By S, KNA
Nyeri County Forest Conservator Esther Mugo has advised farmers not to add woodlots on their farms owing to the unreliability of the ongoing rains.
Mugo urged them to remain patient until the onset of the October-November –December rains when they can safely plant both indigenous and exotic trees on their farms.
The officer who was speaking to KNA today further said they are currently not undertaking tree planting campaigns until such a time when the weather will be conducive to do so.
“What we could be experiencing in the country could be a manifestation of climate change induced rains that may not be relied upon in sustaining any tree growing initiative. This is because the current rains are unreliable since this is not traditionally a rainy season. Therefore, the wet condition may be over in a few days leading to drying up of young saplings.” she said.
The conservator has nevertheless said the Government is still committed to ensuring conservation measures on all the mapped water towers continue once the short rainy season commences.
Mugo said the exercise will mostly be carried out around the Mount Kenya forest circuit where harvesting of mature commercial plantations has been ongoing after the Government lifted a moratorium on logging in 2023.
“We shall soon resume rehabilitation work in areas where harvesting of old and mature exotic trees has taken place once the short rains commence. We will also want to clear the air over the issue of logging by educating the public that logging in our forests is only for trees that were specifically meant for commercial purposes only. In addition, we will use the opportunity in encouraging our farmers on the need to increase woodlots on their farms during the period.” She stated.
The State had planned to harvest a total of 5,000 hectares of its mature forest plantation during the 2023/2024 financial year pursuant to Section 43 of Forest Conservation and Management Act (FCMA) 2016.
Out of the 2.6 million hectares of government protected forests ,150,00 hectares are zeroed as plantation establishments accounting for about six per cent of the country’s total forest cover.
Kenya imposed a ban on logging on February 24 2018 which effectively restricted the extraction of timber from all public and community forests.
The moratorium was arrived at following the findings of a task force that had been constituted by the government to inquire into forest resource management and logging activities in the country.
The task force found out that the board and the management of KFS had been unable to “stem and in some instances have directly participated in, abated and systematized rampant corruption and abuse of office” in undertaking harvesting of forest products.
Forest plantations currently cover at least 335,000 acres in all gazetted reserves of Kenya including the Mount Kenya, Aberdare, Mau Forest Complex, Cherangani Hills and Mt Elgon. Nyeri is one of the six County Conservation areas found within the Central Highlands Regional Conservation area.
The total gazetted forest area in Nyeri stands at 115,435.14 ha with Mount Kenya and the Aberdare Ranges forming the two major forest ecosystems.
Mount Kenya forest ecosystem has seven forest stations that cover a total of 64,470.92 ha. They include Nanyuki, Gathiuru, Naromoru, Kabaru, Hombe ,Ragati and Chehe.
The Aberdare ecosystem has five forest stations covering an area of 50,964.22 which include Muringato, Kabaru , Hombe , Zaina, Kiandongoro and Zuti.
