Eliciting plural values behind restoration efforts in the Tudor Creek mangrove forest in Kenya: What is measured and what matters?

Sammanfattning

Mangroves are crucial tropical and subtropical coastal ecosystems in decline. In Kenya, 20% have been lost with degradation reaching nearly 90% in Mombasa’s Tudor Creek mangrove forest, mainly due to logging for livelihoods. Despite ongoing restoration efforts, plural values of mangroves and their representation in monitoring are insufficiently understood. Drawing on the IPBES typology of nature’s diverse values and measurement theory, this qualitative case study uncovers to what extent plural values are captured in restoration and monitoring practices through semi-structured key informant interviews. The results reveal a dominance of instrumental values, indicating a local dependence on mangroves. Monitoring is shaped by external funding requirements and focuses on quantifiable indicators, highlighting a gap between what is measured and what matters to the community. Therefore, a context-sensitive monitoring approach is imperative to improve restoration outcomes. This requires integrating locally meaningful values, applying feasible monitoring methods, providing external support, and maintaining reflexivity.