The Mighty Jungle

....is no more. Kakamega National forest is a pale shadow of its former might. Due to population pressure and climate change the forest that once spanned west Africa and Uganda has shrunken to a mere 240 Sq. Kms. Not all of this climate change is due to man’s influence but man’s insatiable desire for resources has shrunk the forests considerably. Even now 57 villages surround the forests and use resources coming from the forest. The good news is that the Kenyan government has sealed the park to everyone except those small communities and has actually manages to regrow much of what is within the confines of the forest boundary. A view from the Buyanga Hill is phenomenal and reveals the new groth in stark contrast to the virgin forest. The walk to the falls (pictured above)via Isiukhu Trail is cool, damp and lovely. The falls are refreshing and worth a long stop to enjoy.
The steadily increasing population in Africa is fueled by the efforts of well meaning organizations who wish to alleviate suffering in the developing world. Social and religious factors contribute to reinforce this reproductive advantage. The average Kenyan cannot be blamed for the destruction of the forest or environment. Wood is still a common way of cooking and getting things done. Trash is burned instead of sent to a dump thus the streets are scattered with garbage. The roads are dusty and potholed, smog from vehicles is everywhere. The pressure to simply survive makes the preservation of the ecology a distant priority.
The bright spot in this story is education. Despite the poverty, schools of all levels are everywhere. There seem to be as many religiously sponsored schools as secular schools and even the poor get an education. It is a shining achievement for Kenyan culture that this is so but the clock is racing and one wonders if affluence and education will partner in a beneficial way to solve Kenya’s environmental issues.

Several highlights of the forest include a sprawling ancestral tree (pictured above)that was used for ages for religious rituals. Even though the Kenyan government does not allow the use of the tree for rituals, it does allw the park to give seedling to anyone who asks so that they may grow their own tree. Also in the park are 400 species of butterflies, 350 species of birds, 8 differant antelope and 40 differant snakes.

This was well worth the trip!