Kenya Forest Service nets Sh3 billion in revenues

Environment and Forestry CS Keriako Tobiko

The Kenya Forest Service (KFS) collected more than Sh3 billion last year from various forestry-related activities, Environment and Forestry Cabinet Secretary Keriako Tobiko has said.

Tobiko, who was speaking at Kabaro Forest Station in Nyeri after an aerial tour of Kenya Water Towers in Central Kenya, said the agency could collect more revenue if its operations were more funded by Treasury, especially in the area of forests surveillance.

“Last year, KFS collected over Sh3 billion from buildings despite the handicap of facilities and manpower,” he noted.

KFS revenue mostly comes from the selling of mature plantations to sawmillers, wayleaves fees, eco-lodges charges and permits fees among others.

 The Government has since banned logging to save water catchment areas from drying.

Tobiko pledged to lobby the Treasury to increase funding to the forest agency which is a custodian to Kenya natural environment.

The CS told KFS officials to present led by the Chief Conservator of Forests Emilio Mugo to weed out criminal elements within the service who may hinder its operations.

KFS supports the Timber industry which directly and indirectly supports over 500,000 Kenyans and forms the backbone of Kenya construction industry.

Tobiko said forests are key to supporting President Uhuru four pillars of development and asked the community forests associations to work with KFS in sustaining conservation.