To curb illegal activities in Mvai Forest Reserve, stricter by-laws and enhanced enforcement mechanisms were introduced through the Chief’s Forum in collaboration with local government. These by-laws regulate activities such as charcoal production, farming, and firewood collection within the reserve. Measures include stricter penalties for illegal resource use, community sensitization on legal repercussions, and improved support for local patrol committees. The project provided necessary equipment to community committees for patrolling and monitoring encroachment, while local authorities agreed to expedite legal proceedings for forest-related offenses. This stricter enforcement framework addresses the underlying issues of encroachment, ensuring that illegal activities are deterred effectively. Additionally, community sensitization campaigns, led by traditional authorities, reinforced the importance of compliance with by-laws for sustainable forest management.

Community education and sensitization were essential components of the project to reduce encroachment and promote sustainable practices in Mvai Forest Reserve. The Chiefs Forum organised field visits to showcase governance challenges and educate participants on the environmental, social, and economic benefits of natural resource management. Local leaders conducted advocacy and awareness sessions to inform communities about the importance of conservation, sustainable land use, and legal regulations on resource use. Sensitization campaigns emphasized the impacts of deforestation and introduced sustainable livelihood alternatives, aiming to shift behaviors away from forest exploitation. These activities have empowered communities to take responsibility for forest protection and reporting illegal activities, significantly reducing encroachment and fostering a conservation mindset among local residents.

The Chief’s Forum was created to strengthen governance and reduce encroachment by uniting local chiefs, district council officers, and community representatives in a collaborative approach. Formed after extensive consultations in 2022, the Forum established a formalized structure to coordinate natural resource management efforts, aligning with traditional authorities and local government to enforce sustainable practices. Key responsibilities include advocacy for resource management, mobilizing funds, creating and enforcing by-laws, and promoting community sensitization on sustainable land use. The Forum acts as a bridge between the project and local stakeholders, fostering cooperation and accountability. Regular meetings and field visits enable chiefs to observe forest management challenges firsthand and address issues such as grazing and farming within protected areas.

The Entarara CFA established three user groups—beekeeping, nursery planting, and ecotourism—to support alternative livelihoods and reduce pressure on forest resources. The beekeeping group aims to produce honey, providing both income and pollination services within the forest. The nursery group focuses on growing indigenous and fruit trees for sale, with a target of 100,000 seedlings annually, supporting reforestation and providing income. The ecotourism group plans to fundraise for forest fencing, promote awareness, and develop tourism-friendly amenities like picnic sites and campsites. These groups offer diverse livelihood options that are ecologically sustainable and economically beneficial, fostering community commitment to forest conservation.

The formation of the Entarara Community Forest Association (CFA) marked a critical step in managing and conserving the forest through community engagement. WWF facilitated discussions with the seven nearby villages on the benefits of creating a CFA to allow legal and organized community involvement in forest management. By 2023, the CFA was officially formed, with a governance structure and a participatory forest management plan (PFMP) developed in collaboration with the Kenya Forest Service and Kajiado County. The CFA serves as the primary organization responsible for implementing restoration, protection, and community-led activities in the forest. It plays an essential role in mobilizing community members, organizing user groups, and ensuring that forest resources are managed sustainably, offering an inclusive platform for local voices and promoting ownership.

In 2020, efforts to restore Entarara Forest included a focus on removing invasive plant species, specifically lantana camara, which had spread throughout the area. The County government and CFA, with support from the WWF initiated invasive plant removal as part of its commitment to rehabilitate the degraded areas in the forest. The invasive species removal aimed to improve the ecological health of the forest by allowing native species to re-establish and enhancing habitat quality that  better supports ecosystem services. To support this, the County government supports local residents  to patrol and secure the forest, preventing re-encroachment. This early restoration activity coupled with re-afforestation was essential for creating the right conditions for forest regeneration and  impetus for future reforestation efforts.

The KCNRN enhances local capacity for FLR through targeted training and resource mobilization. A needs assessment informed the development of thematic leadership roles and capacity-building programs for local organizations. Training initiatives strengthen skills in sustainable land management, value chain development, and resource mobilization. The network also supports knowledge sharing and cross-sector collaboration, ensuring that member organizations can efficiently implement restoration activities.

The KCNRN promotes FLR awareness and community participation through innovative campaigns, such as linking restoration efforts to cultural events. The "Miti" festival mobilizes schools, businesses, and government institutions for large-scale tree planting, using social media influencers to amplify participation. This campaign integrates cultural identity with environmental action, fostering a sense of ownership among community members. By making tree planting a shared cultural event, the network raises awareness of sustainable land use while strengthening public support for FLR initiatives.

Using the described approach is set to simplify formally linking a community group with the authorities and empower these organisations to assist in sustainably managing natural resources. Fostering and preserving positive ties is important, as the government agencies are usually in charge of managing natural resources, such as fisheries. When a committee oversees this resource, it must answer to these authorities and take responsibility. The committee does not intend to strip the government’s authority to resource management but instead to collaborate with them for the community’s benefit.

Once the committee is officially recognized and its members’ capabilities are clear, it needs to start the creation of a development plan. This development plan includes a clear vision for the future, outlines the course of action and envised outcomes. All committee members should be involved in the creation of this joint picture of the future of their waterbodies and the planned management practices to reach this joint picture.

Such a target could be combating illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing (IUU) in the waterbody the committee is managing. Therefore, the management committee assesses the initial status of the waterbody and fishing activities, develops patrol plans, and organises awareness-raising events to inform the community of new regulations. 

When necessary, the management can request assistance from relevant authorities, like commune chiefs, fisheries administrations or provincial departments of agriculture and fisheries. In addition, the supported committee can collect fishing data, document all their patrolling and record or report any IUU fishing incidents that occur within its area. They achieve this by either using paper forms or digitally with tablets or cellphones when trained accordingly.

Next, the committee must learn how to turn its development plan into a monthly action plan. This can be done following the same process as was used to establish their development plan, just for the course of one month at a time. With the help of external assistance, they can determine what they can do over the next thirty days. 

Finally, a simple monitoring and evaluation system needs to be set up. Generally, this involves monitoring the progress of the tasks listed in their action plan. This includes recording any deviations from the plan, documenting any modifications made, and keeping track of the expenses associated with each activity. The committee should meet at the end of each month to review the previous month’s work and schedule the next one.