The Significance and Sustainability of Charcoal Production in the ...

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1. INTRODUCTION This study is a Master of Science thesis in Regional Studies with a specialization in Development Geography. The title of the thesis is: The Significance and Sustainability of Charcoal Production in the Changing Landscape of Dakatcha Woodland, SE Kenya. The study comprises of seven parts: Introduction, Research Compilation, Local setting, Theoretical framework, Results, Discussion and Conclusions (and Appendices). Figure 1 presents the contents of the study. INTRODUCTION RESEARCH PROBLEMS IN THE STUDY AREA - RESEARCH COMPILATION HOW THE RESEARCH PROBLEMS WERE STUDIED Figure 1. Contents of the study. LOCAL SETTING & THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK LOCAL, REGIONAL, NATIONAL AND GLOBAL CONTEXTS WHICH RELATE TO THE RESEARCH PROBLEMS The study scrutinizes the problematics of the human-nature relationship in a development country context drawing theoretically and methodologically from two fields of geography: Development Geography and Geoinformatics. It analyzes the correlation between biodiversity and ecosystem service (ES) loss and human actions and tries to untangle the possibilities for sustainable co-existent of both humans and nature. These actions are combined in one objective: to contribute in the planning of sustainable management of land and forests, and sustainable livelihoods in Dakatcha Woodland area in southeast Kenya. A hardcopy of the thesis can be accessed at the collection of Kumpula Undergraduate Library of Science in Helsinki, and an electric version at the E-Thesis service (http://ethesis.helsinki.fi/). A lot of research has been done related to the themes that form the theoretical framework of this study: land use and land cover change (LULCC) and deforestation; forest ecosystem services and vulnerability of natural and human systems; forest management and land tenure in Kenya; sustainable land management, development and livelihoods; and woodfuel energy. In the heart of this study there is environment and its' change, which affects biodiversity and ecosystems, and thus ecosystem sercives. Because all human beings rely upon the services of ecosystems (Mertz 2005: 5), weakened ecosystem services deteriorate the possibilities to have good living conditions and livelihoods (MA 2005: 5). Environmental change is caused both 1 RESULTS WHAT WAS FOUND DISCUSSION HOW THE RESULTS RELATE TO THEORY CONCLUSIONS REFLECTION ON THE FINDINGS AND RESEARCH PROCESS
y human and natural factors that can be categorized in three broad categories (Moinde- Fockler et al. 2007: 1165), of which first is resource utilisation by humans that does not necessarily result in partial or complete forest cover removal but causes deterioration of forest stature. It can be for instance tree and honey harvesting, and logging. Land use practices like cultivations that can result to partial or complete removal of forest canopy cover form the other category, whereas natural impacts, like flooding and natural dieback of trees, make the third (Moinde-Fockler et al. 2007: 1165). According to Nature Kenya (2008: 3), Dakatcha Woodland, which is an inhabited woodland area in Magarini District about 140 kilometers north from Mombasa, and 25 to 50 kilometers inland from the Indian Ocean, has suffered major damage from uncontrolled logging and clearing, especially within the hilltop Cynometra-Brachylaena forests; charcoal burning to satisfy energy demands in the nearby centres and towns, mainly Malindi, Watamu and Kilifi; encroachment by local people into the woodland through agricultural expansion and shifting cultivation; fires from charcoal burning and agricultural activities; massive logging of Brachystegia trees; and extremely high levels of unsustainable bushmeat hunting. Besides these, planting of Jathropa curcas is discussed in Dakatcha Woodland for bio-diesel production (A Rocha Kenya 2009a). That, too, is threatening the ecological integrity of the area, which is one of the last patches of relatively intact coastal woodland in Kenya (Mbuvi et al. 2011: 15). Dakatcha Woodland has also been identified as an Important Bird Area (IBA) and Key Biodiversity Area (KBA) due to species that reside in the area (Nature Kenya 2008: 3). According to Mbuvi et al. (2011: 30-32) current problems related to Dakatcha Woodland include: poverty; weak institutional framework; deforestation; land tenure system; soil infertility/poor soils; ignorance/illiteracy; high population growth; and climate change negative effects. Due to the high poverty levels in the area, income generation is a pressing need (DWCG 2010: 4), but the lack of proper management, unclear land tenure system and lack of title deeds can be seen as the main problems related to the area (Mbuvi et al. 2011: 11, 21-22, 30-32). Land use is the key to poverty reduction and maintenance of sustainable livelihood systems in developing countries (KNCHR 2006: 54) just like clear tenure and user rights are essential for succeeded sustainable forest management (Eliasch 2008: 193) that can contribute towards wealth generation both at national and local levels and help safeguard a range of environmental functions. Sustainable land use and development depend on national, regional and local policy and leadership; and on participation by and benefits to local people in order to give them incentive to contribute positively to the settings (Skidmore ed. 2002: 1). 2
Page 1 and 2: Master’s thesis Development Geogr
Page 3 and 4: HELSINGIN YLIOPISTO � HELSINGFORS
Page 5 and 6: ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The study was made
Page 7 and 8: 5.1.4 Charcoal network in Dakatcha
Page 9 and 10: LIST OF TABLES Table 1. Coordinate
