Environmentalists and farmers have raised an alarm over the continued large-scale environmental degradation that is taking place in government forests in Taita Taveta County.
The environmentalists and farmers noted that the forest ecosystem is facing many threats, which include increased human activities, encroachments, overgrazing, forest fires, frequent droughts and pressure for forest land.
The concerns come even as it has emerged that the government has enhanced mitigation measures like tree planting to improve the dilapidated cover and address climate change that has negatively impacted the livelihoods of Kenyans.
Yesterday, County Director of Forests (CDF) Sylvester Mwangombe and a farmer representative and conservationist, Muiu Nguli Ngura, noted that important indigenous and endangered plant species locally known as Mndomoko (Grewia Bicolour) and Ndashi (Combretum Exalatum) are facing extinction due to indiscriminate cutting down of the trees by forest poachers who have invaded Mngama Ridge in Mwatate Sub-County.
According to the CDF and Mr Ngura, the shrubs are used as support columns by tomato farmers in Taveta and Kajiado County.
Ngura said the negative activities, like the high rate of charcoal burning, were also fueling deforestation and environmental degradation in the region that has perennially been hit by floods.
“The rate at which the indigenous trees are being felled is devastating and an ecological disaster waiting to happen. We will continue supporting environmental and wildlife conservation efforts to improve forest cover in the region,” said the farmer’s representative.
Speaking at Mngama Ridge in Mwatate Sub County, which has been the worst hit, Ngura said forest poachers from outside have moved in droves and are indiscriminately cutting down the indigenous trees with impunity.
He said prominent tomato farmers from outside have engaged local youth who are cutting down the trees with a bundle going for as low as Sh100.
When The Standard visited the affected area, it found bundles of the indigenous trees already cut, waiting to be ferried to Taveta and Kajiado County.
Ngura said local farmers have resorted to alternative livelihood ventures as coping mechanisms to sustain their lives in the wake of rising poverty levels and food insecurity but to the detriment of environmental and wildlife conservation.
He noted that coping mechanisms include subsistence and commercial poaching, charcoal burning, indiscriminate cutting, and selling tree poles to feed and educate their children.
Other social vices reported include drug and substance abuse, including widespread sale and consumption of illicit brews, noted a youth leader, Jonathan Mwaluficho, at Mngama Ridge.
“As Kenyans, we have a duty and responsibility to conserve and to participate in expanding our forest cover so that we can continue to enjoy the benefits that accrue from forests,
We are losing forest cover at an alarming rate and we are encouraging farmers to grow trees in the devolved forestry functions where destruction is still going on. Uncontrolled human activities are also to blame for the loss of biodiversity conservation in the region,” stated Mwangombe.
The county government official urged Kenyans to join and fully support the government conservation measures through embracing tree planting and nurturing to improve the dilapidated forest cover, which currently stands at less than 4 per cent.
He said tree nursery infrastructure is the right direction, as it will ensure that the 15 billion trees embraced by President William Ruto are achieved and sustained to not only enhance the forest cover but also help mitigate the effects of climate change on the livelihoods of Kenyans.
Extreme drought and flooding have the greatest negative impact on social stability, and the government is implementing measures and has so far enhanced mitigation measures like tree growing, which has been intensified. Kenyans should join and fully support the government conservation measures by embracing tree planting and nurturing to improve the dilapidated forest cover.
At the same time, Mwangombe said the forest ecosystems provide essential support to critical sectors of the economy, particularly water, agriculture, fisheries, electricity generation and tourism, among others.
“Forests provide livelihood support mechanisms to local communities and enhance resilience of agricultural production systems. “Forest products also directly contribute to the housing, manufacturing, food and nutritional security pillars and we should be at the forefront in supporting the tree-growing agenda and securing them in both community land and protected forests for future generations”, the official further said.
Taita Hills forests are home to endemic plant and wildlife species like the Taita White Eye and Taita Appalies. It is also one of the biodiversity hotspots for endemic wildlife and plant species.
