Individual knowledge acquisition by teachers to promote the ecological value of sacred Kaya forests in southern Kenya

Demographic pressure is leading to an ever-increasing demand for natural resources. In large parts of Sub-Saharan Africa, natural ecosystems have been transformed into agricultural land, pastures, plantations, or settlement areas. The last remnants of natural ecosystems are preserved for biological and cultural reasons. The Mijikenda Kaya forests in coastal Kenya are small forest remnants with high biological and cultural value. Given demographic pressure and a lack of awareness of the value of bio- and cultural diversity, the destruction of these forest habitats is alarming. Environmental education in schools may help to increase awareness for the need to preserve these ecosystems. In this study, we interviewed teachers from schools located around Kaya Kambe forest in coastal Kenya. We used a standardized questionnaire to analyze the degree of awareness through environmental education, teachers´ attitudes to environmental issues in general, and particularly to sacred Kaya forests. We found that environmental education is of low priority for teachers in schools assessed. One third of respondents do not incorporate environmental topics in their teaching at all. Teachers who have already had environmental education themselves and therefore have respective knowledge are prone to incorporate these topics in their lessons. However, there is hardly any reference to the conservation of Kaya forests for their spiritual heritage. Only teachers who have a relation with Kaya forests and the local culture considered the forest to be of high biological and cultural relevance and worth conserving. Our study shows that environmental education is still under-represented in schools in Kenya, and should be given a higher priority in the school curricula in order to increase awareness of the need to preserve biological and cultural diversity as well as natural resources for the future.