TABLE OF CONTENT
DECLARATION .
DEDICATION
APPROVAL.
iv
ACKNOWLEDGEM~JqT
LIST OF ACRONYMS vi
TABLE OF CONTENT
ABSTRACT
CHAPTER ONE 1
THE PROBLEM AND ITS SCOPE 1
I. I Introduction and background ofthe study 1
1.2 Statement ofthe problem 3
1.3 Objectives ofthe study
1.3.1 General objective 5
1.3.2 Specific Objectives
1.4 Research questions
1.SScopeofthestudy 6
1.5.1 Geographical scope 6
1.5.2Timescope 6
1.5.3 Content scope 6
1.6 Definition ofkey terms 6
1.7 Significance ofthe study
VII
CHAPTER TWO .8
LITERATURE REVIEW .8
2.0 Introduction .8
2.1 The causes ofpopulation increase/growth .8
2.2 Effects ofpopulation increase to forests 11
2.3 Population control measures in the communities 14
2.4 Suitable forest conservation strategies amidst population increase 16
CHAPTER TI13~E 19
METhODOLOGY 19
3.Olntroduction 19
3.lResearchdesign 19
3.2 Description ofthe study 19
3.3 Study population 20
3.4 Sampling strategies 20
3.4.1 Sample ~ 20
3.4.2 Sample ~ 20
3.5 Data Collection Methods 20
3.5.1 Data Collection instruments 21
3.6 Data analysis techniques 21
3.7 Anticipated Limitations ofthe study 21
CHAPTER FOuR 2
PRESENTATION, INTERPRETATIONS AND DISCUSSIONS 23
4.1 Introduction 23
viii
4.2 Demographic Characteristics of Respondents .23
Ci-IAPTER FIVE 30
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 30
5.0 Chapter overvje~v 30
5.1 Summary of the Major Findings 30
5.3 Conclusion 32
5.4 Recommendations 34
5.5 Area for further research 37
ABSTRACT This research report set out to investigate the impact of population increase towards forest conservation in Wajir county. North Eastern province of Kenya. Its main objectives were to find out the causes of population increase; to identify the effects of population increase to forests; to explore the population control measures within the nearby communities and to suggest suitable solutions to the problem of population increase and forest conservation. The research study will he descriptive and qualitative in nature hence both qualitative and quantitative data collection methods will be used to gain an in depth understanding to find out the causes of population increase, identify the effects of population increase to forests, explore the population control measures within the nearby communities and suggest suitable forest conservation strategies put in place amidst population increase. The sample of 115 respondents will he considered and the research will be gender sensitive. The above discussion suggests that fertility and increase in population may be jointly determined, and that there is a need to separate these effects in order to identify the “causal” effects of family size on increase in population which leads to encroachment into the forest. After an analysis was done the study came up with the following recommendations; to strengthen efforts in forest conservation and the sustainable management of forest resources, it is imperative to ensure the participation of local community and that all national policy and strategies must indicate the forest area set aside for forest conservation and in the sustainable production of rules goods and services. To further ensure sustainable forest conservation and sustainable forest management, the prices of timber and timber products at the market place must fully reflect both their replacement and environmental costs, and that trade in forest products should be non-discriminatory and any unilateral measures to restrict and/or ban their trade should be removed or avoided. Enhancement of forest cover is to be viewed as a proactive measure taken to arrest and reverse the current trend of forest decline and degradation. x
