To support sustainable management and restoration of degraded rangelands in Chyulu Hills in South Eastern Kenya, the integrated landscape monitoring program 'Vital Signs' has conducted scientific assessments on key ecological and social dynamics of the landscape.
Through field visits and remote sensing, Vital Sign's GIS/Remote Sensing Analyst Tom Kiptenai and a team of researchers have collected important data on land cover, land use changes, grassland biomass, land degradation, carbon emissions from deforestation and water resources among others. The data will be useful in guiding decision making by various actors in managing the critically important landscape that provides many ecosystem benefits including fresh water, tourism, carbon storage and grazing land for livestock.
"Sharing these results with various actors in the landscape including local communities will enhance decision making in addressing rangeland degradation and improving people's lives. This is a practical example of how data is critical to management decisions, ” said Dr. Peter Alele, CI’s Senior Regional Director for Conservation Science in Africa.
A final report will be published in the coming weeks.
