Donors heed calls to support rehabilitation of Chepalungu Forest – KBC

Donors have heeded a call by the Kenya Forest Service to rehabilitate Chepalungu Forest in Bomet County after its destruction years ago.

The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), US Forests, Forest Working Group, East African Wildlife Society, the National Alliance Community Forest Association, Green Belt Movement, Kenya Railways, Tourism Trust Fund, Kenya Tourism Board and the Ministry of Energy have partnered with Kenya Forest Service (KFS) to restore the forest.

Once densely populated with indigenous trees, the forest is a shadow of its former self after villagers invaded and turned it into an open grazing field for their cows.

The forest, which measures 4,871 hectares is divided into two blocks, the 871- hectare Siongiroi block and the Kapchumbe block, which covers 4,000 hectares.

County Ecosystem conservator, Ms Ann Nyaoke said they have partnered with different groups and organization in a bid to rehabilitate the forest.

“Kenya Forest Service in conjunction with the Equity Bank Group have provided us with 10,000 seedlings, while the Worldwide fund service and the Tenwek community group, and many other organizations have also chipped in. We are working together to bring back the serenity of this forest again.” She said.

Despite being a pure indigenous forest, the KFS management has introduced exotic trees.

Residents descended into the forest during the political unrest of 2007, razed down offices and houses that were used by forest officers forcing them to flee, then resulted to logging down trees for firewood and timber.

The ecosystem conservator said they are outsourcing for funds from different stakeholders to fence the forest.

“At the moment we have enough seedlings to cover the 871 Siongiroi block since we have established other sides, we also intend to fence these blocks to avoid encroachment and further destruction of the forest.” Ms Nyaoke said.

The local community who are allowed to cultivate in the forest through a system known as shamba system cultivation, which allows farmers to cultivate at a young forest while tending to the trees with the help of Kazi Mtaani youths have planted more than 50,000 seedlings.