TREES JOURNAL

intensive logging, charcoal production and large-scale clearance of wooded areas for tea plantations.

The establishment of the Nyayo Tea Zone Development Corporation (NTZDC), first by Presidential order in 1986, and later by an Act of Parliament in 1989 also affected forestry in Kenya. Under this programme, plantations were established adjacent to indigenous forests to act as buffers against agricultural encroachment on forests designated for catchment protection. The tea plantations were also expected to generate income and employment. This programme obtained land from the government forests. It initially targeted 20,000 hectares for tea production. By 1990, 6,000 hectares had been cleared. Tea zones were established in the high potential forest areas. According to the forest department, the establishment of Nyayo Tea Zones resulted in an estimated clearance of 6,600 hectares of forest for tea establishment. In 1989, a World Bank/FAO mission estimated a total of 11,000 hectares has been cleared. Nyayo Tea Zones were initially intended to be ribbon-like 100m strips adjacent to forest boundaries to prevent encroachment. However, some areas have extended beyond the 100-meter limit, while others have gone as far as 500 meters into the forest. and providing incentives to catalyse community and private sector investment in tree growing and conservation efforts are critical in halting deforestation and forest degradation and driving positive transformation in the forest sector.

A survey of 350,000 hectares of indigenous forest that contain Nyayo Tea Zones indicates that, 3,600 hectares (1.4%) of the forest reserves are occupied by tea. Conversion of natural forest to Nyayo Tea Zones in some places like Aberdares, made communities realise the potential of forest, leading to illegal exploitation of a resource that was once considered sacred.

2010: new constitution

The constitution of Kenya in 2010 brought developed governance and high standards in governance and sharing of resources. Forests, especially those within County justifications, were devolved including on farm tree growing. The forests left under national government are the gazetted forest reserves which are mainly managed by Kenya Forest Service (KFS). Counties have a key role in managing forest resources within their boundaries and enhancing tree growing including forest extension services. However, the capacity of County government in extension services is still underdeveloped.

Drivers of forest degradation

Reduced water levels in rivers and dams, declining economic activities as a result of water rationing, the loss of wildlife habitats, conflicts over water and pasture and increased soil and water erosion in catchment areas are major manifestations of deforestation and landscape degradation. Strengthening of the institutional capacities of the Kenya Forest Service and the County Governments to enable them implement their respective mandates,

Reduced water levels in rivers and dams, declining economic activities as a result of water rationing, the loss of wildlife habitats, conflicts over water and pasture and increased soil and water erosion in catchment areas are major manifestations of deforestation and landscape degradation.

Emerging forest issues Community participation in forest management under Participatory Forest Management has been adopted as modern management strategy. The community adjacent to the forest forms a Community Forest Association that enters into a management agreement with Kenya Forest Service for management of a forest. A Participatory Forest Management plan is developed by the two parties that guides its management. The forest still belongs to the national government but the community has access rights and shared responsibility in management. This has increased the community’s sense of ownership and increased their protection of the forest thus enhancing conservation.

My contribution to forestry

The current approach to forestry, which I am involved in, focuses on: Participatory Forest Management, climate change, payment for environmental services including carbon, undertaking total valuation of forests to determine their contribution to national accounting and upscaling commercial forestry as a strategy to increase forest cover and create wealth for Kenyans.

Forests are key contributors to mitigating climate change and Kenya has developed the Reducing Emission through Deforestation and Degradation (REDD+) strategy combined with the 10% forest cover strategy. The two strategies aim to increase forest and tree cover across the country. One of the key areas is, upscaling commercial forestry as a competitive land use option. Currently I am spearheading the establishment of a Commercial Forestry Investment Centre that will advance the adoption and upscaling of commercial forestry in Kenya. Payment for environmental services is another initiative that will benefit the communities participating in forest conservation by offering plough back mechanisms.