Saving Kenya’s Forests

Category: Community | Date: Nov 20 2008 | By: kenyaforests

The Kenya Forest Service has approved eight forest management plans developed by communities. The plans will enable these eight communities, grouped into community forest associations, to co-manage specific areas of forest currently managed exclusively by the KFS. This type of management commonly referred to as Participatory Forest Management has been approved by the Forests Act 2005. The forests which have had their community plans approved are Eburru, Ngare Ndare, Rumuruti, Ngangao, Mukogodo, Kitobo, Mbololo-Mwambirwa and Kasighau.

One of the key features of the plans is an outline of income generating and conservation and protection activities that the community wishes to carry out at a specific site. These may include raising of seedlings and tree planting, bee keeping for honey, ecotourism development, fish farming, training of community scouts to work alongside forest guards among other things. It is important to note that although management plans have been approved, KFS is yet to enter into agreements with these communities for activities to commence.

Liz