Kenya: Kenya Forest Service hosted a cleanliness drive for the citizens at mature forest plantations within the Mt. Kenya Ecosystem. The exercise occurred at Isaak Walton Hotel, Embu County.
The initiative complies with the Constitution of Kenya 2010, statutory laws, regulations, and guidelines that mandate the Service to conduct public participation before undertaking the disposal of plantation forest materials.
The Service targets to dispose of 5000 ha of plantation forest materials during the 2023/2024 Financial Year, a percentage of which is within the Mt. Kenya Forest Ecosystem.
The stakeholder noted that forest plantations are specifically for commercial purposes as is established & entrenched in the Forest Conservation & Management Act 2016; hence, harvesting must be undertaken on a sustainable basis for the production of wood and other forest products and services for commercial purposes and the socio-economic benefits of the nation.
They have also lauded the commercial forestry approaches the Service has put in place for transforming the lives of forest resource adjacent communities.
Noting that the trees are planted by the Kenya Forest they said the Service should not be stopped from harvesting the same trees.
Participants highlighted multiple benefits that have accrued for communities in matters of plantation forestry. These include improved livelihoods and food security and benefits accrued from collecting firewood from the non-merchandisable parts of harvested trees. They decried the heartbreaking experience of witnessing over-mature plantation trees going to waste with diseases while others are felled by the wind.
The exercise witnessed commercial forestry stakeholders within the Mt Kenya Ecosystem, various entities including representatives of the County Governments of Embu, Meru, Kirinyaga, Nyeri & Tharaka Nithi, NGAO’s, Assemblies and, the Judiciary all represented.
Additional stakeholders included the Kenya Police Service, Kenya Wildlife Service, NEMA, Law Society of Kenya, Chairpersons of Community Forest Associations, Forest Station Managers, County Forest Conservators, Director of Public Prosecution, Youth representatives, Persons Living With Disability, Timber Manufacturers Association, and Water Resources Authority.
The stakeholders were stratified into groups that generated information that will be analyzed independently and submitted to the relevant authorities. The groups voted on a number of issues, with over 90% voting in favor of lifting of moratorium and disposal of mature and over-mature plantation forest materials.
Regional Forest Conservator, Eastern Conservancy, hosted the meeting.
