The
Kenya Forest Service has launched 147 management plans countrywide to
help communities surrounding forests to undertake commercial
activities and conserve the same.
KFS
chairman, Peter Kinywa, said the management plans ensure communities
bordering forests benefit through commercial activities like farming, bee keeping, fishing, wood harvesting among others as they work
with KFS in promoting conservation and keeping off loggers.
He said this in a speech read by by
his deputy Naomi Apali during the signing of forest
management plan between Ngong community Forest Association and KFS. He added that the service will sign management pacts with forestry
communities countrywide since this was the most effective way of
communities to appreciate the environment they co-exist with.
“We
are working with counties to make this participation a reality as
contained in the Forestry Act,” he noted. Already, seven forest
management plans with counties have been prepared and signed, he
noted.
The
chairman of Ngong forest community Association Simon Woods said Sh100 million is needed for the rehabilitation of the forest ecosystem.
Wood said there is urgent need to protect the forest which serves as
a water catchment for Nairobi as well as leisure zone for the city
residents.
The chief conservator of
forests, Emilio Mugo, said involvement in forestry plans has curtailed
forest destruction countywide
