Government Extends Logging Ban By Another 12 Months

A logging ban declared to protect the community and public forests have been extended by the Environment Cabinet Secretary Keriako Tobiko by a further 12 months.

The logging ban was set to end on 24^th November 2019 upon which the CS ordered to have it extended as the government plans to map and take stock of the land of public forest in Kenya.

CS Tobiko said that a multi-agency team would be constituted to among others, undertake an independent mapping, verification, and valuation of all mature and over mature forest plantations and submit its report to the government within four months.

The extended ban of logging in communities and public forests was imposed in 2018 following widespread logging in public forests that threatened the environment including water sources.

The audit by the Kenya Forest Service revealed illegal logging by state officers prompting the government to further extend the logging ban as the consequences were beginning to be felt.

Saw millers, carpenters and all the businesses that relied on timber were up in arms as it meant lack of raw materials for them as prices of commodities created from timber shot.

The ban was eased on privately owned forests to give the timber industry a breather and encourage Kenyans to create private forests by planting forests.

Campaigns to encourage Kenyans to plant trees became more vibrant as it became obvious that water sources were becoming more exposed affecting water supply across the country.

The Kenya Forest Service and Environment ministry are currently running a tree-planting campaign in a bid to raise the country’s tree cover to ten percent as Kenyans are continually urged to take advantage of the market and plant trees that grow within a short term.

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