Brackenhust forest was started as an arboretum in 2000 with the aims of recreation, education, but above all, the conservation of East African plants. In 2003, Brackenhurst registered with Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI) as a botanic garden. The garden is situated near Tigoni in Limuru district, 25 km north of Nairobi at an altitude of between 1800 and 2000m. The natural vegetation type is tropical montane forest but 99.9 percent of this in the district has been replaced by agriculture (coffee, tea, flowers and smallholder farming), exotic tree plantations (eucalyptus, wattle, and cypress), and residential land. The indigenous reforestation project has been accompanied by the return of bird and animal species and has let to the revitalization of the river within the Brackenhurst valley.