[H-GG03] Dialogues on natural resources and environment between earth and social sciences

[HGG03-05] Natural environmental resources, geomorphic processes and peoples’ livelihoods in semi-arid, soil-eroded areas in Central Kenya

*Yoshinori OTSUKI¹, Ryoki NIREI², Asaka Konno³, Gen Ueda⁴, Matheaus Kioko KAUTI⁵ (1.Institute of Geography, Graduate School of Science, Tohoku University, 2.Remote Sensing Technology Center of Japan, 3.Tokoha University, 4.Graduate School of Social Science, Hitotsubashi University, 5.South Eastern Kenya University)

Keywords:semi-arid area, soil erosion, sand harvest, invasive alien plant species (IAPS), Kenya

Over the past several years, we have continued to conduct a multidisciplinary research project, entitled as “Use and management of natural resources in semi-arid and soil eroded area, central Kenya”. The study area, the Laikipia County, which was a formerly model area where long-term, macro-level projects on environmental resource use and management, conducted by University of Bern, etc. Specific knowledge closely related to the area, however, such as erosion rates and the intensity of land-condition degradation, has not been accumulated. This area lies on the northern edge of the Central Plateau, in a transition zone to lower altitudes. Soil erosion is, therefore, pronounced, with a relatively high density of large gullies.
This presentation integrates our reports since JPGU in 2020, and will consist of the following parts: 1) Rate of landform changes associated with soil erosion. 2) Spatial and temporal distribution of the invasive alien plant species (IAPS), due to through satellite optical and stratigraphic surveys. 3) Land cover conditions and its changes in the Laikipia North County. 4) Actual use and management of natural resources through interviews with local people.