As part of the BIOCULT project, a new publication on the topic of cultural and traditional mechanisms in the protection of tropical forest fragments was published in the journal Biodiversity and Conservation.
Abstract
The coastal forests of Kenya represent a global biodiversity hotspot. Most of the forest remnants are small fragments of sacred forest, known as Kaya forests, while there are also few larger protected areas. Historically, the Kaya forests were preserved through traditional taboos and rules. However, ecological, social and economic changes have made this traditional type of protection less effective. In a workshop conducted at the Pwani University in coastal Kenya, we discussed and analysed the multiple reasons why traditional conservation practices are increasingly becoming less effective. Cultural protection upheld by Kaya elders, the custodians of the sacred forests, is challenged by modern lifestyle. The elders are increasingly isolated from the community since the younger generation considers the traditional rules as outdated.
The article can be found here.