CS Tuya orders crackdown on illegal logging in public forests.
Speaking on Friday, Environment CS Tuya orders crackdown on illegal logging, encroachment and charcoal burning in public forests which has contributed to the rampant fires in forests.
She issued a warning to all communities living around public forests to desist from illegal forest activities that are harming the environment and urgee them to be the first line of defence for Kenya’s precious forests.
She stated,”I am directing the Acting Chief Conservator of Forests to with immediate effect, activate the multi-agency crackdown team, to mount an intense, targeted and sustained crackdown across all forest ecosystems in the country to end these illegal activities.”
She cited that this illegal activities will affect Kenya kwanza’s goal of increasing the country’s tree cover from the current 12.3 per cent to 30 per cent in 10 years by planting more than 15 Billion trees.
She stated,”We are urging Kenyans to plant trees on their birthdays, during holidays, and on each and every occasion where it is possible to plant a tree. 15 billion trees sound huge and mind-boggling but believe me you, it translates to only 30 trees per Kenyan per year over the next 10 years. It is doable.”
Notably, she offered gratitude to the French government who shown their support, by providing the country with Forest fire surveillance equipments.
She stated,”I would like to thank the French Government who have supported us with equipment for forest fire surveillance, build fire towers and are training and equipping Kenya Forest Service personnel in firefighting. This support will enable KFS to suppress the frequent forest fires as witnessed during the just-ended long dry spell.”
She further revealed that the government is planting fullt fledged seed centres across the country.
She stated,”We are establishing 11 fully fledged seed centres across the country that will be operational by the end of May 2023. These seed centres under the Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI), will produce both indigenous seeds and fruit tree seeds for propagation across Kenya Forest Service nurseries and private and community nurseries across the country.”
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