Govt Announces Plan to Fence All Forests

The Kenya Forest Service (KFS) has rolled out a nationwide strategic fencing programme which is intended to enhance forest conservation, reduce encroachment and human wildlife conflicts.

Chief Conservator of Forests (CCF) Alex Lemarkoko who officially commissioned the fencing of the Kaptagat ecosystem and officially handed the fencing task over to the KFS fencing teams.

This first phase of the programme will involve 50 kilometres in Kapkoi area, Sabor Forest Station in Elgeyo Marakwet county.

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Forest Protection and Ecosystem Services

The government is rolling out this project, among many others, to enhance forest boundaries and aid ecosystem restoration.

“This programme will help us to secure our forests against various illegal activities and enhance the long-term conservation of our forests”, said Alex.

KFS is implementing this program, targeting forest areas severely impacted by illegal logging, encroachment for settlement, and overgrazing.

The programme is expected to enhance the biodiversity conservation and also help in provision of other ecosystem services which are essential to the people and environment like water catchment and also reduction of human-wildlife conflicts.

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Forest Conservation and Community Engagement

CCF Kenya, the NGO supporting the program, appealed to all residents to participate in the conservation of forests.

“We want the community to be a social fence that ensures that the forest is safe and protected”, he added.

Residents were encouraged to plant trees during the rainy season, aiding the restoration of areas damaged over the years.

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The government will implement these fencing projects in phases across the country to restore degraded landscapes and foster sustainable coexistence between humans and nature.

In addition, the Kenya Forest Service observed that sustainability will also play a critical role in the successful delivery of the program with ongoing cooperation among government agencies, local communities and conservation partners being essential.

Overall, the program is anticipated to play a key role in the national agenda to ensure Kenya’s forest cover grows to 10% as well as climate resilience and protecting its natural resources for future generations.

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Kenya Forest Service headquarters in Nairobi. PHOTO/SG.