Nairobi: The government has unveiled a comprehensive ten-year initiative aimed at restoring 33,000 hectares of the degraded Mau Forest Complex. Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Forestry, Dr. Deborah Barasa, announced the programme during a meeting with conservation stakeholders in Nairobi, emphasizing that the tree planting drive extends beyond environmental concerns.
According to Kenya News Agency, Dr. Barasa stated that the plan is integral to safeguarding water towers, protecting biodiversity, creating green jobs, and supporting President William Ruto's 15-billion-tree campaign. "Every tree planted is a promise, a promise of hope, food security, clean water, and a resilient economy," she remarked. Dr. Barasa underscored the importance of the initiative, not just as an environmental duty but as an economic necessity vital for protecting the country's GDP and securing essential resources.
The Mau Forest, Kenya's largest water tower, is crucial as it feeds 12 major rivers, including the Mara River, which supports the great wildebeest migration. It also supplies water to Lake Victoria and Lake Natron in Tanzania, a key breeding site for flamingoes, and supports hydropower stations nationwide. However, the forest faces significant threats from illegal logging, forest fires, encroachment, and climate change, endangering biodiversity, energy supply, and livelihoods.
Principal Secretary for Environment and Climate Change, Eng. Festus Kipkorir Ngeno, highlighted the urgency of the situation, having witnessed the forest's degradation firsthand. He emphasized the need for immediate action to protect this global treasure, which serves as a vital carbon sink.
The restoration programme, informed by satellite mapping, aims to fence 500 km of forest boundaries, create 200 km of buffer zones, rehabilitate wetlands, and introduce sustainable land use management for over 138,000 families. It also plans to scale up 50 nature-positive value chains, such as honey production, dairy, and avocado farming. The initiative is expected to create 300,000 green jobs, train 100,000 farmers, provide alternative energy sources like solar and biogas, and promote environmental education.
Dr. Ngeno noted that efforts have already begun with community mobilization to plant trees for forest regeneration, and partnerships with organizations like Safaricom and the World Resources Institute to rehabilitate degraded land.
Principal Secretary for Livestock Development, Jonathan Mueke, stressed the importance of providing new economic options for forest-dependent communities. The strategy focuses on dairy development, fodder production, and apiculture, with initiatives like installing milk coolers for commercial dairy operations and introducing beehives for honey production.
The programme employs a block-by-block approach, with each 10-hectare block requiring approximately Sh2 million for various restoration activities. The first year aims to restore 3,313 hectares, plant 4 million seedlings, fence 50 km of forest boundary, rehabilitate 14 water dams, and create 10,000 green jobs. Farmers will also receive avocado seedlings, potato seed packs, and fodder inputs.
The initiative culminates annually in a marathon to raise funds and awareness, representing the journey from degradation to restoration. As Eng. Ngeno aptly put it, "This is the moment Kenya turns the tide, from vulnerability to resilience."