Page 11: MA&D Market Analysis & Development
Page 15 and 16: interviews (2 from October 2010 and
Page 17 and 18: Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and re
Page 19 and 20: 1.2.6 Sustainable development and l
Page 21 and 22: including local communities and the
Page 23 and 24: Microsoft Office 2007 package was u
Page 25 and 26: makers; local dwellers; police men;
Page 27 and 28: 2.2.2 DEM, topographical maps and s
Page 29 and 30: 2.2.3 SPOT- satellite images and th
Page 31 and 32: scenes were converted to ATsatellit
Page 33 and 34: Actual classification was performed
Page 35 and 36: 3. LOCAL SETTING OF DAKATCHA WOODLA
Page 37 and 38: Data for the topography mapping is
Page 39 and 40: The mean annual temperature on the
Page 41 and 42: ushes and climbers usually between
Page 43 and 44: 65: 2.6 percent. The total life exp
Page 45 and 46: ease the adaptation or technology;
Page 47 and 48: (SACCOs) (KNBS 2007: v). Money tran
Page 49 and 50: In 2005, community members establis
Page 51 and 52: 3.2.3 Management of Dakatcha Woodla
Page 53 and 54: woodlands and size of individual la
Page 55 and 56: 58.3 percent from 1975 to 2000. The
Page 57 and 58: issues (Bryant et al. 1997: 17-18).
Page 59 and 60: Table 6. The different interests am
Page 61 and 62: The state remains a central actor i
Page 63 and 64:
On the other hand, focusing on land
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(Hakkarainen & Wilska 2007: 95). Le
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exploitation of resources in a prot
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All the changes in forest managemen
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Commercial Afforestation), is a pro
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accumulate assets, but also by crea
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dependent on charcoal (KNBS 2007: 1
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carbon monoxide, methane and partic
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seem to be more productive and prof
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4.5.1 Sustainable woodfuels? Amous
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land-use development plans (Kinyanj
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Household Energy Network (HEDON) st
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same energy consumption and double
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5. RESULTS Results from the questio
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of the households are situated 1,00
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kiosk/other business. 7 households
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The households are experiencing pro
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Figure 19. Household tree species a
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Figure 22. Correlation between fire
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them about the environmental and ot
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Of the 53 households that were prod
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charcoal there (Ruwa 2010). Accordi
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5.1.5 Energy consumption in househo
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said they were promised jobs. MCC C
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5.1.7 Household awareness of excess
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or tree size; the fractional cover
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Mwanikah (2008: 42-44) identified s
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Table 10 presents the hectares and
Page 119 and 120:
From the forest cover classificatio
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summarized in an error matrix. The
Page 123 and 124:
acknowledged, the large amounts of
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Despite the poor conditions, pineap
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several smaller sacks could be foun
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Table 12. Dakatcha Woodland vegetat
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Anthropogenic factors have contribu
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practice, different sections of the
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natural environment and thus deteri
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however, that formalisation of the
Page 139 and 140:
the other hand, the eco-tourism dev
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promoted by the Charcoal Regulation
Page 143 and 144:
My background as a development geog
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Boyd, J. & S. Banzhaf (2007). What
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GOK (2009). The Forest (Harvesting)
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Information Systems for Resources M
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Program, United Nations Department
Page 153 and 154:
APPENDICES: APPENDIX 1 Questionnair
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2.6.8. Is the charcoal produced for
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APPENDIX 2 Signature separability l
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Signature Separability Listing for
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50 Msufi Mwitu Bamba Bombax rhodogn
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158 Mkayamba Delonix regia 159 Vepr
Page 165 and 166:
Ignorance/ illiteracy High populati
Page 167 and 168:
Water 6 5 5 83.33% 100.00% Woodland
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