Cherangani Hills Forest
PART 1 1.0 Description of Cherangani forest ecosystem 1.1 Legal and administrative status
The Cherangani hills ecosystem forest cuts across several Counties, namely TransNzoia (1,551.6 Ha), West Pokot (34,380 Ha) and Elgeyo-Marakwet (74,249.7 Ha) totaling 110,181,30 Ha. The hills ecosystem comprises of various forest blocks whose initial proclamations/gazettement were effected as indicated in Table 1. Table 1: Forest blocks of Cherangani Ecosystem and their legal notices County Forest block Proclamation/ Legal Notice No Trans- Kapolet 57/1941 Nzoia Elgeyo- Cheboyit 102/1941 Marakwet Chemurkoi 102/1941 Embobut 26/1954 Kaisungor 102/1941 Kererr 26/1954 Kipkunurr 102/1941 Kiptaberr 49/1967 Sogotio 102/1941 Toropket 102/1941 West Pokot Kapkanyar 49/1967 Lelan 128/1958
Cherangani Hills and all other forests established under proclamation were later declared Central Government forests vide Legal Notice No. 174 of 1964. The ecosystem is comprised of the following forest stations (Table 2) which serve as the administrative centres. The stations are administered by three Ecosystem Conservators based at Kitale, Iten and Kapenguria all
answerable to the Head of Conservancy based at Eldoret. In addition there is a zonal Manager based at Kapsowar who administers the forests in Marakwet Sub-county on behalf of the ecosystem conservator. Table 2: Forest Stations of Cherangani Ecosystem per County and their area County Forest Station Area (Ha) Trans-Nzoia Kapolet 1,551.6 Elgeyo- Cherangani 16,241.8 Marakwet Chesoi 11,933.5 Kapyego 10,000.0 Cheptongei 27,316.4 Elgeyo 6,410.8 Kessup 2,347.2 West Pokot Lelan 16,200.0 Kapenguria 8,645.0 Sekerr 9,535.0 Total 110,181.3
Politically, the ecosystem covers Trans-Nzoia, Kapenguria, Sigor, Marakwet East, Marakwet West, Eldoret East, Eldoret North, and Keiyo North constituencies.
1.2 Geographical location
Figure 1 shows the constellation of forest blocks that comprises Cherangani ecosystem as depicted in the 2004 report by KFWG and DRSRS. It is located within an area defined by 1o 16’ North 35o 26’ East. It is comprised of a series of forest reserves. The ecosystem is made up of 10 forest stations, totaling 110,181.3 Ha of gazetted area (Table 2). Of this, approximately 60,500 Ha is closed-canopy forest while the remainder is comprised of formations of bamboo, scrub, rock, grassland, moorland or heath, with about 4,000 Ha of cultivation and plantations.