The Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry has dismissed a Gazette Notice circulating online claiming the government has announced plans to fence off Kaptagat Forest.
In a statement on Tuesday, September 9, the ministry clarified that the purported Gazette Notice is fake and has not been issued by any authorized government office.
"The Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Forestry wishes to alert the public that this purported Gazette Notice circulating online is fake.
"No such notice has been issued. Kindly disregard and rely only on official government communication channels,” the ministry said.
The fake document, styled as a Kenya Gazette notice, suggested that the government had designated Kaptagat Forest for fencing under state protection, citing conservation and management laws.
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This comes about two months after the Kenya Forest Service (KFS) confirmed tree-cutting activities in Thogoto Forest are part of a scheduled harvesting process of plantation trees.
In a statement on Tuesday, July 15, KFS said the operation involves several licensed sawmillers working in a section of the forest.
According to the agency, the harvesting process began in November 2024 and is expected to conclude in the coming weeks.
“Kenya Forest Service wishes to inform the public that harvesting of mature and over-mature plantation tree species is currently underway at Thogoto Forest station, Kiambu County.
"Several licensed sawmillers are undertaking this process in a total area of 46.7 hectares and the harvesting began in November 2024, and will be concluded in the upcoming weeks," the statement read.
Additionally, KFS clarified that the trees being felled are not indigenous but exotic species planted for timber production.
"Forest plantations are established to provide timber for the market, and they mostly comprise exotic tree species such as eucalyptus, pine and cypress trees. Forest plantations are fundamentally different from indigenous forests that are conserved for ecological integrity and biodiversity conservation," the statement added.
