Government pushes forest recovery initiative following moratorium lift

RACHEL KITHOME-KNA

Following the lifting of the 2023 logging moratorium, the Kenya Forest Service (KFS) has stepped up efforts to rehabilitate forest cover in the Lower Eastern region.

The move is aimed at facilitating the recovery of depleted forests to ensure sustainable environmental management in the wake of climate change and related global dynamics.

As part of the plan, the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry and the KFS held a public participation forum in Kitui township to sensitize key stakeholders in the sector, including representatives of the Community Forest Association, members of the Kitui County Assembly, forestry investors, and local leaders, on best conservation practices to help protect the already fragile ecosystem.

Speaking during the forum, Mr. Antony Musyoka, the Kenya Forest Service Deputy Conservator of Forests in charge of Plantation Management and Inventory in Kitui, said that since the moratorium was partially lifted, the Service has been holding similar engagements across the country.

Musyoka observed that the public forums are intended to collect views from communities and key industry players on how best to manage mature and over-mature plantation forests while ensuring their environmental sustainability.

He explained that KFS operates under annual felling plans that guide harvesting activities in plantation areas across various counties.

Under the Annual Allowable Cut (AAC) framework, the Service is currently permitted to harvest up to 5,000 hectares of plantation forest annually. 

Musyoka emphasized that harvesting activities are conducted in accordance with established guidelines and are followed by immediate reforestation programmes.

“We do not leave harvested areas bare. Once trees are felled, we embark on reforestation programmes to restore the areas and maintain ecological balance,” he said.

He further noted that plantation forests form a critical component of the country’s forestry sector including providing raw materials for industry while also supporting conservation goals when managed sustainably.

The public participation exercise in the Lower Eastern Conservancy covers plantation areas in Kitui, Makueni and Machakos Counties.

Speaking during the forum, Kyome/Thaana Ward MCA Mr. Alphonce Mukwaiyu underscored the importance of involving local communities in forest management decisions.

The MCA also noted that public participation is essential in ensuring transparency and accountability in the harvesting process citing that it helps strengthen cooperation between KFS and residents living near forest areas.

“We must ensure that as we harvest the plantations, we as well conserve and replant for future generations,” he said while he urged residents to actively participate in tree planting initiatives and conservation programmes and especially during the ongoing rains.

Participants at the meeting emphasized the need to strike a balance between ecological conservation, regulated exploitation of plantation forests and the socio-economic needs of the local communities.