EFFECTS OF DEFFORESTATION ON CLIMATE CHANGE MARAGOLI HILLS (Research Paper Sample)

EFFECTS OF DEFFORESTATION ON CLIMATE CHANGE MARAGOLI HILLS
AINEAH OMONDI
BA/502/13
PRESENTED TO
MOI UNIVERSITY
SCHOOL OF ARTS AND SOCIAL SCIENCES
THE DEPARTMENT OF GEOGRAPHY
IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF GEO: 428 SPECIAL PROJECT IN GEOGRAPHY AND THE DEGREE IN BACHELOR OF ARTS GEOGRAPHY
30 November, 20
DECLARATION
Declaration by the student
I declare that this is my original work and has neither been done previously nor presented anywhere by anyone for a degree or similar award. Any reproduction of this work should be with express permission of the author and/or Moi University.
Signature ______________________ Date______________________
AINEAH OMONDI
BA/502/13
Declaration by the supervisor
This Dissertation has been submitted for examination with my approval as University Supervisor.
Signature _______________________ Date ____________________
DR. ABDIRIZAK ARALE NUNOW
Senior Lecturer,
Department of Geography,
School of Arts and Social Sciences,
Moi University.
ABSTRACT
Deforestation is national threat and very many forests in Kenya are being cleared down for timber, charcoal burning and for some other financial benefits. Many Kenyans coming from the areas near the forest are usually uninformed on the importance of forests and therefore just go ahead and clear them for personal benefits. Maragoli forest was once a very attractive area that used to attract both international tourists. Rain distribution around the area used to be almost perfect and therefore agriculture was thriving very well hence food security was almost a guarantee. The surrounding maragoli community though had small lands and therefore according to their school of thought, they saw the forest just like a very vast junk of land doing nothing. Also there were very dangerous animals in the forests. Now instead of agreeing with the KWS they took law in their hands and started chasing the animals away and clearing the forests slowly. This research aims at analyzing the effects caused by the destruction of forests. The research concluded by analyzing the risks our forests are and the possible solution to this national menace.
Keywords: Forest, Deforestation, Menace
DEDICATION
My dedications goes to my beloved Mum who has been supporting me all through my education by ensuring all the fees are cleared in time and also I have the upkeep money. She has made a lot of sacrifices to me and given me all the encouragements I need. I also dedicate my study to my beloved mentor, supporter my grandmother Peris Olang’. She has always been there for me and has been my key motivator to my success. I also dedicate this work to my beloved fiancée Benazir Empisa who without her I could not have made it.
LIST OF ACRONYMS
KWS -Kenya Wildlife Service
GIS- Geographic Information System
GPS- Global Positioning Systems
DEFINITION OF TERMS
Forest: is a large area dominated by a variety of tree species.
Deforestation: is the removal of a forest or stand of trees where the land is thereafter converted to non-forest use.
Menace: something that threatens to cause evil, harm or injury.
List of figures
Figure 1: Map of the area of study
Figure 2: Global impacts of deforestation.
Figure 3: conceptual framework
Figure 4: Deforestation in Maragoli hills
Figure 5: Deforestation in Maragoli hills
Figure 6: Agro-forestry in Maragoli hills
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 Introduction
This chapter introduces the background of the problem under study, outlines objectives of the study, the statement of the problem, research questions, justification of the study, scope and limitation. An overview of the study area is also given in terms of its topography, location, population size and spatial extent.
1.1. Background of the study
Deforestation is clearing Earth's forests on a massive scale, often resulting in damage to the quality of the land. Forests still cover about 30 percent of the world’s land area, but swaths the size of Panama is lost each and every year. The world’s rain forests could completely vanish in a hundred years at the current rate of deforestation. Forests are cut down for many reasons, but most of them are related to money or to people’s need to provide for their families. The biggest driver of deforestation is agriculture. Farmers cut forests to provide more room for planting crops or grazing livestock. Often many small farmers will each clear a few acres to feed their families by cutting down trees and burning them in a process known as “slash and burn” agriculture.
