NAIROBI, Kenya, My 6 – Environment, Climate Change and Forestry Cabinet Secretary Soipan Tuya has ordered the Kenya Forest Service to mount an aggressive nationwide crackdown on illegal activities in public forests including logging, encroachment and charcoal burning, which she blamed for the recent spike in forest fires.
Speaking on Friday at a press briefing convened by her ministry to outline recent reforms in the management of public forests, Ms Tuya cautioned communities living adjacent to public forests against engaging in illegal forest activities and asked them to be the first line of defence for Kenya’s forests.
“Apart from the fires that devastated huge parts of our forests, we now have reports of rampant illegal logging of forests, encroachment and other related illegal activities.
“I am directing the Acting Chief Conservator of Forests to with immediate effect, activate the multi-agency crackdown team, to mount an intense, targeted and sustained crackdown across all forest ecosystems in the country to end these illegal activities,” CS Tuya ordered.
The Cabinet Secretary said illegal forest activities were a major setback to Kenya’s ecosystem restoration efforts, including the ambitious plan to stretch the country’s tree cover from the current 12.3% to 30% in 10 years by planting 15 billion trees, and urged Kenyans to intensify tree planting during the ongoing long rains season.
“We are urging Kenyans to plant trees on their birthdays, during holidays, at each and every occasion where it is possible to plant a tree. 15 Billion trees sounds huge and mind boggling but believe me you, it translates to only 30 trees per Kenyan per year over the next 10 years. It is doable,” Ms Tuya rallied.
On provision of adequate seedlings to support the 15 billion trees drive, the Cabinet Secretary said her ministry was working with several state and non-state partners to intensify propagation of tree seedlings across the country.
“We are establishing 11 fully fledged seed centres across the country that will be operational by the end of May 2023. These seed centres under the Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI), will produce both indigenous seeds and fruit tree seeds for propagation across Kenya Forest Service nurseries and private, and community nurseries across the country.
“…we have reached out to other ministries, departments and agencies such as Kenya Prisons Service, Kenya Defense Forces, Kenya Wildlife Service, Kenya Police Service, National Youth Service amongst others, to help with seedling propagation so that we can meet this high demand for seedlings,” she said.
As part of the crackdown on illegal forest activities, CS Tuya ordered Kenya Forest Service to establish a 24-hour toll free service for use by communities living adjacent to public forests and Kenyans of goodwill to report forest crimes.
She termed forest adjacent communities as partners in ‘participatory forests management’, saying her ministry was developing a collaboration framework that will see the communities more involved in forest conservation activities going forward.
“As a ministry we acknowledge and appreciate the critical role played by forest adjacent communities in our conservation efforts. To this end, we are working on a framework of enhancing the participation of Community Forest Associations as key partners in conservation of our public forests,” Ms Tuya announced.
The Cabinet Secretary also spoke about the inaugural Africa Climate Summit of Heads of State and Government that will be co-hosted by Kenya and the African Union in Nairobi from 4th to 6th September this year, saying the meeting will seek to consolidate Africa’s position ahead of COP28 in the United Arab Emirates.
“The running theme of the summit will be to explore a more ecologically responsible green industrialization in Africa and we look forward to a declaration that will state the African continent’s position at COP28, later this year,” Ms Soipan said.
The Cabinet Secretary blamed increased cases of forest fires recorded in public forests across the country during the recent dry spell to illegal charcoal burning, and thanked development partners led by the French Government and the Food Agriculture Organization (FAO) for providing technical support that helped the country to contain the fires.
“I would like to thank the French Government who have supported us with equipment for forest fire surveillance, build fire towers and are training and equipping Kenya Forest Service personnel in firefighting. This support will enable KFS to suppress the frequent forest fires as witnessed during the just ended long dry spell,” Ms Tuya concluded.
