NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 27—The Kenya Forest Service (KFS) has commenced the construction of an electric fence around the Sanctuary Block of Ngong Road Forest.
In a statement released Wednesday, KFS stated that the initiative will play a critical role in enhancing forest protection, improving microclimate conditions, and safeguarding fragile ecosystems from encroachment and degradation.
The project, undertaken with the support of the I&M Foundation, will cover a 14.2-kilometer perimeter and is expected to be completed by April 2025.
Gazetted in 1932 through Proclamation No. 44 and designated a Central Government Forest Reserve in 1964, Ngong Road Forest spans 1,224.4 hectares, comprising 886.72 hectares of natural forest and 337.68 hectares of plantation forest.
“It [is] segmented into five administrative units, namely Miotoni, Lenana, Karen, Sanctuary, and Bomas Blocks,” KFS noted.
The Sanctuary Block, the largest of these, covers 695.3 hectares characterized by shrubs, grasslands, and scattered plantations of Eucalyptus species.
To ensure effective fence management, KFS will establish a six-meter-wide path along the perimeter.
This initiative aligns with the forest’s current Participatory Forest Management Plan, developed in collaboration with the Community Forest Association (CFA). The plan identifies fencing as a key intervention to strengthen conservation efforts and protect fragile ecosystems.
In addition to funding the fencing project, KFS disclosed that the I&M Foundation has committed to constructing rangers’ houses, a rangers’ outpost, and washroom facilities.
The Foundation will also rehabilitate 40 hectares within the Sanctuary Block, further boosting conservation efforts.
