Kenya: Kenya Forest Service launched Participatory Forest Management Plans some Forest Trust Associations and Community Forest Associations. The aim of the intiative is to make sure that the associations can work closely with the Kenya Forest service.
The Kenya Forest service is looking into ways to encourage the organizations to engage themselves in community services. The Deputy Chief Conservator of Forests, Natural Forest Conservation, Beatrice Mbula delivered a brief address at the event.
She called for the organizations to forge more partnerships aimed at community empowerment and conservation. She also urged the stakeholders who were present at the launch event to keep growing trees.
She claimed that they can plant trees even in their farms as a way to mitigate the adverse climate change effects such as floods and prolonged drought. Many parts of Africa have been exposed to adverse affects from the climate crisis.
Nations like Malawi, Zambia and parts of Kenya have seen reduction in rainfalls, resulting in drought situations. One of the ways in which the situation can be reversed is through large scale afforestation.
The Kenya Forest Service has been working hard to encourage the various members of the society to take up tree plantation. The Forest Trust Associations who are a part of the Participatory Forest Management Plans are listed below:
- Ontulili Community Forest Association
- Marania Community Forest Association,
- Muchene Community Forest Association
- Ngare Ndare Forest Trust Association
The stakeholders also signed Forest Management Agreements for Ontulili, Marania and Muchene CFAs and in Meru County and Nothern Rangelands Trustand.
Greenzones Development Support Project Phase II supported the development of Ontulili, Marania and Muchene PFMPs. Within the county, the Project has also supported several income generating activities for CFAs.
These income-generating activities include apiaries, development of ecotourism sites, fruit farms and tree nursery establishment. The KFS acknowledged that Community Forest Associations play a key role in the conservation of forests.
At the same time they also benefit from the forest with user rights for grazing, firewood collection, PELIS, ecotourism and so on. Through their tree planting activities, they actively contribute to the presidential directive of 30% tree cover by 2032.
The County Commissioner was present at the launch event alongside the GZDSP II Project Manager, Jerome Mwanzia. The other guests present at the launch included,
Regional Forest Conservator Eastern Conservancy,
Meru County Government representatives,
Local area leadership and officials from Kenya Forest Service.
Partners present during the launch included Kenya Wildlife Service, Lewa Wildlife Conservancy and Nothern Rangelands Trustand.
