State, groups step up protection of Mau Forest

By Karanja Njoroge

Narok, Kenya: The Government has formed a Joint Enforcement Unit to spearhead protection of protection of Mau Forest.

Kenya Water Towers Agency (KWTA) acting Chief Executive Officer Francis Nkako said the joint team comprises Kenya Wildlife Service, Narok County Council and Administration Police officers.

He said the force has so far managed to reduce illegal logging, charcoal burning and new invasion by up to 80 per cent.

He at the same time revealed that over 152,000 hectares of the forest are set to be rehabilitated in a public-private partnership.

According to the KWTA, over 196 hactares of the forest are also currently being rehabilated by the community through a joint programme between the Government, the European Union, United Nations Environmental Program (Unep) and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).

The programme dubbed Innovative Approaches towards Rehabilitating the Mau Eco System (IARME) has set up set up six community based Farmers Field Schools that are fully operational with a total membership of 232 farmers.

Nkako was speaking during a meeting with key stakeholders held at a Nakuru Hotel. Nkako, however, said lack of funds have hampered efforts to rehabilitate the remaining parts of the forest.

“We need resources for rehabilitation and and also work out a plan for resettlement of families in the remaining parts of the forest,” he added.

Nkako was speaking during a meeting with key stakeholders held at a Nakuru Hotel.

A representative of the European Union Mita Manek said the IARME project, which has been running for the last three years will end in September 2014.

“But the EU has secured more money to conserve other key water towers,” she added

Improve livelihoods

Mr Brian Cheruiyot of the WWF said the organisation is working with local communities near the  forest to improve their livelihoods  through promotion of environmentally friendly income generating  projects.

Nkako said   the restoration of Mau and other key ecosystem is on course.

“The water towers are getting the support and being treated with the importance that they deserve,” he added.

He said the WWF, Unep and the KFS have initiated a participatory process of boundary demarcation of forest blocks.

The demarcation will lead to official hand over of the forest’s title deed to the KFS for Tinderet, Timboroa and Nabkoi forest blocks.

Over 30 per cent of Mau Forest has so far been lost due to forest excisions and encroachment.