Deforestation in Kenya describes deforestation in Kenya. In 1963, forest covered 10% of land in Kenya and by 2006 that dropped to 1.7%. Forests are basis of water catchments in Kenya. Their destruction increases pressure on a population grappling with hunger, water shortage, and power shortage. Forests are important for protecting ecological diversity, regulating climate patterns and acting as carbon sinks. According to Nobelist Wangari Maathai 20 per cent of global warming emissions may be due to deforestation. The Kenya Forestry Working Group has estimated that Kenya will lose ca US$300 million each year by deforestation from the tourism, tea and energy sectors.
Vihiga County like most of Western Kenya, is endowed with an equatorial climate that supports a rich diversity of flora and fauna. This is where we have the Maragoli Hills forest. Maragoli Hills Forest is located within the Mungoma and South Maragoli locations of Vihiga District. The forest covers an area of 369.1 Ha. (922.75 acres).
It is now common knowledge that the forest has been degraded since the mid 1970’s due to excessive tree cutting without corresponding forestation. This is in spite of the fact that the forest is a major catchment area as many streams derive their source from the area. This has had major negative impacts conspicuously affecting the local population due to the degraded Maragoli Hills. This is now a common feature elsewhere in Kenya.
Worldwide, loss of forest and vegetative cover has resulted into a catastrophe; climate change.
Climate change refers to permanent shifts in the traditional patterns of climate such as rainfall, temperatures and humidity due to human activities. When climate changes are occasioned by natural causes (changes in solar system, volcanic activity), the change is referred to as climate variability. However, available evidence indicates that the current traditional patterns of climate have been caused by human activities, and not natural causes. Typical human activities, burning fossil fuel, industrial emissions, cutting of trees, deforestation without corresponding planting of trees and a forestation. Though climate change is occurring globally, it is now happening right here in Kenya and right here in Western Kenya.
1.2. Statement of the problem
The main problem of farmers in Western Kenya and elsewhere is known to be poor land use practices that lack a combination of integrated ecosystems with land management.
While one major cause of global warming is emission of Green House Gases (i.e. carbon dioxide, methane and chlorofloro carbons) in the mainly urban and industrial areas, the major cause of global warming and climate change in the rural areas typical of most of western Kenya and Vihiga County are other human livelihood related activities that contribute to increased emissions of Green House Gases. These gases include carbon dioxide due to deforestation and clearing more land for agriculture), nitrous oxide (due to fertilizer application on farms) and methane (due to decomposing waste and livestock rumination).
Natural resources are being used extensively for construction, industry, transport and consumption. As the trend continues, more land that was covered with vegetation has been cleared to make way for food production, and to make way for houses and industries.
Indeed, some of the alarming upsurge incidences and severity of extreme climate events witnessed in Kenya due to climate change are also witnessed in Vihiga and parts of Western Kenya. These include floods, droughts, flash floods and landslides. While the more obvious signs of global warming-the receding snow cap on Mount Kenya, bleached and drying coral reefs-have attracted international attention, the less visible impacts on Kenyan’s daily lives have been no less devastating. Deforestation, soil erosion and land degradation have wiped out thousands of acres of fertile land, while epidemics of cholera and other water borne diseases have claimed hundreds of lives.
Temperature increase and weather conditions have extended the habitats of disease-vectors and livestock and human disease out breaks. Dry and wet conditions caused by drought and flood cycles coupled with poor sanitary infrastructure have increased frequency of epidemics and enteric diseases. Malaria and typhoid transmition potential has increased.
The above challenges are exacerbated by poor awareness of the challenges of global warming and climate change and low adaption of better land management practices.
There is therefore an urgent need to engage and support the community in implementation of livelihood options that combine integrated ecosystems with land use management to mitigate the devastating effects of global warming and climate change.
1.3. General objecti...