Mau forest titles being processed

The government will process title deeds for the Mau Forest to protect it from grabbers.

In an interview with the Sunday Nation, Environment PS Richard Lesiyampe said the government, through the Kenya Forest Service (KFS), had embarked on surveying the Mau eco-system in preparation for the application of the title deeds.

“We shall process two title deeds,” he said.

“One for the Maasai Mau, which wil be held by the Narok County government, and the other for the rest of the Mau that will be held by the national government.”

KFS head of the Mau Conservancy Cosmas Ikiugu said title deeds would cover the 22 forest blocks making up the complex.

“So far we have a title for Eburu Forest. Processing of title deeds is in progress for Eastern Mau, Trans Mara, Southwestern Mau and Enderit blocks.”

ILLEGAL LOGGERS AND SETTLERS

Dr Lesiyampe admitted that most sections of the Mau Forest are still grappling with illegal settlers and loggers.

He said that the Narok County government was still in the process of flushing those who had illegally made a home within the forest boundaries.

Currently, KFS reports show that here are still people within Mau forest occupying about 75,000 hectares with titles.

It is hoped that with the resettlement of these people and the issuance of titles to the government, then the forest conservation efforts would finally have a fighting chance.

This move to protect the vital eco-system could not have come at a better time as the country is facing grievous challenges occasioned by the degrading of the environment.

LOSSES

Deforestation and poor forest management cost Kenya over Sh5.8 billion in 2010, and the losses since then are thought to be much higher.

A report released by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) shows that between 2000 and 2010, Kenya lost over 100 000 hectares of forest cover at a great cost to agriculture, hydro-electric power generation, as well as domestic use.

“The largest component of this was attributable to changes in river flows resulting from a reduction in dry-season river flows, which reduced the assurance of water supply to irrigation agriculture.

This reduced agricultural output by Sh2.6 billion in 2010,” states the report in part.

In addition, it revealed that reduced river flow also lowered hydropower generation by KSh 12 million in the same year, a great stumbling block since Kenya gets half of its electricity from hydro-power.

“When trees are cut at the river source, the sediment load in the river gets higher which affects the turbine blades, thus making electricity generation slower and more difficult,” said Alfred Abiero, KenGen Chief Engineer, Sondu Miriu Power Station.

The multiplier effect of hydropower eventually impacts on the country’s energy needs, leading to high costs of commodities due to increased production costs.

The burden of deforestation on other sectors of the economy is considerable.

In 2010, the report states that the reduction in water quality due to siltation reduced inland fish catches by Sh86 million and increased the cost of water treatment for potable use by Sh 192 million.

Cutting of trees was also found to have a detrimental effect on the country’s health.

The UNEP assessment reports “the incidence of malaria as a result of deforestation is estimated to have cost Sh395 million by 2010.

This resulted in additional health costs to the Government of Kenya and through losses in labour productivity”.

This is despite The Forest Bill enacted into law in 2005 that governs how the country’s forests are protected.

RATIONAL UTILISATION

Among other things, the Bill provides for the conservation and rational utilisation of forest resources for the socio -economic development of the country.

Mr Ibrahim Thiaw, Director for Division of Environmental Policy Implementation at UNEP noted that Kenya is very dependent on natural resources, making it imperative for the country to adopt a green economy for its economy to be sustainable.

“When you deforest a country, you lose the whole chain of service provided by the forest in terms of water resources, impact on tourism and livelihood,” he said, “it is therefore critically important to understand that there is more to forests than just trees.”

Kenya Forest Service deployed over 700 forest rangers to patrol forests and protect endangered regions.

The rangers work with the local community to protect and replant sections of the forests that have been degraded.

In addition, the police service and the Kenya Wildife service have also been signed up to fight illegal logging and charcoal burning.

“We allow limited and sustainable use of forest resources,” said David Mbugua when asked how he balances the community’s needs and his mandate to protect the forest.

For example, the locals are allowed to collect firewood from the forest floor as well as graze their livestock within the protected area.

Charcoal burning especially in the Southern Mau is a big challenge but the locals have been taught how to use briquettes made of waste paper and leaves as substitute fuel.

When produced in large scale, these briquettes have been known to earn the locals a source of income.

CHARCOAL SACCOS

In addition, Dr Lesiyampe revealed that the government plans on starting ‘charcoal saccos’ to pass on skills to the locals on how to burn charcoal in an environmentally sustainable way.

“By September next year, we plan on signing up charcoal traders to these saccos, a move that we envision will greatly mitigate the loss of trees through the charcoal trade,” he said.

The biggest challenge is expanding such projects to scale so that they are embraced by all communities surrounding the Mau.

However, stakeholders mandated to protect the trees are determined to do it one villager at a time.

To date, conservation efforts have recovered over 45 000 hectares of the forest through enrichment planting of indigenous trees as well as the introduction of more exotic trees.

And the community is on board, if people like Agnes Kosua are anything to go by.

“Rich or poor, you need the forest,” says Agnes, who is a farmer and community leader at Maasai Mau, “Without it, rain will not fall, food will not grow, and then what will you eat?”