After lifting a logging moratorium, Kenya faces significant environmental threats as development plans jeopardize key forests. Activists highlight the alarming decline in tree cover and ongoing illegal activities, while government priorities seem to favor expansion over ecological health. Urgent action and transparency are crucial to mitigate the crisis and preserve Kenya’s forest ecosystems.
In July 2023, the Kenyan government controversially lifted a six-year moratorium on logging in public and community forests, sparking environmental concerns among activists. With only 12 percent tree cover and 8.8 percent forest cover, Kenya ranks among the least forested nations in Africa. Notably, 10 percent of the country’s 1,100 native tree species are threatened with extinction.
Environmentalist Auma Lynn Onyango critiques the government’s commitment to climate action, highlighting their hosting of the inaugural Africa Climate Summit two months after the moratorium was lifted. Reports indicate that six million eucalyptus trees were logged in just the first half of 2024 for export, equating to the loss of five Karura forests.
The continuous decline in Kenya’s forest cover has alarmingly resulted in the country falling below the constitutional threshold of 10 percent forest cover established in 2010. As the government’s development plans exacerbate this loss, ecosystems are jeopardized, intensifying conflicts related to climate change.
Amid these developments, significant forests such as Karura, Suam, Aberdare, and Oloolua are at risk as the government prioritizes development initiatives over environmental conservation. Plans for infrastructure projects in these vital areas threaten their ecological integrity.
Specific projects include the planned construction of a border town in Suam Forest and the sale of 163 acres of Aberdare Forest for agricultural expansion. Although a court has blocked plans to widen a road in the Aberdare Mountain Range, concerns remain about future government intentions.
In Karura Forest, illegal logging activity has raised alarms among local joggers and activists. Despite assurances from the Kenya Forest Service about nurturing new growth, ongoing logging without evidence of replanting continues to fuel skepticism about governmental motives.
Activist Job Kamau highlights illegal land grabbing in Oloolua Forest, with reports of high-ranking officials involved in the unlawful acquisition. A public outcry led to the cessation of construction of a perimeter wall at Oloolua, indicating a growing need for transparency in land management practices.
Furthermore, conservationist Kimeli Winston expresses concerns about the government’s pervasive land acquisition habits, alleging that officials are encroaching upon forested areas previously reserved for public use. Data from Global Forest Watch shows a significant reduction in tree cover, underscoring the urgency of this issue.
If the current trajectory continues, the lifting of the logging moratorium and escalating development plans could lead to the irreversible demise of Kenya’s forests, undermining the ecological heritage for future generations.
The recent lifting of the logging moratorium in Kenya raises significant environmental concerns as activists warn of the detrimental impact on the country’s forests. With limited tree cover and ongoing government development projects, key forests are at risk of degradation. Illegal logging and land grabbing by high-ranking officials exacerbate these issues, putting vital ecosystems on a collision course with climate change. Urgent action is needed to ensure the preservation of Kenya’s forest resources for future generations.
Original Source: www.globalissues.org
