The Kenya Forest Service (KFS) has responded after a video of trees being cut down in Karura Forest went viral on social media.
In a statement on Tuesday, October 29, KFS clarified that the ongoing forest activity is part of routine plantation management.
The service noted that the activity involves harvesting of mature exotic species in line with the Karura Forest Participatory Forest Management Plan (PFMP).
“There are claims on some social media platforms that the ongoing removal of exotic tree species from Karura Forest is forest destruction. This cannot be further from the truth.
"KFS would like to assure the public and visitors of Karura Forest that what is going on is a normal plantation management activity which involves harvesting of mature exotic plantation species as per the Karura Forest Participatory Forest Management Plan (PFMP) which is a legal document developed in collaboration between the KFS and the Community Forest Association (CFA) in this case being Friends of Karura Forest (FKF),” KFS explained.
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The service further noted that according to PFMP, Karura Forest will be reverted to a purely indigenous forest through the gradual removal of exotic plantation tree species that occupy some parts of the forest.
KFS disclosed that program began six years ago but was stopped following a 2018 moratorium on logging in public forests.
"However, following the lifting of the ban on harvesting of mature plantations, KFS has continued with the programme that will eventually see the removal of the exotic species comprising of eucalyptus and cypress in specific areas,” KFS stated.
The service affirmed that the procedures of disposing of plantation materials have been followed to the letter as laid out in the law.
It noted that the procedures included an inventory of the selected plantations as per the Karura PFMP, bidding and awarding of tenders and clear-felling and removal of plantation material.
KFS further intimated that the process of replanting and restoring the harvested sites includes site cleaning and removal of invasive species, site preparation for replanting and actual planting of indigenous trees, shrubs and climbers suitable for the ecological zone.
It also includes aftercare and maintenance and monitoring and evaluation to ensure maximum survival rate.
