NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 19 – In bid to prevent further forest fires that have been ravaging some parts of Mau Forest and other conservancies within the expansive Rift Valley region, Forestry Cabinet Secretary Soipan Tuya accompanied by Forestry Principal Secretary Ephantus Kimotho Kimani visited Nakuru County to find a long lasting solution.
Kenya Forest Service (KFS) is mandated to manage the forest and the Nakuru KFS headquarters – Mau Conservancy was the better place to host the community forest officials in trying to mitigate the issues surrounding frequent of fires in the forest.
Speaking to the media after meeting various Community Forest Associations members (CFA), CS Tuya called upon the area residents and community to collaborate with the KFS so that they can prevent the outbreak of fires and be able to conserve the environment which is very key in the management climate change as one ecosystem.
“Statistics from the Ministry of Environment indicates that since December 2022, there have been over 180 fire incidences across the country, with speculation rife that the fires are caused by human acts and no natural factors of late reported. We are here today to engage the locals and find a long lasting solution”, said CS Tuya.
Mau Conservancy is leading followed by Central highlands and western region in terms of fire incidences from the study of reported cases within the KFS.
Tuya said the Ministry is implementing the Government’s Plan on forest conservation and management with public private partnership and multi-agency collaborations with all the stakeholders within the forestry ecosystem.
CS Tuya also noted the Ministry’s programme of working with the interior ministry led by CS Prof. Kithure Kindiki to accelerate efforts of planting 15 Billion trees in the next 10 years that was well articulated by the President Dr. William Ruto as part of the government’s agenda to mitigate climate change and improve biodiversity.
“Currently 1 tree sustains 4 lives from the oxygen we breathe. It is therefore expected we need to plant between 300 to 400 trees daily to continue sustaining many lives. It’s all about our lives and the future of generations. That’s why the main reason for us to tour this conservancy and get the comments from the community is through multi agency approach even working with County governments , private entities and CFAs to address the never ending forest amongst many challenges like illegal logging through charcoal burning.“
Consequently CS said they have appreciated the grant from the France government which will go a long way in forest conservation and management for the next 5 years even as she said there will be ceremony soon to officially announce the grant and disclose to the public.
Citing prevention of forest fire, response mechanism and education and training of KFS rangers as areas of great importance that will ensure the entire communication infrastructure will operationalize the government’s efforts of forest policy program.
She used the clarion call of “Tufunge Mishipi Tuhifadhi Misitu Yetu” as one way of raising awareness on the forest conservation. The CS said there are looking forward in employing more than 200 forest rangers to boost the work for efficiency purposes.
Forestry PS Ephantus Kimotho Kimani on his part challenged the Community Forest Associations (CFAs) to update their forest management plan and those who don’t have to prepare to enable their head office connect them to access funding from development partners so that they can be funded for livelihood improved programmes.
According to Moses Koech, a spokesperson for the Londiani conservancy CFA member, they need more positive and supportive response from KFS. Some of the KFS officers are aiding illegal loggers in their charcoal burning business.
It’s an initiative that needs frequent response directives from the Ministry and that’s why today, the CS, PS, County Government of Nakuru, KFS and CFAs are all under one roof to try and address some of these challenges”, said Alex Lemarkoko, senior deputy conservator of forest who was in attendance among other government officials in that multiagency approach that both CS and PS addressed.
Most of those interviewed by the media present especially the community members drawn from CFAs welcomed the initiative and said requested many of such meetings so that they can collectively tackle fire incidences as well as illegal loggers that are the biggest challenges in terms of forest conservation and management.
The one day tour saw majority of scouts who works alongside CFAs and KFS officers for the management of the forest across the country share their experiences and offer solutions to the problem. Similar tours will also follow up to other parts of the country even as the country expects the long rains in the coming month where the Ministry will roll out planting of trees countrywide.
In Kenya, climate-induced deforestation and rangeland degradation are major drivers of biodiversity related complexities that rank high as national priority concerns costing the GDP at least 3% annually and impacting heavily on the quality of livelihoods and the socio-economic fabric.
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