Evaluating Conservation Approaches in Preventing Forest Crime: The Cases of Arabuko Sokoke Forest and Kakamega Forest, Kenya

Deforestation is one of the major environmental problems the world is faced with in the 21' century. What is labeled as "forest crime" is known for being one contributing factor that may lead to land deforestation. Forest offences such as illegal logging, poaching and charcoal burning are some of the activities that partly affect these habitats. In Kenya, forest offences are often incentivized by international and local demand for forest goods. These practices are often carried out members from the local communities surrounding the forests due to various problems such as insufficient income per household and population growth. This has led to the need for more forest conservation approaches. However, in Kenya, little work has been done in addressing the challenges faced by conservation approaches. This research used case studies of the Arabuko Sokoke and Kakamega forests to identify factors that account for variance in forest crime, while assessing the strength and weaknesses of conservation efforts in order to provide a recipe for improved conservation approaches. Through use of interviews and questionnaires, the research collected primary data from relevant institutions involved in conservation in these forests. The research found that the levels of unemployment, population growth rate, farming high season, low levels of literacy, level of conservation awareness, and emergency situations such as Covid-19 can be factors that account for the variance of crime in these forests. Moreover, the study also found divergences in the effectiveness and community perception of different conservation efforts, identifying the ICIPE and the Kipepeo Project as the most highly evaluated initiatives in forest conservation, on account of how well they balance the three pillars of sustainability, namely, the environmental, economic and social, as outlined by Bader (1987). The key lesson of the study is therefore on the need for conservation initiatives in Kenya to incorporate the fire pillars of sustainability in a balanced way.