Ecosystem services valuation in East Mau Forest

This work quantifies the economic values of East Mau forest ecosystem using Market based, Contingent Valuation and Benefit Transfer techniques. Data was collected from households, sawmills and forest product traders within and adjacent to East Mau forest. Additional data were obtained from published and unpublished sources. Descriptive statistics and parametric tests were applied to describe forest ecosystem values. Difference in forest incomes across locations; ethnicity and wealth classes were tested using comparison of means and ANOVA. A multiple regression model was used to identify determinants of forest dependence with relative forest income and socio-economic characteristics as dependent and independent variables respectively. The total economic value (TEV) of East Mau forest ecosystem was KES 24billion (US$266million) per annum and indirect use values formed the bulk of TEV at KES 19.7billion (US$219 million) (82.4%), direct use values was KES 4.2billion (US$ 46million) (17.5%), and non-use values was KES 31million (US$ 347, 000 (0.1%). The bulk (96%) of direct use values were appropriated by local communities.