COMMUNITY PERCEPTION OF ECOSYSTEM SERVICES AND MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS OF THREE FORESTS IN WESTERN PAT OF KENYA

Abstract

Understanding local community perceptions of forest Ecosystem Services (ES) is critical in crafting viable conservation strategies or management plans sensitive to livelihoods of the local people. This is because One major driver of forest degradation is lack of appreciation of ecosystem values and low perception of forest ecosystems by diversity of stakeholders. Current conservation discourse recognizes the integration of local views and perception of forest Ecosystem Services (ES). This study investigated forest ES their importance to local communities, threats and current and future flow in Mau, Cherangany and Mt. Elgon forest ecosystems. The study collected data using Participatory Rural Appraisal methods to identify the ES. The identified forest ES were ranked in a participatory exercises using weighted ranking method (Pebble Distribution Method (PDM). Twenty-five ES were identified Water provision ranked the highest with importance value of between 15% - 24% in the 3 ecosystems. Water was also identified as the only ES that will remain important today, and 10 years to come. Main threats were identified as demand for wood products, encroachment and overgrazing. However, future importance value of the ES linked to this threats is predicted to reduce. This paper clearly demonstrates the high value of provisioning services by local communities relative to the other ES categories, which is critical in influencing the behavior of the local people and in enabling incorporation of local values in management plans and policies.