REDD+-related activities in Kenya: actors’ views on biodiversity and monitoring in a broader policy context

Activities related to reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries (REDD+) bear potential benefits for, and also pose risks to, the conservation of biodiversity and ecosystem services (ES). Next to ecological, socioeconomic and technical factors, the priorities of key actors in REDD+ implementation shape the integration of biodiversity concerns. This study aimed to identify the views of key actors in the REDD+ implementation process in Kenya with regard to biodiversity conservation and monitoring in order to evaluate the degree to which biodiversity is likely to be considered in the (sub-) national REDD+ context. In Kenya, avoided deforestation in dry forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks in different forest types are major REDD+ activities. Interviews with 34 (sub-) national and project level actors showed that the solving of socioeconomic issues was paramount for REDD+ implementation in general and for achieving additional conservation benefits. In REDD+ initiatives in dry forests, conservation objectives were primarily related to wildlife; actors stressed the importance of specific management measures to minimize human-wildlife conflicts. In initiatives to enhance forest carbon stocks, the sustained provision of timber, fuel wood and hydrological ES was regarded as a conservation priority and a prerequisite for project viability. The biodiversity indicators and monitoring schemes considered to be available by the actors were mostly related to particular species. In conclusion, integration of biodiversity concerns into REDD+ depends heavily on the resolution of socioeconomic and political issues. Increased collaboration between Kenyan actors can contribute to the development of monitoring schemes for detecting REDD+ impacts on biodiversity and ES on a landscape scale.