Socio-Economic Impacts of Karura Forest on Livelihoods of the Residents of Huruma Informal Settlement, Nairobi County |Book Publisher International

 

Assessing the socio-economic impacts of the Karura forest is an important aspect of measuring the benefits of the forest towards improving the livelihood of the inhabitants of Huruma informal settlement, which is among the several informal settlements bordering Karura forest. By "informal settlement," the study refers to the unplanned establishment of human dwellings. Huruma settlement has a population of 3000 people, most of whom depend on the resources from the forest for their livelihood. Therefore, this study assessed the socio-economic impacts of Karura forest on the livelihoods of residents living in the adjacent Huruma informal settlement in Nairobi City County. Specifically, the study sought to: evaluate the economic value of Karura forest to the residents of Huruma settlement; examine how the forest’s management system contributes to social behaviour change among community members of Huruma settlement; investigate the effect of participatory forest management (PFM) initiatives in enhancing Huruma community forest stewardship, and examine the role of forest ecosystem services in improving the well-being of residents of Huruma settlement. The study employed a survey research design, targeting multiple stakeholders living in or interacting with Karura forest, comprising residents of Huruma informal settlement, members of the Karura Community Forest Association (CFA), members of the Friends of Karura Forest (FKF) secretariat, and staff and management of Karura forest. The determination of the sample size was conducted using the formula proposed by Nassiuma (2001). Both random and purposive sampling techniques were used to select the respondents. Data was gathered from the participants using the questionnaire, interview schedule, and Focus Group Discussions (FGD) guide. Data was analysed using both quantitative methods for questionnaire data and qualitative methods for data gathered using the interview schedule and FGD data. Quantitative methods involved both descriptive statistics, such as frequencies, percentages, and means, and inferential statistics, such as Pearson’s correlation and multiple regression analysis. Qualitative analysis was done using thematic content analysis. Quantitative analysis was supported by SPSS version 25.0 computer software, while qualitative analysis was supported by NVivo 14.0 software. The findings affirmed that enhancing the economic value of the forest significantly boosts community well-being. Over 65% of respondents strongly agreed that forest-related activities such as eco-tourism contribute to the local economy, illustrating the forest's pivotal role in both income generation and environmental sustainability. The findings further affirm that Karura forest management has significantly influenced social behaviour change among Huruma residents through crime reduction, increased discipline, and enhanced environmental awareness. A significant proportion of respondents (55.1%) strongly agreed that the management efforts have promoted environmental awareness among Huruma residents. The study also revealed that participatory forest management significantly enhances community forest stewardship and contributes meaningfully to the well-being of residents in Huruma informal settlement. Finally, the findings demonstrated that Karura forest plays a critical role in enhancing the well-being of Huruma residents through its ecological, social, and economic services. The study, therefore, recommends that the Karura forest management authorities and policymakers should prioritise inclusive labour practices, expand income-generating programs, and institutionalise meaningful community participation in decision-making.  It is also recommended that Karura forest management adopt a participatory governance model that includes structured community engagement, equitable labour practices, and co-implementation of social programs. Further, inclusive governance should be reinforced through rotational leadership, youth representation, and strengthened oversight.  Lastly, it is recommended that Karura forest management and relevant stakeholders implement inclusive policies that improve access to ecosystem services for Huruma residents.

 

 

Author(s) Details

Kivondo Vashit Mwikali
School of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences of Kenyatta University, Kenya.

 

Please see the book here :- https://doi.org/10.9734/bpi/mono/978-93-47485-97-8

 

Impact of Climate Change on Plant Biodiversity and Its Role in Promoting a Sustainable Green Environment | Chapter 10 | Current Advances in Plant Science, Molecular Biology and Health Sector

