Land/sea-use change in Kenya means converting wild habitats into farms, settlements, roads, ports and other human infrastructure. In recent decades Kenya’s expanding population and development pushed into forests, rangelands and coasts. For example, the 2,700 km² Mau Forest Complex (Nakuru/Narok counties) – a key water catchment and wildlife refuge – has lost roughly a quarter of its trees since the 1980snews.mongabay.comnews.mongabay.com. Most clearing is for smallholder agriculture and grazingnews.mongabay.com. These losses remove habitat for elephants, the rare mountain bongo and African golden cat that live therenews.mongabay.com. In central Kenya (Kinangop Plateau, Nyandarua County) grasslands have been plowed under for crops and woodlots. This conversion destroys the tussock grasses needed by the endangered Sharpe’s longclaw (a bird endemic to Kenya) and other grassland specialistsnaturekenya.orgenglish.news.cn. Overall, surveys find that habitat degradation from farms, fences and roads is rampant: in 2023 only 3 of 56 key biodiversity sites (out of 109 in Kenya) scored “favorable” status, as many protected areas are being degazetted or fragmentedenglish.news.cnenglish.news.cn.

• Forest and Woodlands: Intensive deforestation is documented in highland forests. Satellite data show Mau Forest lost ~19% of its tree cover between 2001–2022 (and ~25% since 1984)news.mongabay.com. Illegal logging, charcoal burning and agricultural fires drive this lossnews.mongabay.comnews.mongabay.com. The shrubby forest (Arabuko-Sokoke) and dry woodlands in coastal Kenya have also been cleared for farming and settlements. The Aberdare and Mt. Kenya water towers are similarly fragmented by farms and towns, threatening endemic primates and birds.
• Savannah and Grasslands: Traditional rangelands across northern and southern Kenya have been fenced, subdivided or converted to farms. In Tsavo–Amboseli (Kajiado/Taita-Taveta) and Laikipia, farmland expansion has closed historic wildlife corridors. Half a century ago roughly 45,000 elephants roamed Tsavo; today only ~11,000 remain, largely confined to parks. Vast ranches like Galana and Kulalu no longer support large herds because of farming, cattle and settlementsheldrickwildlifetrust.org. In kinangop and similar highlands, new farms fragment grassland on which Sharpe’s longclaws and other endemic birds dependnaturekenya.orgenglish.news.cn.
• Coastal and Marine Change: Coastal development (roads, hotels, salt farms) destroys mangroves and coral habitat. For instance, salt-processing plants in coastal counties now discharge brine that raises water salinity and kills mangrove treesenglish.news.cn. Wetlands like the Tana River Delta have been eyed for large irrigation schemes that would submerge floodplain forests and displace waterbirds. Sea-use changes also include port construction (Mombasa, Lamu) and sand mining, which have damaged reef systems and turtle nesting beaches.

Land/sea-use change in Kenya thus often means lost habitat. Between 2018–2024 even UNESCO surveys noted intensifying threats from land subdivision and infrastructure. Key wildlife species – from elephants and lions in the savannahs to specialized birds in forests and grasslands – face shrinking homes. “Unchecked agricultural expansion, grazing and settlement” are cited by Kenyan experts as major pressuresenglish.news.cnnews.mongabay.com. Mitigation efforts (e.g. new wildlife corridors between Amboseli and Tsavokws.go.ke or forest replanting in Mau) are underway, but much habitat remains unprotected from conversion.