The study compared the management of state-owned parks, community and private conservancies in five conservation areas. The objectives of the research were to assess the degree of community involvement in conservation management and analyze the public benefits and costs associated with conservation areas at the Coast, Southern, Central Rift and Mt. Kenya regions. A purposeful sampling of populations along the 5 km buffer zone was undertaken. The data collection techniques used questionnaires, one-on-one interviews, observation and existing secondary data. The SPSS was used for data analysis. The following variables were tested for correlations and associations; types of resources and practiced land use, diminishing resources and practiced land use, types of conflicts and types of resources, types of animals and types of resources. Results indicated that farming (31.8%) was the preferred type of land use followed by farming and livestock keeping (21%), and livestock keeping (18.4%), among other activities. Pearson’s Chi-square noted a degree of association between the types of resources and practiced land use, the types of resources and land ownership, the diminishing resources and the type of resources and conflict of resources, the means of sustaining family and disadvantages of living next to the park. There was a positive significant correlation between the type of conflict and conservancy benefits (r = 0.201, p < 0.000, n = 659) at 0.05. Most communities preferred community and private conservancies based on conflict resolution measures, compensation for damages, economic benefits, and community involvement in decision making and sharing of resources within conservation areas.
Cite this paper
Gichuhi, M. W. , Keriko, J. M. and Mukundi, J. B. N. (2023). Assessment of Conservation Management of State Parks, Community and Private Conservancies in Kenya. Open Access Library Journal, 10, e194. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/oalib.1110194.
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