The author is a forester with ten years of experience working in various forests. I found this particular forest unique and of interest following its location and dynamics. The Karura Forest Reserve is located on the outskirts of Nairobi, the capital of Kenya. The forest plays a special role in Nairobi and Kenya as an urban recreational conservation forest because of its exceptional geographic location. The demand for forest resources is high due to the dense population that surrounds the forest. These resources include water, fuelwood, ecotourism and recreation. Interactions with and around this forest raised curiosity in terms of the changes that have taken place over the past ten years, during which I have been part and percel of Karura forest. It is for that reason that the author saw the need to conduct a research and establish if an urban community neighbouring the forest was in any way affected by the current management system of this particular forest. It is a first of its kind since it focuses on an informal settlement and how it benefits from the forest, unlike many common rural communities whose activities in the forest lean towards farming.
This study aimed at examining the socio-economic benefits of the Huruma community, especially from the Karura forest, for the duration they have lived next to the forest ever since it became a functional eco-tourism urban forest.The entire research work was full of surprises and unexpected discoveries in as far as social forestry is concerned. I came across a completely different society, unlike the common notion of informal settlers, which is strongly characterised by their environment and day to day interactions in the forest.
The author sought to answer questions like the evaluation of the economic value of Karura forest to the residents of Huruma, the investigation of effects of participatory forest management initiatives in enhancing the well-being of of the people of Huruma informal settlement. This book gives answers to the many questions asked by people concerning community participation in forest management and, in particular, the kind of karura forest, being a first-class urban forest in a city.
