Bid to plant four million trees to restore Embobut Forest

A forest agency has embarked on a process to reclaim water towers ruined by squatters.

The Kenya Forest Service will spearhead rehabilitation of Embobut Forest in Elgeyo Marakwet County after flushing over 15,000 illegal settlers out of the water catchment zone that forms part of Cherangany water towers.

The trespassers who had been accused of destroying over 16,000 hectares of forest land through illegal settlements and extension of farms, received about Sh1.2 billion from the government to purchase alternative plots.

According to KFS head of conservancy—North Rift region—Solomon Mibey, restoration of Embobut Forest will involve planting trees in over 7,000 hectares.

“About 4 million tree seedlings will be planted in the first phase that involves community participation,” said Mr Mibey while admitting that over 25,000 hectares of public forests in the North Rift are under illegal settlement including 250 schools in forest land.

“Grazing animal committees have been formed to monitor the number of livestock that can be permitted into the forest to avoid destruction of tree seedlings,” said Mr Mibey.

Other plans are to realign the forest’s boundary, to prevent encroachment of the water tower by squatters.

“We want to know precise acreage and boundary of the forest to avoid conflicts with neighbouring communities,” he explained.

However, lack of a policy, sufficient funds and poor roads are some of the factors slowing down implementation of forest activities including reclamation of the destroyed water towers.

“A comprehensive environmental policy needs to be put in place to increase the country’s forest cover as part of the process to reclaim damaged water towers,” said Mr Mathew Lang’at, an environmental expert.

The policy, he said will include conservation of rare species of plants that retain water and boost crop production.

Mr Lang’at named Mau Complex, Trans-Mara, Ol Pusimoru, Cherangany /Kabolet and Maasai Mau, as some of the forests in the Rift Valley region facing destruction through illegal encroachment.

“Water volume in most lakes and rivers in the region continue to decline due to wanton destruction of forests and water towers,” he said.

He said the growing demand for more land for food production and harvesting of trees for timber remains enormous task in reclaiming tower towers and forest land countrywide.

“Charcoal burning and wanton harvesting of trees has led to destruction of water catchment areas which posse serious threat to water towers and desertification,” said Wilson Kiptoo of Kerio Valley water conservation group.

Marakwet East Member of Parliament Kangogo Bowen cautioned the squatters against re-invading Embobut forest saying destruction of the water catchment was a threat to survival of Cherang’any water towers.

“Resettlement of forest evictees and implementation of afforestation programmes will lead to conservation of water towers in the region,” explained Mr Kangogo.

Kerio Valley Development Authority (KVDA) has however expressed willingness to participate in reclaiming of the damaged Cherang’any water towers.

According to KVDA Managing Director David Kimosop the regional body is to plant trees in clear felt forest land as part of its role in environmental conservation.

“We have allocated funds for afforestation programmes in section of forest land that form the water tower,” disclosed Mr Kimosop.

Report by KFS indicate that revenue regeneration from forestry products in the North Rift region has increased from Sh 339.7 million to Sh 433 million following the lifting of logging activities in public forests and massive tree planting exercise.

Acreage under commercial forestry has gone up from 315 hectares to 462 hectares as more farmers invest in the sub-sector as alternative source of income.

Mr Mibey said more than 16 million tree seedlings were planted in the region this season and appealed for involvement of the public and learning institutions in afforestation programmes.

Inadequate funding and shortage of staff by the forestry department has been cited as some of the factors slowing down reclaiming of destroyed water towers.

Lack of compressive environmental conservation policy and tree seedlings are other issues environmental experts in the North Rift region want the government to address to facilitate rehabilitation of water catchment.

Staff at the Kenya Forestry Service (KFS) admits that money allocated to the body was inadequate to hire casuals to afforestation programmes in most water towers countrywide despite flushing out of illegal settlers.

“It might take long before the government reclaims most of the water towers unless sufficient funds are allocated to set up more tree nurseries and hire casuals to plant them,” said a KFS official who requested not to be named since was not authorized to speak to the press.

Shortage of forest rangers to lookout against illegal logging activities and encroachment of forest land is the other challenge facing KFS in restoration of water towers.

The government recently carried out massive evection of squatters who had invaded public forests including such water towers like the Mau Complex and the Cherang’any hills exposing the country to threats of desertification.

“An all-inclusive environmental protection policy needs to be put in place to contain clear felling of trees in public forests and promote restoration of damaged water towers,” said Joel Kosgei of North Rift Environmental Conservation group.

Mau Complex, Cherang’any hills, Maasai Mau and Ol Pusimoru are some of the reclaimed forests he said are faced with threats due to wanton environmental destruction by loggers.

The Government has earmarked Mt Elgon forest among the water towers to be transformed after illegal settlers were evicted three years ago.

“Normal tree planting will be carried out in 2,000 hectares of the forest land. The local community will be involved in the afforestation programme,” disclosed Solomon Mibey, KFS head of the North Rift conservancy.

He disclosed that part of the forest cover that boosts of indigenous species like Elgon teak was clear felt by Pan African Paper Mills (pan paper) many years ago.

“Plans are on to plant 25 % of the cleared forest land with indigenous trees and the rest with exotic ones,” disclosed Mr Mibey.

The reclaiming of the Mt Elgon water tower has received boost from Bungoma County government that has launched inter-agency security operation to combat massive poaching and logging activities in the national park.