Redesigning the reclaimed landscape for sustainable recreation in Kayole

Abstract

In the past mines were abandoned after mining activities leaving undesired effects on the landscape and water sources. Numerous accidents occur in quarries across Kenya leading to deaths of 30 people annually. Mining is an activity presenting a plethora of environmental, social and economic problems thus using abandoned quarries as sites for new construction is a useful form of reclamation, one that has occurred throughout history. Reclamation of degraded landscapes in developing countries is an environmental issue that is under consideration. Human activities have intensified thus disturbing the ecological balance and decreasing the availability of viable land. Environmentalists have come up with policies to tackle degradation and its effects globally. This drive was mainly inspired by the conservation strategies developed and promoted by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN). The proposed research is intended to provide planning approaches and design guidelines for integrated and sustainable development that would be more responsive, repurposing former quarry sites for community recreation needs and aspirations. A case study approach is used, to give sustainable measures that most countries have adopted for projects of this nature. Different methods of degraded land rehabilitation activities will be discussed through a critical interrogation of existing literature and field experiences. The resulting study is expected to proffer solutions that ameliorate challenges facing today’s landscape designer. Additionally, the study should result in a robust and context-responsive model that can be used for rebuilding quarries that have been degraded by human activity and restore it for future generations.