Ban on tree harvesting to cost KFS millions

What you need to know:

  • Order stopping activities in forests deprives State firm of massive Sh131m

The Kenya Forest Service says it is likely to lose millions of shillings following a court order stopping tree harvesting in Mt Kenya and Aberdares forests.

The National Environmental Management Authority (Nema) obtained the temporary order until an Environmental Impact Assessment (EAI) survey is conducted.

Provincial forestry officer John Wachihi said the department earned Sh131 million from forestry activities in the Central Kenya region last year.

Mr Wachihi said 38,158 hectares of forest land in the two water towers contained tree plantations, some of them mature for harvesting.

“If we stop harvesting, we will not only lose revenue, but also miss out on an opportunity to plant more trees,” he said.

Thousands of hectares are under commercial tree plantations and have been a steady source of revenue for KFS as well as a source of livelihood for tens of saw millers.

A saw millers representative in Central Province, Mr Joseph Wachira, said his association would sue the government for losses incurred following the ban.

“We have paid millions of shillings to harvest trees in the forest and if the ban remains in force, we will incur huge losses,” he said, adding that most of the trees had already been cut down and were likely to rot if millers were not allowed access.

High timber prices

Mr Wachira said that due to the high prices of timber, they had been forced to acquire bank loans to make the payments for the tenders to harvest the trees, which are required upfront.

He said the saw millers would not be able to service those loans, leaving them only the option of suing the government for compensation.