Greenpeace Africa condemns the Kenya Woodland Service’s (KFS) misleading claims that Kenya’s forests are no longer below threat. The fact on the bottom paints a particular image with forests being cleared, encroached upon, and dispensed for projects that undermine Kenya’s environmental and climate commitments.
KFS asserts that Kenya’s forests are safe, but the details articulate otherwise. The authorities’s enjoy plans, together with the allocation of 50 acres of Suam Woodland for a border town, the proposed hiving off of 51 acres of Karura Woodland for Kiambu street expansion, and continued land grabbing in Mau Woodland, mask a continuous pattern of destruction disguised as pattern. Furthermore, the extreme degradation of Aberdare Woodland due to deliberate infrastructure projects additional proves that Kenya’s green areas are at misfortune.
This all comes towards the backdrop of public commitments by the Kenya authorities to amplify Kenya’s woodland duvet, together with a pledge to plant 15 billion timber by 2032. The snappy allocation of forested land for commercial and infrastructure projects contradicts these commitments and jeopardizes extreme ecosystems that offer a should-absorb environmental and climate advantages. This extra jeopardises and contradicts Kenya’s dedication to produce tree protection of on the least 10% according to its “low carbon and climate resilient development pathway”.
Here is a more in-depth notice on the forests at misfortune:
Karura Woodland: 51.64 acres are at misfortune due to the proposed Kiambu Avenue expansion. The case is currently in courtroom, with the Green Belt Circulate (GBM) because the most important petitioner.
Aberdare Woodland: The 25 kilometre Ndunyu Ihithe Avenue is deliberate to gash by means of this extreme ecosystem, additional endangering biodiversity and a most important water catchment home. GBM is amongst the petitioners hard this pattern in courtroom.
Suam Woodland: 50 acres had been earmarked for a border town, threatening years of reforestation and conservation efforts led by GBM and diversified stakeholders.
Oloolua Woodland: Faces continual land-grabbing attempts, with full of life courtroom circumstances in quest of to stop additional encroachment and loss of this most important green build.
With the exception of its work to protect these forests from the projects threatening them, GBM and diversified environmental organizations are currently in courtroom hard the authorities’s resolution to steal the ban, warning of its long-term consequences for Kenya’s forests.
To produce issues worse, the threats prolong past these forests. Fresh traits absorb printed that Ngong Avenue Woodland is facing snappy destruction due to a number of infrastructure projects, early entry permits, and deepest leases. Here are the blocks within the Ngong Woodland below threat:
Lenana block: timber absorb already been cleared for a railway cutting by means of the woodland, alongside allocations for a ladies’ boarding college, a furnishings showroom, and a number of commercial leases.
Sanctuary block: A deepest tented camp and resort are being developed, whereas the contemporary Talanta Stadium has taken approximately 50 acres of woodland land. Additionally, uncontrolled activities, together with the construction of a taking pictures fluctuate and eating places in forested areas, are ongoing. Building raze is additionally being dumped at Ngong Racecourse and Rowallan Scout Camp.
Karen block: A police put up has been established, additional lowering woodland duvet.
Bomas block: The neighboring Ngong Woodland is at misfortune of degradation as aspects of it are being belief of as for a construction accumulate 22 situation to store offers, put together crew housing, and facilitate pattern activities.
Amos Wemanya, Greenpeace Africa’s Responsive Campaigns Lead, said, “It is devastating to watch the Kenya Forest Service, tasked with protecting our forests, turn a blind eye to the clear destruction unfolding in Karura, Aberdare, Suam and beyond. KFS disputing the destruction of forests is the greatest betrayal of their mandate. Our precious forests are being bulldozed for “pattern projects” that threaten our climate, water, wellbeing and livelihoods. Despite the overwhelming evidence of logging and land clearing, KFS refuses to act and denies any human activities that they know are destroying our forests. We are surprised that KFS is transferring their responsibilities to the public. We need transparent governance, genuine forest conservation efforts, and an end to projects that sacrifice our environment for short-term gains. The message is simple: development should never cost us our natural heritage.”
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Greenpeace Africa joins hundreds of Kenyans who absorb signed the petition stressful an stop to these reckless actions. The Green Belt Circulate, a globally identified environmental group based by Nobel Laureate Wangari Maathai, has additionally spoken out in give a steal to of the petition. Their advocacy and correct actions towards deforestation and land grabs underscore the urgent need for stronger woodland protection measures. The authorities’s promise to plant 15 billion timber by 2032 is meaningless if deforestation continues at this tempo. Kenyans deserve real climate drag, no longer empty pledges and greenwashing.
We speed KFS and the Kenyan authorities to acknowledge the urgent need for stronger woodland protections, stop the destruction of extreme ecosystems, and commit to exact conservation measures that prioritize folks and the planet over profit.
ENDS
For media inquiries, please contact:
Sherie Gakii, Communications and Storytelling Supervisor, Greenpeace Africa, [email protected], +254702776749
Greenpeace Africa Press Desk, [email protected]
