NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 23 — The Kenya Forest Service (KFS) has dismissed claims that the ongoing removal of exotic trees in Karura Forest amounts to forest destruction.
KFS assured the public and visitors that the activity is a routine plantation management process in line with the Karura Forest Participatory Forest Management Plan (PFMP).
The PFMP, a legally binding document developed in collaboration with Friends of Karura Forest (FKF) under the Community Forest Association (CFA), aims to gradually transform Karura Forest into a purely indigenous forest.
“According to the PFMP, Karura Forest, being an urban recreational forest, will be reverted to a purely indigenous forest through the gradual removal of exotic plantation tree species that occupy some parts of the forest,” KFS explained.
KFS further stated that the current exercise involves harvesting mature exotic plantation species, such as eucalyptus and cypress, in designated areas of the forest.
Lifted moratorium
The process resumed following the lifting of the 2018 moratorium on logging in public forests, which had temporarily halted the program initiated over six years ago.
The agency emphasized the strick observance of all legal procedures governing plantation management, including conducting an inventory of selected plantations as outlined in the PFMP and awarding tenders for the removal of plantation materials through competitive bidding.
KFS will restore the harvested areas with indigenous vegetation to enhance Karura’s ecological balance and recreational appeal.
The restoration process involves cleaning up harvested sites, removing invasive species, and preparing the sites for replanting.
Other activities include planting indigenous trees, shrubs, and climbers suited to the ecological zone, as well as conducting aftercare, maintenance, and monitoring to ensure high survival rates of the new vegetation.
KFS assured stakeholders it has taken measures to minimize ecosystem disturbance during the removal and restoration processes.
The service reiterated its commitment to conserving Karura Forest.
