KFS defends tree harvesting in Karura as part of forest restoration plan

The Kenya Forest Service (KFS) has clarified that the ongoing removal of exotic trees in Karura Forest is part of a planned effort to restore the urban recreational forest into a fully indigenous ecosystem.

This follows the circulation of a viral video in social media showing tree-cutting activities, which raised concerns on the environmental impact of logging in the forest.

In a statement, KFS explained that the exercise involves the phased removal of mature Eucalyptus and Cypress trees as outlined in the Karura Forest Participatory Forest Management Plan (PFMP), a legally binding document developed in collaboration with the Friends of Karura Forest (FKF), the forest’s Community Forest Association.

“The Service takes note of messages in various formats circulating in social media that relate to removal of mainly Eucalyptus exotic tree species from the Karura Forest. The information in form of video recordings and a variety in text formats is misleading, and inaccurate,” KFS stated.

KFS assured the public that the exercise strictly adheres to the Forest Conservation and Management Act of 2016 and other relevant legal frameworks.

The phased approach is expected to take four years and involves transparent procedures, including competitive tendering for harvesting.

The Service added that the harvested areas will be replanted with indigenous trees, shrubs, and climbers suitable for the forest’s ecological zone with monitoring efforts expected to achieve a survival rate of more than 90%.