It is well-known fact that climate, biodiversity and environment are interdependent. Climate is the pillar of good quality of life of plants, animals, nature and human beings. This study intends to examine how climate change affects plant biodiversity and explore the role of plant biodiversity in supporting and promoting a sustainable green environment. Climate change, mainly through greenhouse gases and global warming, is causing a great threat to plant and animal biodiversity as well as the loss of the green environment. The main cause of the increase in temperature is due to the presence of greenhouse gases in the air, such as CO₂, methane, ozone, nitrous oxide and others, causing a change in the weather pattern. The major effects of climate change on plants are the reduction in plant productivity due to a rise in temperature, causing many problems to life as plants are the primary producers of food for wildlife too. With the change in environment, many invasive species especially weeds, have a greater adaptability to grow and replace many native plants in the ecosystem. The sea-level rise due to global warming causes the increasing salinity in coastal areas, affecting the coastal ecosystem, particularly mangrove plants. Different parameters causing climate change have been discussed in this study. This review also illustrates the effects of climate change on various plant ecosystems—including grasslands, forests, mountains, and aquatic systems such as freshwater and mangroves—and explores potential solutions aimed at restoring a sustainable green environment on Earth. With the increasing global changes of the climate, the decline of biodiversity and habitats of plants and animals are leading to the extinction of many species of the ecosystem by exceeding the normal limit of a healthy society. Conserving and managing biodiversity is critical to maintaining the Earth’s natural systems and supporting vulnerable communities facing climate impacts. Under these circumstances, global awareness is crucial to manage the adverse effects of climate change.

 

Author(s) Details

Professor Satyesh Chandra Roy
Department of Botany, Centre of Advanced Study for Cell and Chromosome Research, University of Calcutta, India.

Please see the book here:- https://doi.org/10.9734/bpi/mono/978-81-989371-7-9/CH10

Forest Fire Effects on Soil Properties | Chapter 7 | Research Advances and Challenges in Agricultural Sciences Vol. 8

 

The present study highlights forest fire effects on soil properties. One of the most harmful challenges to our forest is fire. Forest fires may have an impact on a combination of vegetation cover, structure, composition, density, and productivity leading to deforestation, population decline, consequences of the forest edge, and exotic animal immigration species. The impact of forest fires on soil physical properties had an emphasis on texture, bulk density, porosity, aggregate stability, and water content and repellency. Following the fire, the surface soil of the burned region had higher soil pH, total nitrogen, accessible phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and magnesium levels than the unburned area. Because of the low fire intensity, the organic matter in the soil and the litter burned, increasing the amount of nutrients available and encouraging the growth of the post-fire community and herb regeneration. Higher-intensity fires totally burn out secondary minerals like magnesium and micronutrients like manganese at extremely high temperatures. They also volatilize nitrogen, phosphate, and potassium in the soil and kill microorganisms.  Some nutrients were more readily available by the burning of soil organic matter (OM), such as N, P, and S, while others were volatilized. Controlled fire did not result in any significant changes to the nutrients or physico-chemical composition of soil and can be utilized as an efficient management technique to reduce the harm caused by wildfires to soil. Remote sensing and GIS technology are the highly advanced tools used to detect forest fires, calculate burned areas and determine of changes in land use. As a tool for predicting fires, remote sensing, and GIS are highly essential. Hence it is important to understand how fire affects the physical, chemical, and biological aspects of forest ecosystems.

 

Author(s)details:-

 

Elakiya N.
J. K. K. Munirajah College of Agricultural Science (Affiliated to TNAU), Gobichettipalayam - 638506, Erode, Tamil Nadu, India.

 

Keerthana G.
Kerala Agricultural University, Kerala, India.

 

Safiya S.
J. K. K. Munirajah College of Agricultural Science (Affiliated to TNAU), Gobichettipalayam - 638506, Erode, Tamil Nadu, India.

 

Please See the book here :-  https://doi.org/10.9734/bpi/racas/v8/12197F

The Influence of Climate Factors on the Stability of the Civil Engineering Constructions: Case of Forest Ecosystem in Southern Cameroon | Chapter 12 | Modern Advances in Geography, Environment and Earth Sciences Vol. 2

Cameroon's southern forest habitat ranges from 2° to 6°N latitude and from 10° to 16°E latitude. The key parameters of the local environment of that ecosystem have been evaluated in order to examine the impact of climate factors on infrastructure. The findings reveal that the variables are stable and have a general pattern. However, the abundance of precipitation, the substantial hydrographic network and the existence of dense forests are the key climatic constraints that can be taken into account to ensure the stability of forest ecosystem infrastructures.

Author (s) Details

Samba Assomo Philippe
High Teacher Training College, Bertoua, Cameroon.

Zo'o Zame Philemon
University of Yaoundé I, Cameroon.

View Book :- https://stm.bookpi.org/MAGEES-V2/issue/view/1