Kaya forests are sacred biodiverse small forest patches within Kenya’s Coast region, historically valued for their spiritual and cultural significance and protected by the Mijikenda community through customary laws and taboos. These forests host over half of the region’s rare plants, alongside diverse fauna, providing essential ecosystem services crucial for local livelihoods. They supply timber, medicine, fruits, and water, the essential resources for the community. However, fragmentation and loss of Kaya forests threaten the biodiversity, culture, and livelihoods of the Mijikenda community. To address these challenges, a biocultural heritage territory (BCHT) approach was initiated. Led by Indigenous communities, this initiative aims to protect traditional knowledge, cultural values and practices, and ancestral food systems and enhance biodiversity conservation across four Kaya forests: Bomu, Fimboni, Mudzi Muvya, and Mudzi Mwiru in the Rabai cultural landscape. To guide the establishment of a BCHT management model, socioeconomic surveys were conducted through interviews involving 200 households in ten villages and five focus group discussions (FGDs) between September and October 2022. Findings show that most households earn under 200 USD monthly. Recognition of cultural values was highest among the elderly aged 65 years and above. Women and youth involvement in decision-making was 30% and 20%, respectively. Biodiversity assessments revealed 196 plant species, including 6 endangered endemic species, and 51 butterfly species across the Kaya forests. The generated information informed the establishment of biocultural enterprises and a communal fund for conservation. Furthermore, initiatives to promote agrobiodiversity through indigenous tree planting and traditional crops diversification enhance agrobiodiversity conservation and food security. The BCHT model is effective in ensuring biodiversity-rich landscapes are managed in an integrated and sustainable manner that enhances ecological connectivity.