Control number of animals grazing in Zaina forest, KFs told

Residents around Zaina forest in Tetu have accused the Kenya Forest Services (KFS) of allowing over-grazing in the forest.

The residents said KFS was allowing in more many animals than forestry regulations allow. They claimed the animals were destroying tree seedlings planted under the Plantation Establishment and Livelihood Improvement Scheme (PELIS).

The PELIS programme empowers communities living at the edge of forests to plant exotic and indigenous trees on depleted sections or where tree harvesting has taken place and while practicing farming on affected areas.

The residents further claim most of those grazing inside the forest that is part of the Aberdare ecosystem were doing it illegally.

They now want KFS to conduct an audit of all livestock grazing inside the forest.

“Let the forest manager tell us how many livestock he has allowed to graze inside the forest because we feel they are too many and could end up destroying the ecosystem,” said Marion Wangari.

Zaina Community Forest Association (CFA) Secretary Maina Gatura claimed that KFS had disregarded the laid down grazing plan for the area by allowing too many animals inside the forest.

Forest roads

Mr Gatura said that parts of roads inside the forest such as Gakanga, Kanyinya and Miagayuini have been destroyed by the herders.

The CFA secretary claimed that majority of herders did not want to pay the requisite fees to KFS leading to loss of revenue to the Government.

The residents also claim that illegal herders are polluting rivers inside the forest.

One of them, Douglas Wandeto, claimed that he witnessed some of the herders spraying their animals near rivers, raising fear that water sources from the forest could be laced with pesticides.

Contacted for comment, KFS forest manager in charge of the area, James Gathegea declined to give the capacity of livestock the forest can hold and how many were currently grazing there.

Some herders in the forest said they pay between Sh15 and Sh10 per animal to graze in the forest, but admitted to bringing in more animals than those paid for.

They said the extra animals “belong to other people” and that they sneak them in to graze alongside their own.

Illegal herders and over-grazing has been cited as one of the greatest dangers in attempts to rehabilitate the country's forests.