Question

Read the passage below carefully:

For centuries, the Ogiek people of the Mau Forest ecosystem in Kenya relied on traditional log beehives carved from cedar branches and hung high in the canopy of indigenous trees. These hives were strategically placed in specific micro-climatic zones based on seasonal floral blooms. However, recent commercial initiatives promoting modern frame hives have urged Ogiek apiculturists to relocate their operations to the forest floor to facilitate easier harvesting. While the modern hives yielded higher volumes of honey per extraction cycle, community elders noted a sharp decline in the natural regeneration of canopy-dwelling orchid species and high-canopy seed dispersal. The traditional elevated placement of hives had unintentionally mandated regular human presence in the upper forest layer, deterring illegal high-canopy timber poachers and ensuring the cross-pollination of rare epiphytes. By shifting hives to ground level, the informal surveillance of the upper canopy ceased, leaving key ecological niches vulnerable to degradation despite the modest monetary gains from honey yields.

From the passage, it can be inferred that traditional Ogiek apiculture inadvertently served as an ecological safeguard because