Arabuko-Sokoke National Park, home to the Arabuko-Sokoke Forest is the largest stretch of coastal forest remaining in Eastern Africa. Together with the adjoining Mida Creek the forest comprises an ecosystem of great diversity, containing many rare species of birds, butterflies, amphibians and plants. It is also more than a superb area for wildlife: in addition it provides local communities with firewood, building poles, timber, carving wood, medicines, water and the resource for community butterfly farming. All these benefits will only be sustainable by effectively conserving and maintaining the integrity of the forest without further degradation or loss of land area.

In order to manage the different demands upon the resources of the forest in a balanced way the Forestry Department and Kenya Wildlife Service have jointly formed the Arabuko-Sokoke Forest Management Team (ASFMT), which is committed to maintaining the benefits of the forest for present and future generations of both local communities and visitors.

In addition, the support of scientists, concerned citizens and forest visitors, such as yourselves, has recently proved critical in helping to protect this wonderful natural habitat against shortsighted attempts to convert substantial areas of the Forest Reseve to agricultural settlement and other land-use types.

The Forestry Department and Kenya Wildlife Service joint Secretariat will continue to support the efforts of ASFMT both in managing the forest for conservation and in promoting rural development incentives of benefit to the local population. The support of you, the forest visitor, for these efforts will also be very important.