Conservation faces uncertainties as donor pulls out

Homa Bay

Friday, August 4, 2024

KNA by Davis Langat

An environmental organisation which supports tree planting in Gwassi forest, Homa Bay County has allegedly withdrawn their support over unknown reasons.

Eden Reforestation Project, an organisation that supports tree planting, withdrew their support thereby affecting conservation efforts.

The organisation had partnered with Kenya Forest Service (KFS) and Gwassi Hills Community Forest Association (CFA) in 2021 to restore tree cover in Suba.

County Ecosystem Conservator David Muigai said following the latest developments, they will work out ways of ensuring that the 4,835 hectares’ Gwassi Forest is protected.

 "The organisation withdrew when a lot of seedlings were yet to be planted. We are working on how they can be transplanted," he said.

Gwassi Hills CFA Chairman Dorias Odongo said the partnership was meant to revive the forest by planting more trees in areas where some had been cut.

In the partnership, he said, selected community members were tasked with the responsibility of planting and taking care of trees. "Our plan was to restore the forest to its original state," he said.

Odongo told the media that at least 100 people had been hired by the organization to work at the forest and that in the agreement, Eden Reforestation Project was supposed to work for five years.

Tree nurseries with over a million seedlings were established at KFS stations in Sindo and Magunga for transplanting in the Gwassi forest.

 "We ask the government to intervene on this matter and help the community around Gwassi protect their environment by planting trees," Odongo said.

Odongo argued that any major decisions including withdrawal of the project should have been done after thorough consultation, which he claimed was not done.

"If the organisation wanted to help us, they should have continued partnering with us. Their withdrawal has left many people jobless besides wasting resources as some of the materials put to restore the forest will be ruined," he said.

Efforts by the media to get a comment from Eden Reforestation Project were futile. Officials from the organisation met CFA members at Sindo KFS station on Tuesday where they were briefed on the action the organisation took.

Odongo said affected workers should be accorded their rights based on labour laws.

Courtesy ; K. N. A