Kenya steps up efforts to restore Karura Forest

By Robert Mutasi

Environment, Climate Change, and Forestry Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale recently met with Justice Mwaniki Gachoka, Chair of the Friends of Karura Forest (FKF), and Kenya Forest Service (KFS) officials to address concerns surrounding tree felling in Karura Forest.

The meeting reassured the government's commitment to transforming Karura into a thriving indigenous forest in line with the vision of the late Prof. Wangari Maathai and Kenya's broader environmental aspirations.

This initiative is part of the ambitious government plan to grow 15 billion trees by 2032, with an aim of increasing Kenya's forest cover to 30% and ensuring climate change impacts are brought to a minimum.

The program replaces exotic tree species, including eucalyptus and cypress trees, with indigenous varieties to conserve biodiversity and restore ecosystem balance.

The selective logging, according to KFS, is carried out based on a Participatory Forest Management Plan developed in partnership with FKF and the local community.

The practice, which had been put on hold since 2018 due to a logging moratorium, resumed with its recent lifting.

The felling of trees in Karura has sparked public outrage, with many Kenyans voicing concerns over the environmental impact of these activities.

KFS has been assured that the process is a sustainable forest management practice that is necessary for the long-term health of the forest.

The exotic tree species removal facilitates the reintroduction of the native trees, which provides more ecological benefits like better water retention and soil health.

Duale had visited Karura in August where he reiterated the government's commitment to improving climate action and facilitating green growth.

His ministry is also engaged in work to ensure sustainable resource management for broader strategies of reducing deforestation and lowering greenhouse gas emissions.

Karura Forest is an urban sanctuary of more than 1,000 acres of ecological and recreational importance.

Restoring its indigenous landscape is a way of honoring the memory of Prof. Maathai, but it could also showcase a model of urban conservation that balances human activity with environmental preservation.