KFS and County Council react to destruction in Mau Complex
Category: Conservation, Hotline message | Date: Feb 11 2008 | By: admin
On 23rd January 2008, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the Kenya Forests Working Group (KFWG) and the Ewaso Ngiro South Development Authority (ENSDA) conducted an aerial survey to determine the status of some of the Mau Complex forest blocks following complaints that there was increased forest destruction after the disputed 2007 December presidential elections. A 13 seater Caravan aircraft was gratuitously made available by Boskovic. The aircraft flew over four forest blocks namely: Maasai Mau, Ol Pusimoru, Transmara and South West Mau. Government officials from Narok North District, Narok District Forest Office, Narok District Environmental Office, Ewaso Ngiro South Development Authority, accompanied officers from UNEP, KFWG and the Narok County Council participated in the aerial survey. The survey consisted of flying at low altitude above the southern and eastern Maasai Mau boundary, the Maasai Mau/Ol Pusimoru boundary, the north-eastern and south-western Transmara boundaries, the 2001 excision boundary in South West Mau, and the western part of Maasai Mau in Narok South District. All forest destructive activities were recorded by GPS, digital camera and video.
Results of the aerial survey can be found in a report posted on the Kenya Forests Working Group website. In brief the survey revealed that there is increased intensity in settlement and logging particularly of Podo within the Maasai Mau, which has also increased encroachment through settlement into Ol Pusimoru along the Ol Pusimoru/Maasai Mau forest boundary. A large section of S W Mau forest degazetted in 2001 is now completely settled and there is encroachment beyond the boundary. The Transmara has had incidences of fire, some limited logging of Podo is taking place and in some cases nearby tea plantations are encroaching into SW and Transmara forests.
The above report was presented to partners in Narok and to the Director and senior staff of the Kenya Forest Service (KFS). In response, the Narok County Council has allocated Kshs 4 million to start demarcation of forest boundaries of the Maasai Mau forest (the most affected forest block in the Mau complex, which is managed by the council). The KFS agreed to send 200 forest guards to the gazetted Ol Pusimoru Forest Reserve that is managed by KFS. Further aerial assessments of the forests are being arranged.
KFWG is most grateful to Cap. Watts/Boskovic air for facilitating the flight.
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One Response to “KFS and County Council react to destruction in Mau Complex”
Walter S. Kemboi, on 30 May 2008
I am very much humbled to have the opportunity to commend the efforts of all the stakeholders within the Maasai Mau complex issue and more so the funders and the the community at large. Keeping in mind the sensitivity in handling of the Mau problem, I want to re-iterate the importance of winning the hearts of the local indeginous communities within the project area by making them feel that indeed the project will benefit them as the primary stakeholders and extend its vital benefits such as being the life-line of the Maasai Mara game reserve; the jewel that earns foreign exchange to our loving country kenya.
Am pertubed by the political class of this country for their ill-intented “concerns” on the issue of Mau complex.It were good if the politicians appreciated the urgency of this matter and kept their political theatrics and hypocricy at bay and give this project a political goodwill. Mistakes of yester-years should absolutely be a burden that should be borne by the government for the settlement of people was done under its supervision.
If Mau is anything to go by, then another “Mau” could be in the offing in Mount Elgon because there is illegal logging, charcoal burning and harvesting of firewood. Just before the insecurity in Mt. Elgon timber lumbering used to happen deep in the night far away fron the most patrolled areas by the KFS guards. Charcoal and firewood were transported at wee hours to local trading centres because some of the families survived entirely on incomes from this products. I am afraid that with the return of calm in this region and bearing in mind that most households didnt farm because of insecurity and skyrocketing fertilizer prices driven by high of fuel globally, they will resort to easy means of making ends meet through illegal harvesting of forest products. This is only but an early warning.
It irks me to hear people suggest the idea of hiving a section of Mt. elgon forest to settle the rest of the squatters that missed allocation in the Chebyuk settlement scheme. This will indeed be a grave mistake because doing so will interfere with the the general ecosystem thus altering the regional climate, something that is being experience even now.I disagree with this proposal; in totality and advice the government to buy land and settle the squatters elsewhere.
I want to urge the County council of Mount Elgon to be in the forefront of conserving this treasure from such clique of uninformed people in order to realize that the promise of generational equity in achieved. thank you
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