Identifying and characterizing ecosystem services (ES) has been shown to have an important role in sustainable natural resource management. However, understanding communities’ perspectives is critical in determining opportunities and constraints for ES management in multi-use landscapes. To do so, a study was conducted around Mt. Marsabit forest, a multiuse landscape in Kenya. Using stratification, participants from 11 administrative locations adjacent to the forest were selected. A total of 265 households were interviewed using semi-structured questionnaires. The study analyzed local communities’ perceptions of ES derived from the forest and their involvement in its management. Respondents identified trees, forage, water, fallback land cultivation, aesthetic enjoyment, and shade as key services derived from the forest. However, overexploitation of forest resources has led to degradation. Degradation and insecurity were perceived as the major threats to the ecosystem. The local communities were minimally involved in developing governance structures or management of this forest. Family size, education level, and age were important predictors of level of involvement in management. Lack of involvement in the forest management may have largely contributed to the unsustainable extraction of resources by local communities. We suggest that meaningful engagement of communities in the management of this forest will be critical to its sustainability.
Kenya and South Africa have enacted some laws that inculcate economic incentives schemes as key elements of their environmental regulatory terrain. While Kenya has advanced the use of Environmental Performance Deposits (EPDBs), South Africa has adopted the use of the Financial Provisioning Regulations, applied specifically for the upstream mining sector. This article reviews the use of financial assurance schemes in environmental management and their specific application to the upstream mining sectors in the two countries. The data used in the analysis is from literature review, key informant interviews, interview schedules, and focus group discussions. Results indicate that while the use of financial provisioning is a well-established practice in South Africa, in Kenya only one company has deposited funds to the environmental regulator as a security for good environmental practices. A comparative analysis of the regulatory framing for financial assurance instruments in Kenya and South Africa demonstrates some similarities in terms of requirement for public participation, requirement for periodic review of the bonds, use of the bonds for environmental rehabilitation; and some differences such as requirement for use of cash and/or financial instruments, how to treat the accrued interest from the deposited funds, and how the deposit bond amounts are set. Largely, both countries acknowledge the importance of economic incentives in their environmental management frameworks. The article recommends strengthened regional cooperation to enhance the application of financial assurance in the law for effective environmental management in Africa.
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