Acting Kenya Forest Service (KFS) Chief Conservator of Forests Alex Lemarkoko has issued a stern warning to unscrupulous people involved in the destruction of gazetted forests across the country.
Lemarkoko said anyone found degrading forests will be arrested and prosecuted according to the law.
The Chief Conservator said the vice was rampant in Mau, North Rift, Mount Elgon, and Cherengani areas.
He spoke at Iveti Forest in Machakos during the launch of Participatory Forest Management Plans (PFMP) and the signing of Forest Management Agreements (FMA) for Iveti, Muumandu, and Kalimanzalu forests.
“We have started an operation to ensure that those engaged in destroying forests are apprehended. I however wish to laud the residents of Machakos for supporting KFS in conserving forests. We have had very few cases of degrading of forests in the county,” he said.
Lemarkoko however disclosed that KFS has recruited over 2,000 forest rangers to help in manning forests in the country.
“We had an acute shortage of forest rangers. The recruits are currently in training and on completion they will be deployed to help in protecting the forests,” he added.
Lemarkoko further revealed that KFS will very soon engage youths to help in the establishment of tree nurseries and planting of trees to bolster the country’s tree cover to 30 percent by 2032.
“The green army will also offer extension services for tree planting to the public and we shall use Community Forest Associations (CFAs) to recruit the youths,” he added.
The chief conservator reiterated KFS’s commitment to greening the country in line with the government’s ambitious agenda of planting 15 billion trees and asked each Kenyan to grow at least 30 trees in a year to combat climate change.
“The government is very committed to reverting effects of climate change through tree growing and we are asking Kenyans to plant both indigenous and exotics trees. 30 percent of the trees planted should be fruit trees for food security and nutrition,” noted Lermakoko.
On PFMPs, the chief conservator noted that the management of forests requires a participatory approach from stakeholders and the community for sustainable management of the forests.
“The plans will also allow sharing of resources and benefits from the forests both tangible and non-tangible,” he said.
Speaking at the same launch Green Zones Development Support Programme Project Manager Jerome Mwanzia for sustainable conservation of forests said community engagement was key.
Mwanzia said the project funded by Africa Development Bank in conjunction with the Kenyan Government has rehabilitated 72 hectares of government forests and established 132 hectares of agroforests and 52 hectares of woodlots in the county.
“We have also put up fruit orchards occupying 35 hectares besides giving out farm inputs like certified seeds and fertilizers,” added the project manager.
He however decried the low forest and tree cover in the county and asks residents to take advantage of opportunities provided by the project to grow trees.
“Machakos trails Kitui and Makueni counties with a forest cover of 2.6 percent and a tree cover of 6 percent. It’s the lowest in Ukambani,” noted Mwanzia. Also present was Embu Region Chief Conservator Mohammed A. Mohammed who underscored the role of CFAs in forest conservation.