The Role of Nyayo Tea Belt as A Buffer Zone in Sustainable Conservation of Kakamega Forest, Kenya

Abstract

This study investigated the effectiveness of the Nyayo Tea Zone (NTZ) as a buffer zone in the conservation and management of Kakamega forest, Kenya, and assessed the impact of human activities on forest health. The research employed a mixedmethods approach, combining questionnaires administered to 339 randomly selected households within 5km of the NTZ boundary, structured interviews with key stakeholders, and experimental vegetation sampling. Four study sites were selected: Handidi, Lukusi, and Isecheno (adjacent to NTZ) and a Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) site as control. Vegetation sampling used belt transects to assess tree species diversity, richness, canopy surface area, and seedling density. Results revealed that only 22.19% of the cleared forest land was utilized for tea plantation, while 59.02% was allocated to exotic forest species. All study sites adjacent to NTZ showed significantly lower species diversity, richness, canopy surface area, and seedling density compared to the KWS control site. Human activities (logging, grazing, debarking, and charcoal burning) demonstrated significant negative correlations with forest health indicators. Furthermore, 80% of respondents reported continued forest access despite the NTZ's presence, with only 2.5% recognizing its role as a conservation barrier. The study concludes that the NTZ buffer zone has not effectively achieved its conservation objectives, highlighting the need for more integrated approaches to forest protection and community engagement.