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Learn  more Owing to widespread encroachment of forests in the 80s and 90s, Kenya lost crucial forest cover and respective biodiversity. Kenya is now
understood to be seriously under-forested and environmentally at risk of losing her rich and diverse resources. The encroachments on forests have led to drying up or diminishing of water catchments areas and, consequently, water reservoirs. A good example is Lake Naivasha in Rift Valley which is gradually shrinking and could eventually dry up. Not only is Kenya losing on her biodiversity and related tourism income, but this could also lead to a total loss of her enormous wild genetic resources which lie untapped, undiscovered and un-preserved. All this is because of a low forest cover resulting from uncontrolled and unregulated tree felling for biomass and wood. These are considered short term gains in view of the long term needs of all and posterity. Kenya is known to have a holesome and intriguing diversity of trees and organisms, both indigenous and exotic, in various wild and planted forests, natural and game reserves and other remote egions all over the country.

Global warming, as has been observed over the last century, is caused by increased concentration of greenhouse gases that accumulate because of or arise from such human activities as deforestation and use of fossil fuels. The warming emanates from such green house gases as carbon dioxide, methane, ozone, hydro fluorocarbons and nitrous oxide. Trees, and forests as a whole, reduce such warming by partly consuming these gases. Global warming affects natural systems through melting of glaciers, devastation of ecosystems such as extinction of some species and consequent reduction of biodiversity. Other effects cludedestruction of social systems through such effects as coastal flooding and increased negative health impacts.

International responses to global warming have included mitigation efforts, adaptation, geo-engineering and the Kyoto protocol. Tree planting helps by absorbing atmospheric carbon dioxide and reducing poverty. There has also been a targeted campaign towards the use of clean technologies. All these efforts are being rewarded through a scheme known as carbon credits that accrues real monetary value. Projects that earn carbon credits include reforestation and growing biofuel crops.

In Kenya, the environment sector contributes to more than 42% of the country’s GDP. Nevertheless, environmental management and conservation have not received the due concern and support they deserve. Globally, over the last three decades, human activity has depleted and degraded nearly thirty (30) per cent of earth’s natural resources including forests. As mentioned earlier, Kenya’s forest cover is below the acceptable standards. Kenya’s forest cover is estimated at less than two (2%) percent down from an estimated eight to twelve per cent (8 - 12%) at the turn of the last century. Kenya has also lost crucial and genetically vital indigenous resources. Less than three percent (3%)of Kenya’s total land area today is gazetted forest. Even then, the term“forest” also includes glade areas and plantations, so the actual area under indigenous forest is very small. Kenya’s main indigenous forests also constitute her five large water towers; Mt. Kenya, Aberdare’s Range, Mau Escarpment, Cherangany Hills and Mt. Elgon. These cover more than one million hectares and form the upper catchments of all main rivers in the country.  Yet, Kenya’s natural forest has been thoughtlessly and systematically destroyed for many decades. Luckily,  awareness on the need for conservation is
rising.

In the meanwhile, the effects of this massive tree felling and resultant global warming are being visibly witnessed. For example, the glaciers on Mt. Kilimanjaro, that borders both Kenya and Tanzania, are gradually shrinking. On Mt. Kenya, only 11 of the initial 18 glaciers, that were there a century ago, remain. Kenya’s five water towers have not been spared either. There has been extensive logging and deforestation in the Aberdare Ranges while Mt. Elgon has witnessed massive encroachments for agriculture and logging. In the Mau Complex 25% of her forest cover constituting 100,000 hectares has been destroyed since the year 2000. At the same time, the Cherangani Hills have witnessed massive encroachments for human settlements, agriculture and tree products. The average annual loss of forests is
approximately 12,000 hectares per year and an estimated 50, 000 hectares of woodlands, bushlands and wooded grasslands. Forest cover lost already is estimated at 13% (or 1.7 million hectares) of the total gazetted area.

While this persists, Kenya vital water catchment areas continue to diminish and, in some cases, dry up. Worse, while forest cover and forestry resources have been plundered, the inhabitant wildlife, ecosystems and bio-diversity become threatened and, consequently, disappear irretrievably. This not only threatens one of Kenya’s economic mainstay of tourism, it also directly threatens local economies such as water supply and resultant business activities.

An example is Mt. Kenya forests are a critical water catchment area for Kenya delivering forty percent (40%) of the country’s water needs. Certain Kenyan rivers have dried up or become seasonal owing to the destruction of water catchment areas. For example, the Mau ecosystem stemming from the Mau Forest complex is the catchment for twelve(12) rivers namely; Mara, Sondu-Miriu, Nyando, Nzoia, Yala, Turkwell, Rongai, Nderit, Makalia, Kerio, Molo, Naishi, Ewaso Nyiro, and Njoro. Yet it has been severely encroached and plundered and is considered threatened.

Owing to the stated encroachment of forests, the country’s water systems and reservoirs are highly stressed. These include lakes Victoria, Nakuru and Naivasha. Other stressed water systems are rivers Nzoia, Nyando, Turkwel, Kerio, Athi, Voi, Tana and Ewaso Nyiro. Some Kenyan lakes, as mentioned above, are shrinking or threatened with drying up.

Close to sixty percent (60%) of Kenya’s electricity generation and national grid supply is hydropower trapped in the regions of good water catchments and contributed by forests. Some of the main rivers under this scheme, the so-called seven forks dams, are rivers Athi and Tana. Owing to the seasonally reducing water volumes, Kenya has witnessed massive and frequent power rationing, and blackouts, since the 90s.

Further importance and significance of Kenya’s forest reserves is borne by the fact that seventy percent (70%) of Kenya’s domestic energy needs are met by wood collected from forests and rangelands. It is vital and paramount to replenish such tree stocks and natural reserves. Admittedly, efforts to do this have been limited or rather localized. This project undertakes to implement tree planting in all parts of Kenya over the long term.

Careers for Life International will, upon implementation of this project and regularly thereafter, be updating this website with an e-Newsletter that highlights our efforts, progress, emerging research or scientific information and other relevant information.