the community to clear the
woodland to expand cassava cultivation.
He justified this decision by claiming
that conserving the woodland did not
produce economic benefits.
In response to this worrying anti-
conservation drive, the Dakatcha
DAKATCHA
WO O DL AND
LOCATION: Northern Kenya
TYPE: Coastal woodland
Photo Nature Kenya
SIZE: 32,000 hectares
KEY SPECIES: Clarke’s Weaver, Sokoke
Pipit, Sokoke Scops Owl
WHAT MAKES IT A HOME?
Perched on rolling hills overlooking
the coast, Dakatcha Woodland is most
northern forest of its kind in Africa.
Its lush vegetation regulates the local
climate, stores rainwater and prevents
soil erosion.
ANY THREATS?
This site is an IBA in Danger with
no formal protection. This leaves it
vulnerable to uncontrolled logging,
illegal charcoal burning and forest
clearance for agriculture.
FOCAL PARTNER
32
WHAT IS BEING DONE?
42 community forest scouts have been
trained in forest protection. Beehives
provide sustainable alternative incomes,
supported by an eco-resource centre
and honey-processing plant.
BIRDLIFE • OCT-DEC 2019