NAIROBI, Kenya, May 9 – Elgeyo Marakwet investors have urged the government to allow them to harvest mature and overmature trees in public forests.
Speaking during an awareness workshop on the disposal of forest plantation materials in Iten, Elgeyo Marakwet County, yesterday, they stressed the need to do away with these overmature trees in public forests since they were going to waste through decomposition and windfalls.
“This was during an awareness workshop on disposal of forest plantation materials, in Iten, Elgeyo Marakwet County, conducted by KFS as is required by law,” the Kenya Forest Service stated.
The stakeholders noted that plantation forests are planted by the Kenya Forest Service for commercial purposes; therefore, the investors should not be stopped from harvesting the same trees to raise revenue.
“The investors decried the effects of the logging moratorium noting that over-mature plantation trees were going to waste through decomposition and windfalls,” they added.
Furthermore, they pointed out that the step will be in line with the Forest Conservation and Management Act 2016, which provides that all plantation forests in a public forest shall be managed sustainably for the production of wood and other forest products and services for commercial purposes.
Furthermore, they lauded multiple forest plantation outcomes for transforming the lives of resource-adjacent communities and improving their livelihood and socioeconomic status.
