Kenya Forest Service

The Kenya Forest Service is an agency of the Government of Kenya designated by the Forest Act of 2005^[1] as the replacement for the old Forest Department.^[2] It is overseen by the Board of the Kenya Forest Service. The former Forest Department was supported almost entirely from forest revenues, and was, as a result, chronically underfunded.^[3] Under the 2005 Forest Act this has changed somewhat, with for example, the creation of special funds such as the Water Towers Conservation Fund,^[4][5] a portion of which goes to forest rehabilitation, and the Mau Rehabilitation Trust Fund, for the Mau Forest.^[6] As of 2003, Kenya had 1.57 million hectares of gazetted forest.^[7]

Mission

Among the responsibilities of the Kenya Forest Service are to:

• own,^[8] manage and protect all state forests^[9]
• promote forestry education and training^[9] and operate the Kenya Forestry College^[10]
• enforce the conditions and regulations pertaining to logging, charcoal making and other forest utilisation activities^[9]
• apprehend and prosecute violators of forest law and regulations^[11][12]
• collect revenues from exploitation of forest products^[11]

Forest management plans

The Kenya Forest Service has begun issuing management plans for individual forests. Plans are in effect for:

• Arabuko-Sokoke Forest^[13][14]
• Cherangani Hills Forest consisting of thirteen blocks including the Embobut Forest^[15][16][17]
• Karura Forest^[18]
• Kereita Forest^[19]
• Mau Forest
• Saboti-Sosio Forest, a Green Zones Development Support Project supported plan^[20]
• South Nandi Forest, a Green Zones Development Support Project and Nature Kenya supported plan^[20][21]
• Vanga, Jimbo and Kiwegu Mangrove Forest, an Air Kenya supported plan^[22]

Notes

1. Parliament of Kenya (29 November 2005), "Supplement No. 88: Forest Act, 2005 (Act No. 7 of 2005)", Kenya Gazette (PDF), Nairobi: Government of Kenya, pp. 229–305, archived from the original on 8 August 2012
2. Nelson, Peter; et al. (2007). Strategic Environmental Assrssment of the Kenya Forets Act 2005 (PDF). The World Bank. Archived (PDF) from the original on 7 August 2012.
3. Mbugua, David K. (2003). The forest revenue system and government expenditure on forestry in Kenya (PDF). Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
4. Njagih, Moses (20 August 2010). "Special fund to restore water towers created". Standard Digital. Archived from the original on 8 August 2012.
5. Kenya Minister for Finance (30 July 2010). "The Government Financial Management (water Towers Conservation Funds) Regulations, 2010". Archived from the original on 8 August 2012.
6. "Sh200 million to save Mau". Comiform. 22 March 2012. Archived from the original on 8 August 2012.
7. Mbugua 2003, p. xiii
8. Parliament 2005, p. 236
9. Parliament 2005, p. 241
10. Parliament 2005, p. 237
11. Parliament 2005, p. 242
12. Parliament 2005, pp. 279–280
13. The Arabuko-Sokoke Forest Management Team (February 2002). "Arabuko-Sokoke Forest Strategic Forest Management Plan 2002-2027" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 August 2012.
14. "Improved livelihoods at Arabuko-Sokoke Forest in Kenya". BirdLife International. 2008. Archived from the original on 9 June 2011.
15. Peter, Christian Albert (23 January 2012). "Kenya Natural Resource Management Project P095050 - Implementation Status Results Report : Sequence 16" (PDF). Washington, DC: World Bank. Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 August 2012.
16. Danyo, Stephen (2013). "Kenya Natural Resource Management Project P095050 - Implementation Status Results Report : Sequence 18" (PDF). Washington, DC: World Bank. Archived (PDF) from the original on 1 July 2014.
17. Redfern, Paul (22 February 2014). "NGOs force EA govts to stop evictions". The East African. Archived from the original on 1 July 2014.
18. Maina, Nelson M. (2010). "Sustainable Forest Management and Food Security" (PDF). Kenya Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife. Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 August 2012.
19. Ngunjiri, Charles (7 February 2011). "Kereita Forest Management Plan Launched". Kenya Forest Service. Archived from the original on 8 August 2012.
20. Ngunjiri, Charles (14 February 2011). "Get Involved To Reap Benefits From Forests". Kenya Forest Service. Archived from the original on 8 August 2012.
21. Mangat, Rupi (2 May 2014). "Saving Nandi's age-old forests". The East African. Archived from the original on 1 July 2014.
22. "EAWLS in first-ever Kenya Mangrove Management Plan". Ndege News. Air Kenya. 13 December 2011. Archived from the original on 25 March 2012.

External links

• "Kenya Forest Service homepage".