The protection of the Kaya forests of coastal Kenya is a primary matter of the Mijikenda, nine Bantu-speaking ethnic groups (Chonyi, Duruma, Digo, Giriama, Jibana, Kambe, Kauma, Rabai and Ribe). The Mijikenda peoples recognize their origins in the Kaya forests and they have established traditional regulatory systems and codes of ethics based on the sacredness of the Kaya forests and the practice of spiritual and sacred traditional performances like prayers, oath taking, burials, charms, naming of newly born, initiations, reconciliations, coronations and others. The use of natural resources within the Kaya forests is regulated through the traditional knowledge and practices of the Mijikeda. These practices forbid any active and commercial exploitation of natural resources, and they allow only for the collection of dead logs and plants used for spiritual and medicinal purposes. These traditional practices contribute to the conservation of the biodiversity of these forests.

The observation of these codes of ethics is supervised by the Council of Elders (Kambi) and the spiritual leaders of the Mijikenda people, which are in charge of ensuring that traditional regulatory systems are not breached and the forest is respected