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Taking on the steep ridges one steady step at a time, Elias Kibiwot Kimaiyo heads deep into Kenya’s Embobut Forest, where he was born and raised. Gentle mid-morning light filters through the branches of cedar, eucalyptus and acacia trees and onto the forest floor. Kibiwot knows these trails by heart. Pointing to a fallen cedar tree that bridges a stream, he says it’s been there ever since he was a boy. For centuries, the Sengwer were careful guardians of their forests, until it was designated a protected area by the Kenya Forest Service (KFS) in the 1960s, leading to their eviction. “We knew just how much bark we should take from a tree so that it would live while we got what we needed. The only reason why the Embobut is still here today is because we fought for these trees,” Kibiwot says. Read the full story via the link in the bio. Story and images by Kang-Chun Cheng. #kenya #forest #forests #farming #indigenous #indigenouspeoples #forestry #conservation #environment