Human presence and environment degradation of national park: a case study of Aberdare National Park in Kenya
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Date
2010-05
Authors
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Publisher
Kampala International University, School of engineering and applied science
Abstract
The Aberdare national park is in the Aberdare range which is in Nyeri, central province in
Kenya. The climate is of equatorial type and luxuriant vegetation. Human population is
increasing at high rate which raises an alarm to the fragile ecosystem which to some is
considered as “waste lands”. The key objective of the study was to identif~,r reasons of
resource degradation as influenced by human presence. We all ask ourselves how the future
environment will look like when human are developing new ways of development at the
expense of the environment and increasing on pollution. Humans are a great threat to the
environment and that’s why they need to be examined and given sustainable solution.
The study was both descriptive in design, and it based on primary and secondary data to
establish the magnitude of the problem. The primary methods included interview,
questionnaire and observation. It gave a chance for ground truthing or counter checking with
the secondary data which was obtained from numerous books, newspapers and journals.
The major findings in deterioration of the environment in the area of study were illegal
activities like logging, charcoal production, poaching, mining and marijuana planting. Poor
policies have pave way for crop farming in the forest, which later has become a problem.
Nomadic pastoralist and deforestation also had their share.
The activities cause or initiate climate change, global warming, inadequate rainfall because of
the loss of trees which are forever having numerous benefits and loss of bio diversity. At least
the problem was not the first time for the community to hear about, they knew about it and
they had some measures which they were practising to curb the deterioration
Recommendations were also raised with a purpose to address the weak points which went
unmentioned, and as a means of updating the community with the current and best strategy to
curb the current dynamism of the topic problem.
Description
A research dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of requirements for the award of a Bachelor of Science in Environment Management of Kampala International University
Keywords
Human presence, Environmental degradation, National park, Aberdare National Park, Kenya