Rehabilitation, Protection and Conservation of Kaya Forest Cultural Site in Coastal Kenya

The Kaya Forest and its settlements is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located on Kenya’s coast. In the 16th century, during tribal wars, it represented a vital cultural and ecological treasure for the Mijikenda community and the wider region. Its tangible heritage is defined by an architectural layout of operational cultural heritage systems such as prayer points, graveyards, and ancestor statuettes. The Kaya Forest also embodies rich intangible heritage, including traditional knowledge systems, spiritual practices, botanical resources that support food systems and medicine, crafting and weaving, traditional construction methods, knowledge on seasonal changes, and ritual carvings. However, it faces increasing threats from climate change, resource exploitation, and land encroachment. The project aims to rehabilitate and protect the Kaya Forest while empowering the local community to sustain their cultural practices and environmental stewardship. By addressing ecological restoration, rehabilitating degraded sites and infrastructure to enhance visitor access, and reinforcing the site’s protection measures, the project aims to preserve the forest’s ecological and ethnographic value. Through documentation, training, and community engagement, it seeks to safeguard the forest’s historical significance and cultural integrity for future generations.