The forest types of Kenya In: Pellikka, P., J. Ylhäisi & B. Clark (eds.) Taita Hills and Kenya, 2004 – seminar, reports and journal of a field excursion to Kenya. Expedition reports of the Department of Geography, University of Helsinki 40, 8-13. Helsinki 2004, ISBN 952-10-2077-6, 148 pp-
Peltorinne, Piritta (2004). The forest types of Kenya In: Pellikka, P., J. Ylhäisi & B. Clark (eds.) Taita Hills and Kenya, 2004 – seminar, reports and journal of a field excursion to Kenya. Expedition reports of the Department of Geography, University of Helsinki 40, 8-13. Helsinki 2004, ISBN 952-10-2077-6, 148 pp.. University of Helsinki: Helsinki. 8-13 pp.
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| Abstract |
Kenyan forests are biologically rich and harbour high concentrations of endemic species. Forests contain lowland rainforest in western Kenya, and montane forest in the central and western highlands and on higher hills and mountains. Forest classification done by describing dominant species and environmental features of different forest types summarises these forests in six main blocks: the volcanic mountains, the western plateau, the northern mountains, the coastal forests, the southern hills and the riverine forests. Since Kenyan forests are influenced by the farming and herding practices of the local inhabitants, many Kenyan forests are cultural rather than natural entities. However, they still support a forest cover of solely or mainly indigenous species. This is also why most forests are highly fragmented and under pressure – lowland forests are the first forests to be cleared for agriculture and present population pressure is making the forests more and more fragmented and degraded. |
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