Nyandarua Governor Francis Kimemia has urged the government to consider lifting the ongoing moratorium on tree harvesting in public and community forests.
The governor said that the moratorium was long overdue with those who depended on timber products and tree business for survival been adversely affected.
He noted that the government should lift the moratorium strategically to ensure the forest cover keeps on increasing despite the logging.
The county boss called for the crafting of a legal frame work that will ensure that counties benefit directly from revenue derived from forestry resources.
Mr Kimemia noted that since forestry is a resource for both levels of government, counties should be able to reap from the enormous resources that come from the natural resources within their jurisdiction as they are heavily involved in their protection.
The governor made the remarks when witnessing the signing of the Transition Implementation Plans (TIPs) between the county and the national government in an event presided over by Chief conservator of forests Julius Kamau.
Reacting to governor’s sentiments on logging Kamau said that the moratorium was partially lifted last year by the government to allow harvesting of about 5000 hectares of mature and over mature plantations.
Kamau also called for the creation of awareness among the public to ensure those that meet the criteria are allowed to partially engage in logging.
The conservator at the same time put on notice people who have encroached on forest land in Nyandarua County.
He singled out people encroaching on the water catchment area for Lake Olbolossat saying they threatened the lake and by extension hundreds of hippos that live in the water mass.
He said KFS, which is mandated to take care of 2.59 million hectares of public forest, has recovered thousands of hectares of forest land that had been grabbed across the country.
Nyandarua County Commissioner, Benson Leparmorijo urged people to support the government in conserving the environment and forests.
He decried shortage of Kenya forest Services officers in the area urging the government to deploy more officers to help man the forests.