Colonialism, Self-Governance and Forestry in Kenya: Policy, Practice and Outcomes

Abstract

"In this paper, I outline the evolution of forest policy and practice in Kenya. I divide the relevant period of analysis into three : pre-colonial, colonial and post-colonial. I examine the policies and laws governing forestry during each period, and the outcomes of these rules. I consider outcomes in relation to the objectives set out by each administrative system. In addition, I consider the effects of policy and legislation on the welfare of communities and their relations with the forest department. Since the issue of forest management and access have political ramifications, I also examine constraints imposed on forestry by political interventions. My overall purpose is to show how differing political situations influenced forest policy and practice. My hypothesis is that political situations differed greatly, and that this difference is reflected in the way forestry is organized during the different time periods. Due to limitations on data for the pre-colonial period, I have concentrated my analysis on the colonial and post-colonial periods, for which information is more readily available. My findings suggest that there are no real differences in forest governance between the two time periods."