admin | April 11, 2024
News Brief
Over the last two decades, fire, illegal logging, and invasive species have devastated 20% of Mount Kenya's southwestern forests. The Chehe Forest Association, with 700 volunteers, is at the forefront of efforts to protect what remains of these critical habitats. The village of Chehe relies on the forest for herbal medicines, grass for livestock, cultural rituals, and as a key tourist attraction. The community has helped to restore 43 hectares of forest and the plant of more than 500,000 trees since 2009. But illegal logging, invasive species, grazing animals, and limited funds hinder conservation efforts.
Fire, illegal logging, and invasive species have claimed 20% of the forests on the southwestern slopes of Mount Kenya in the last 20 years. The 700 members of the Chehe Forest Association are working to protect their area’s remaining mountain forests from further damage.
The village of Chehe is perched at 2,000 metres above sea level on the slopes of Mount Kenya, 140 kilometres north of the Kenyan capital, Nairobi. Evergreen stands of pencil cedar and East African yellowwood dominate on the lower slopes of the mountain, giving way to the broader leaves of African onionwood and dense stands of bamboo in higher areas with more rainfall. These forests are home to tree hyraxes, mongoose, black-fronted duikers—as well as leopards and giant forest hogs, although they are more rarely spotted on the mountain’s slopes.
Residents of Chehe and other communities nearby rely on the forest for herbal medicines, grass for livestock, and as a place to perform cultural rituals. The forests are also an important tourist attraction.
But over the past 20 years, illegal loggers and farmers encroaching on forest reserve land have severely damaged the forest. The loggers have cut down many of the largest trees. Invasive species have moved in, preventing indigenous tree species from spreading.
Since 2009, members of the Chehe Community Forest Association have tried to protect the forest from these threats. Working alongside the Kenya Forest Service, the community forest association’s more than 700 volunteer members have restored 43 hectares of forest.
The association has also organized seminars to explain the connection between forest degradation and local weather patterns.
According to the Kenya Forest Service, across the wider Mount Kenya area, more than 500,000 indigenous trees have been planted by communities and officers in the past five years. Local Kenya Forest Service station manager Nickson Mariga says that more than 500 hectares of degraded forest has been restored.
There are 27 community forest associations in and around Mount Kenya, and Chehe is a leader among them in terms of restored forest area. Geoffrey Wandeto is the chair of the Chehe Community Forest Association. He says, “After planting trees, we don’t leave them to survive on their own. We make sure that we protect them from browsing animals and invasive species.”
The community forest association has also established tree nurseries of its own to raise both exotic and indigenous species for sale. Local farmer Joyce Wangare says that selling seedlings has become her main source of income, improving her living standards. She says: “I can afford to pay for my hospital insurance fund, National Health Insurance Fund, send my children to school, and afford a well-balanced meal.”
Milka Musyoki is a community liaison officer working for the conservation NGO Nature Kenya. She says: “Communities play a very important role in forest protection and restoration. Without them, the whole ecosystem will be at risk of disappearing. In return, the communities get food and improve their economic status through various projects in the forest as they do the conservation work.”
However, community members have diverse needs, some of which slow or endanger conservation efforts. Mr. Wandeto says some people from Chehe continue to cut down trees illegally or take their cattle into the forest to graze, destroying young trees.
Mr. Mariga said his office is addressing these issues with sensitivity to residents’ needs. As for livestock grazing, he says, “This is something that need to be done gradually. The community depends on their livestock for livelihoods, so banning them in the forest could cause something serious like turning to logging to sustain their livelihoods, and this could have a negative impact to the forest ecosystem.”
Mr. Wandeto says the community forest association has plans to restore another 120 hectares of degraded forest, but the work will be slow because of smaller budgets.
This story is adapted from an article written by Shadrack Omuka and published by Mongabay called “Community forest association helps hold the line to protect Mount Kenya forest.” To read the full story, go to: https://news.mongabay.com/2023/11/community-forest-association-helps-hold-the-line-to-protect-mount-kenya-forest/