Community-based ecotourism as a sustainable development option in Taita Taveta, Kenya

The aim of this study is to present a view of the state of the indigenous forests and sacred forests in Taita Hills, in southeast Kenya, and to discuss the possibilities of ecotourism in Taita-Taveta district in preserving these natural-cultural habitats. The concept of ecotourism is defined and the interdependence of the ecological sustainability and the community viability is discussed. The plans concerning the future of the forests and local communities made by the government and non-governmental organisations are also looked at. The high population density in the Taita Hills puts great pressure on the land and the area needs strategies for preserving its fragile biodiversity. Incomes from other sectors outside agriculture are important for many households. Ecotourism is seen as a way to combine the nature conservation and the economic development of local communities. Taita Taveta has potential but also constraints for promoting this kind of small-scaled tourism.