The Kenya Forest Service (KFS) has intensified measures to safeguard forests in Kajiado County amid rising threats from illegal logging, charcoal burning and climate change.
According to KFS County Director Simon Nguchu, Kenya Forest Service, as a custodian of Kenya’s forests, is prioritising conservation to combat environmental degradation and meet the national goal of 30 percent tree cover by 2032.
“Our mandate is to protect trees for current and future generations, not to allow their destruction,” Nguchu told KNA. “We promote sustainable development while educating communities on trees’ role in mitigating climate change and preserving biodiversity,” he added.
Operating under the national government, KFS collaborates with county administrations, deputy county commissioners, police and other stakeholders. Local involvement is key through Community Forest Associations (CFAs), which enter agreements with the agency to co-manage resources sustainably.
Nguchu however acknowledged formidable hurdles, including poverty-driven tree felling for income, inadequate resources for enforcement and erratic weather patterns exacerbating vegetation loss.
“Trees regulate climate and shield the ozone layer, yet they are vanishing at an alarming rate due to human and environmental pressures,” he noted.
To counter this, KFS is spearheading nationwide campaigns urging every Kenyan to plant and nurture trees.
In Kajiado, communities are being mobilised to establish CFAs, while schools, churches and private entities are called upon to launch tree-planting drives and shun destructive practices.
Local initiatives are gaining momentum, with groups setting up tree nurseries and youth engaging in conservation activities under the guidance of traditional leaders.
“Partnerships are our strength—government, communities and the private sector must unite,” Nguchu emphasised. “If we fell trees today without replenishing them, our children will inherit barren lands.”
Despite the odds, KFS remains optimistic that collective action will restore Kajiado’s forests, offering a buffer against the county’s harsh semi-arid realities and securing a greener legacy for generations ahead.
By Damaris Nyongesa and Ivy Asamba
