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Paper short abstract:

For centuries, the sacred Mijikenda Kaya forests of coastal Kenya have preserved a rich cultural and biological heritage under the protection of local communities using indigenous cultural practices. Nevertheless, the Kaya forests have undergone massive conversion driven by high demand for resources

Paper long abstract:

For centuries, the sacred Mijikenda Kaya forests of coastal Kenya have preserved a rich cultural and biological heritage under the protection of local communities using indigenous cultural practices. In the 1980s, nine of these forests were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in recognition of their high bio-cultural value. They were also declared national monuments, signaling a conscious effort to protect them. Nevertheless, the Kaya forests have undergone massive conversion, driven by the high demand for raw materials for infrastructure development to feed a rapidly growing urban population and the country's Vision 2030, which prioritizes infrastructure and connectivity as a driver of economic growth. In this study, we analyze the extraction of resources in Kaya Kauma, commercial mining of iron ore, ballast and manganese, and associated impacts on sacred forest use, indigenous culture and conservation norms using satellite imagery data and interviews. We also look at the impact of blasting on schools and emergence of a mining-related micro-economy. We use a political economy framework to explain the ongoing changes.

We found that the Kaya forest is surrounded by twenty two multinational companies, mainly Chinese and Indian, which have left the landscape dotted with huge pits and increased degradation over the last decades. The ongoing developments in the area create a significant threat to the forest. The communities still regard the Kaya forest as highly important. The conversion of sacred forests makes us rethink the value of World Heritage inscription, and highlights the threats to local commons and cultural landscapes.