Saving Kenya’s Forests

Category: Hotline message | Date: Nov 26 2007 | By: admin

As part of its activities, KFWG receives and acts on reports of forest destruction sent in by members and the general public. We will be posting some of these and updating you on any action that is being taken.

Ngong forest
Ngong Forest, is an indigenous forest located right within the confines of Nairobi city. The forest is about 600 hectares.

We received this report from a member recently, reporting on destruction near IPR:

“I regularly walk through a part of the Ngong Forest along the western edge of the IPR (Institute of Primate Research) controlled area (along the road leading to Olkeri Secondary School).

Recently there has been an alarming amount of illegal tree-felling going on… slowly-slowly, a mature indigenous tree of about 8 inch dia. every two or three days.“

And:

“I’ve broadened my search in this area and am shocked at the full extent of the offtake. This is in a totally indigenous forest, and 50% of the formerly closed canopy has been opened in areas, with trees up to 12″ basal dia. removed very neatly and professionally by hand-saws. Very little evidence is left behind, other than stumps and leaves. This is clearly an organised commercial operation. At a (very) rough guess I’d say some 400 to 500 trees within a 40 hectare section of forest have been surgically removed over the past 4 to 6 months“

KFWG has already reported this destruction to the Provincial Forest Officer, Nairobi. She assures us that investigations are underway. We hope action will be taken immediately and that this destruction will stop.

We have also heard that the IPR has been taken to the site and “they seem to similarly be appalled that this type of operation has been going on undetected- especially so close to their station, but admit that they rarely patrol anywhere near this section of forest”. They “have indicated a willingness to work with the Ngong Forestry officers and local police in an attempt to stop this…“

Thanks to the person who reported this and for the further assurance that:

“I’ll report on any activity I see- good or bad, and am happy to show the area to anyone concerned.“

We need lots of cooperation to save Kenya’s forests.

We would also like to inform Friends of Oloolua forest, who had reported a dumping problem in Oloolua that the PFO Nairobi is similarly looking into this. We will keep you update on progress, especially in putting up “No dumping” signs along the forest edge to pave way for prosecution of offenders.