Kenya Forest Service defends forest plantation harvesting in Karura, Thogoto

Kenya Forest Service officers plant a tree seedling to mark World Rangers Day at Nairobi's Arboretum grounds. [Standard, File]

The Kenya Forest Service (KFS) has addressed concerns over alleged illegal logging in the Karura and Thogoto forests, confirming that harvesting activities are ongoing within the bounds of official management plans.

In a statement on X, KFS said in Karura Forest, exotic tree species are being harvested for fuel wood and fencing posts over a 6.3-hectare area.

The harvest aligns with the 2024/2025 financial year felling plan.

“Replanting with indigenous trees will begin during the March to May long rains,” KFS said on Tuesday, January 28.

 The long-term management plan aims to replace exotic plantations with natural forests to support conservation efforts.

In Thogoto Forest, located in Kiambu, the service is also harvesting mature and over-mature forest plantations across 109.5 hectares.

“Some plantations will be left to coppice, while others will be replanted as part of the Plantation Establishment and Livelihood Improvement Scheme (PELIS),” KFS explained.

 A plantation management plan governs these operations, which is available to the public.

KFS stressed that forest plantations are established to meet the domestic timber market’s needs, distinct from indigenous forests preserved for ecological integrity.

The service further reassured the public of the transparency of the process, with banners posted in strategic areas of Karura and other forest locations.