Sustainable land management (SLM) practices are key for achieving land degradation neutrality, but their continued implementation lag behind the progression of various forms of land degradation. While many scholars have assessed the drivers of SLM uptake for restoring land affected by desertification, drought, and floods (SDG 15.3 and partly SDG 2.4), little is known about the implication of SLM implementation on invasive alien species (IAS) management. This study aimed at understanding the challenges and proposing solutions for the uptake of SLMs with respect to the management of the invasive tree, Prosopis juliflora, in Baringo County, Kenya. Data were collected with semi-structured questionnaires, the responses were coded into themes, and c-coefficient tables were used to determine code linkages. Our results show that the availability of incentives is the main motivation for invasion management. Thus, management efforts have often focused on private parcels, while communally shared lands tended to be neglected despite their vulnerability to invasion. We conclude that sustainable IAS management lies at a landscape scale, and thus the national IAS management strategies should adopt a collective approach by empowering local actors to engage in SLM implementation.

Biological invasions are complex processes requiring coordinated and spatially targeted management. This study assessed spatiotemporal trajectories and determinants of Prosopis cover in Baringo County, Kenya. Land cover data for every seven years between 1988 and 2016 revealed the presence of Prosopis. We tested for trajectory clusters using spatial autocorrelation and overlaid the trajectory categories with landscape features. Generally, most plots were only temporarily managed or not managed at all, while continuous management of Prosopis occurred mainly near rivers and on plots suitable for cultivation. Parcels within 250 m from roads, which are dispersal pathways for Prosopis seeds, were rarely cleared of Prosopis. We conclude that successful management requires incentives for stakeholders’ engagement in collective management action at a landscape level. Trajectory mapping should be integrated into planning tools to foster the prioritization of timely and context-specific response mechanisms.