Protection of Threatened Tree Species in Aberdare Mountain Ranges Ecosystem in Kenya

Enhancing Participatory Conservation Strategies for the Protection of Threatened Tree Species in the Aberdare Mountain Ranges in Kenya

Partner: Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI)
Years: 2024-2027

Aberdare Mountain Ranges is among the major water towers and Key Biodiversity Areas in Kenya, yet heavily degraded owing to anthropogenic effects. These mountain ranges are home to endemic and threatened fauna and flora. Fragmentation, habitat loss, climate change, and overexploitation caused loss of this important biodiversity reducing its ecosystem services. The vision for this project is to restore degraded forest ecosystems to a healthy state and improve livelihoods of forest adjacent communities, while ensuring sustainable utilization of natural resources.

Kenya Forestry Research Institute is committed to map the distribution and conserve 14 threatened tree species through participatory conservation approaches. Besides, KEFRI intends to examine the phenophases of these threatened species and produce detailed phenological cycles that will guide germplasm collection and preservation for effective and successful restoration by seeds. Propagation protocols of difficult-to-germinate tree species will be made available for their long-term conservation and protection.
Kenya Forestry Research Institute also aims to undertake in situ restoration by establishing tree nurseries to propagate both target and associated species within the Aberdare Mountain ranges ecosystem.
The Institute and partners will also empower forest adjacent-communities that depend on forest resources through capability and capacity building coupled with diversification of livelihoods options that are not timber-based; these initiatives will reduce pressure on the forests.