Total Economic Value of Maasai Mau, Trans Mara and Eastern Mau ...

The communities that rely on the forest goods and services are characterized by highpopulation growth rate, low income per capita and low technological innovations. Thisresults in an increasing demand for land to produce basic needs. The areas areexperiencing unprecedented deforestation, declining soil fertility and a high level ofdependency on natural resources. This explains why over the last decade, about 25–40%of the forestland have undergone extensive degradation as a result of encroachment,excisions and illegal extraction of forest resources. This degradation is a major threat towater resources, biodiversity, livelihoods of forest dependent communities and othergoods and services that can be sustainably harnessed from the forest blocks. Thedestruction of the forest reached such high levels that it prompted the government toinitiate programmes to save the Mau (MTF, 2008). The dynamics of forest degradationhave not only contributed to increased domestic costs of declining food productivityand increasing poverty, but also to vegetation degradation resulting in the loss ofglobally significant biodiversity, genetic resources, a significant reduction in carbonstorage, and increased sedimentation of rivers and lakes. Forest degradation has seriousimplications on agricultural production systems and conservation of the environmentand biodiversity in the region. Indeed, much human settlement, wildlife and economicactivities would be impossible (or very costly) without the services these forests provide.1.3 Economic Value of ForestsThe economic value of forest refers to the instrumental value derived from theobjectives of economic players. Economic value is anthropocentric (value for humans)and it is preference based, i.e. because the main subject is the human being, economicvalue is related to the maximization of human well being or at least improving humanwelfare. The notion of value is closely related to the consumer theory in which theobjective is to maximize utility subject to available resources. Because of scarcity,resources are not available in quantities adequate to meet all human wants and hencethe need to make choice (trade-offs). Philosophers consider moral value as important indetermining the object of value which results in such values having intrinsic or inherentvalue. If moral value is subjective, then moral value is whatever the valuer thinks it is.Some values relate to cultural or religious beliefs that do not lend themselves tovaluation although they are very important to the society. Since the notion of economicvalue is based on human preferences, the value placed on a good or service will dependon the motivation economic players have, e.g. that of intrinsic, cultural, social andspiritual value.14