The Kayas and the sacred forests of the Mijikenda community are a unique place for the conservation of botanical species endemic of the East African coastal forests and they considered as the carriers of group identity due to their status as sacred places and home to the Mijikenda.

The solution focuses on preserving the natural environment surrounding the Kayas through the continuation of a management approach based on the traditional knowledge of the Mijikenda and the principles of self-restrain supervised by spiritual leaders and the Council of Elders (Kambi). The protection of these outstanding sites is further supported by the National Museums of Kenya which protects the sites at the institutional and legal levels.

This unique connection of nature, culture and sacredness has led to the inscription of the Sacred Mijikenda Kaya Forests in the World Heritage List and the Mijikenda traditions and practices on the list of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding.