Table 1.
REGION FOREST AREA (ha) AREA OF REGION RELATIVE $
"000" ha FOREST COVER
Central 271,975 1,323.2 0.466
Coast 120,770 8,311.4 0.207
Eastern 141,535 13,451.2 0.243
Nairobi 2,155 70.0 0.004
Nyanza 3,580 1,009.2 0.006
Rift Valley 765,950 17,763.4 1. 314
Western 64,195 660.4 0.110
N. Eastern 0 15,711.6 0
KENYA 1,370,160 58,300.0 2,55
boundaries were much more clearly defined. For a number of areas, only
wet season scenes were available. With the addition of mapping from
coverflights, the errors were estimated at 10,000 ha. giving a total of
30,000 hectares or 2.3%. Combining all sources of error, an estimated
3.6% error was felt to be acceptable for a country wide survey.
CONCLUSION
The extent to which remote sensing data has been useful in gathering
information on forest reserves has been demonstrated. The first estimate
of the actual forest cover and the established depletion rates and trend
in the critical forest areas form a sound basis for continued research.
Additional information on forest types, species diversity, abundance and
other ecological parameters is required for optimal utilization of the
forest resource. It was not possible to gather this information because
of limitations of the Landsat sensor resolution.
The information was obtained within one year within the constraints
of inconsistent supply of enhanced imagery, constant cloud cover in some
areas and limited access to computer facility. But of major concern is
that the gathered data is not yet being readily accepted within the
running national developmental programmes.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The Regional Remote Sensing Facility here in Nairobi made available
much of the satellite imagery used for this study as well as some equipment
used for analysing the imagery. The Canadian International Development
Agency (CIDA) through the Canada Centre for Remote Sensing (CCRS) provided
funds and computer time for the digital analysis. The French Government
under existing French Technical Assistance to the Government of Kenya in
remote sensing applications provided staff and technical support. Permission
to have this paper published was provided by the Project Manager - K.R.E.M.U.
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