Tree Safari to Kakamega rainforest

Lirhanda hill

From the top of Lirhanda Hill, the canopy of Kakamega Rainforest stretches as far as the eye can see. The trees below are giants: mahogany trees and other species soar up to 50 meters tall. As we walk through the forest, we see a Blue-headed Bee-eater perched on a bare branch. There are more than 200 species of bee in the forest, so there’s plenty for it to eat! Beautiful flowers from the Calabash Tree (Monodora myristica) lie on the path.

Calabash tree flower

Above our heads, there is a flash of red as a Ross’s Turaco glides by. High in the forest canopy, Great Blue Turacos feed on figs, scattering as a Black-and-white-Casqued Hornbill arrives croaking loudly. The Hornbill is soon displaced by a troop of Blue Monkeys eager to enjoy the feast. This is Kenya’s only rainforest, and it is bursting with life.

Rainforests like Kakamega are rare and precious. Although they cover just 6% of the Earth’s surface, they are home to over half of all known species of plants and animals. Many of the medicines we use today come from rainforest plants. These ancient ecosystems help the planet by capturing and storing carbon. Rainforests stabilise the climate and are the source of more than 75% of the world’s renewable water supply. Without rainforests, the world would be a much poorer place.

Potto

For local communities, the forest provides vital resources: medicinal plants, wild vegetables, and fodder for livestock. It also supports livelihoods, such as silk production and ecotourism. The forest also has sacred sites of great importance to local people. Recently, Kakamega was nominated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a recognition of its global significance.

Hobart’s Red Glider (Cymothoe hobarti hobarti)

But Kakamega is under threat. Over the years, logging, overgrazing, and invasive species have caused much of the forest to become degraded. More than half of its area is no longer pristine indigenous forest. This is serious for both people and wildlife. Without the forest, rivers like the Isiukhu and Yala could dry up, and the unique animals and plants that call Kakamega home might disappear forever.

Thankfully, there is hope. During our Tree Safari, we visited the Plants For Life Kakamega Rainforest Restoration Project, which is working to reconnect fragmented parts of the forest. The dedicated and enthusiastic team is clearing invasive guava trees and replanting the area with native species. It is crucial to plant the right trees, and the botanists involved have carefully collected seeds from original forest trees to ensure the forest’s biodiversity is preserved. The project also documents traditional knowledge of plants and works with local schools to plant fuelwood trees, reducing the need for firewood from the forest and raising awareness about the importance of rainforests.

Initiatives like the Plants For Life Kakamega Rainforest Restoration Project give us hope that Kakamega’s trees, animals, and rivers will thrive for generations to come.

Many thanks to the new Kakamega team of Plants For Life: Mark Nicholson, Cheryl Achesa, George Masambo, Edgar Miheso, and Kevin Mwale, and to Job Ilondanga, our guide.

Links to organisations working to conserve Kakamega rainforest

Plants for Life Kakamega rainforest Biodiversity Project (supported by Nicholsons landscape company)

Rhino ark fencing project

International Tree Foundation

Trees to look out for in Kakamega rainforest

This enormous Mulundu tree (Antiaris toxicaria) grows in the compount of Rondo Retreat. You can read about it here.

This Mutere (Maesopsis eminii) tree grew so tall it became famous in the Kakamega area and was given the affectionate title 'Mama Mutere'. Find out more about Mama Mutere here.

Other trees we saw in Kakamega rainforest:

Other trees we saw include some which are only found in this forest in Kenya. Names in bold are the Luhya names, which can vary.

· Mukangu (Pouteria altissima) is in the Star Apple & Shea butter family (Sapotaceae), as is Karura’s ‘Old Man of the Forest’ (Manilkara discolor).

· Lubushi (Monodora myristica) in the Custard apple family (Annonaceae).

· Munyama (Khaya anthotheca) in the Mahogany family (Meliaceae) which has interesting round fruit sticking up above the canopy

· Guava or mpera (Psidium guajava) in the eucalyptus family (Myrtaceae). It is an invasive species in the rainforest

· Mirembeh (Erythrina abyssinica) in the bean family (Fabaceae)

· Lutoto (Ficus thonningii or mgumo in kikuyu) in the fig and mulberry family (Moraceae). In this area, Lutoto was planted when a notable person died. Read more about fig trees here.

· Museno, the Sandpaper Fig (Ficus exasperata) is more common than Lutoto in this forest. It has extremely coarse sandpapery leaves.

· Mukamari (Cordia millennii), an uncommon species in the Borage family

· Mukhonzuli or Peacock flower (Albizia gummifera) in the bean family (Fabaceae)

· Musakala (Trema orientalis) in the elm family (Ulmaceae)

· Musine (Croton megalocarpus) in the Cassava family (Euphorbiaceae)

· Musa/ Shunza (Celtis milbraedii) in elm family (Ulmaceae)

· Mwiritsa (Prunus africana) in the rose family (Rosaceae)

· Simbari (Zanthoxylum milbraedii) in the citrus family (Rutaceae)

· Shiaraambatsa (Blighia unijugata)

· Subuhu (Macaranga schweinfurthii)

· Musaretsi (Lepisanthes senegalensis) in the Lychee family (Sapindaceae)

· Munuku (Morus mesozygia)

· Muyovu (Entandophragma angolense) in the Mahogany family (Meliaceae). In Kenya, this tree has become very rare. It is on the IUCN list of threatened species

· Mutobolo (Alangium chinense) in the Alangiaceae

· Mululu (Chrysophyllum albidum)

· Margaritaria flagifolia in the newly created family Phyllanthaceae. The tree was not previously recorded in Kenya

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