PASTORALISM, BIODIVERSITY, AND THE SHAPING OF SAVANNA LANDSCAPES IN EAST-AFRICA

East Africa possesses a rich historical and archaeological record docu menting the significant influences of pastoral land use on savanna hab itats. In this article the author explores the heterogeneity of savann a landscapes and its effects on local resource use. It is suggested th at fundamental misunderstanding of key resources-in this case, wetland s-and their importance to local social and economic systems has misdir ected arguments about environmental degradation in pastoral savanna ar eas. By focusing on a region of northern Kenya-the Lake Baringo basin of Baringo District-where global concern about biodiversity loss and ' desertification' are both strongly voiced, the article argues that the causal connection of local social practice with either phenomenon has been vastly exaggerated. In the case of Baringo it shows (1) how the value of the basin's swamps is constantly misunderstood by the state a nd other outside interests, and (2) how the perceived role of African herding in creating environmental degradation ('desertification') cont radicts the recent acknowledgement of pastoralism's positive contribut ion to maintaining biodiversity.