Vehicles flagged off to Mau in bid to save forest

By PETER ORENGO

Days after ressettling Mau forest evictees to alternative lands, the Government has initiated a plan to completely secure the water tower from future incursion and destruction.

This will include fencing off the forest and increasing security surveilance both on land and air to make sure the forest regenerates naturally.

On Tuesday, the Kenya Forest Sercice (KFS) released 11 forest patrol vehicles to Mau and other forests to be used by forest rangers on a 24 hour tour of the forest blocks.

It also plans to buy a helicopter to enhance its aerial surveilance in critical areas that are prone to incursion by communities living next to the forests.

"The KFS's Enforcement and Compliance Division has received a boost in its operations," said the KFS Director David Mbugua, when he flagged off the first fleet of four wheeled vehicles to Mau Forest.

The Director said the vehicle have been fitted with modern Global Positioning System (GPS) that will make the work of rangers easier in difficult terrains.

"We have now improved our infrustructure both in surveilance and capacity. What we have, if used for the right purposes, will realise the 10 per cent forest cover by 2030," said Mbugua.

He said currently Kenya is placed under the category of the low forest cover countries which face the challenges on how to mainstream sustainable land and forest management into its development strategies.

Mbugua warned politicians whose constitiencies have government forest against inciting people to invade forests so that they can be compensated.

He said some people have started invading parts of Mau forest when they heard their was compensation.

Some of the areas affected include South West Mau, Mauche, Longonot ,Teret and West Pokot where some families have started invading government forests.

So far 200 families have been resettled in a 1,000 acre farm in Kipkabus, Eldoret while another 169 families drawn from the local community have been included as part of an integrated resettlement process.