Kenya Forests Working Group

What we do

Written by Liz Mwambui
Tuesday, 24 June 2008
Action at every level and with everyone; we are for forests and people KFWG’s strategic platforms: Kenya Forest Working Group works in these areas: Sustainable Forest Management Policy & Legislative Reforms Partnership Develop. & Networking Forest Resource Information This platform aims at enhancing sustainable forest management practices in Kenya through supporting participatory forest management initiatives and other measures proposed by the legislation (Forests Act 2005). For this reason KFWG is pursuing these actions: Supporting community based action and Participatory Forest Management (PFM) Monitoring of implementation of Forests Act 2005 (Policy Action Matrix), support to development of subsidiary legislation and CFAs nominations conservancies’ committees Support tree planting efforts Support to local authority and inadequately managed forests Current projects: Community based integrated forest resources conservation and management (COMIFORM) – Maasai Mau Forest: The COMIFORM project, funded by the Spanish Government through UNEP, works with communities surrounding the Maasai Mau Forest and Narok County Council the trustee of Maasai Mau forest, to introduce a shift from unsustainable land management practices to sustainable management supported by forest conservation, payment for ecosystem services and income generation through organized alternative livelihoods on public and private land. Thus, providing means for successful poverty alleviation and conservation of biodiversity. It is being implemented by KFWG, Ewaso Ngiro South Development Authority (ENSDA) and Green Belt Movement. KFWG is tasked with developing a management plan for the forest and bringing the community and other stakeholders into a Trust that will manage the forest in the future. PFM A Ford Foundation funded project has been helping community forest associations prepare management plans while building and strengthening the capacity of CFAs, Foresters and the PFM team for PFM. The PFM team is a team of professionals drawn from these institutions – KFWG, Nature Kenya, Kenya Forest Service, KEFRI, Forest Action Network, IUCN and NACOFA – that is promoting PFM in the country. The Team has been responsible for the production of useful manuals and guidelines on PFM and was responsible for bringing about the first national conference on PFM held in June 2007. Ecosystem Approach to Conservation and Management of Lake Naivasha Catchment and Environs funded by Community Environment Facility: KFWG is the strategic partner in this project which seeks to sustainably conserve and manage the Lake Naivasha watershed for continued supply of environmental goods and services while promoting activities that promote local livelihoods. Mainstreaming Community-Based Conservation in Upper Catchment of Lake Nakuru funded by Community Environment Facility: KFWG is also the strategic partner in this project that aims at restoring and sustainably managing the upper-Lake Nakuru catchment and its natural resources for improved socio-economic development of the local people. Support to CFA’s to make nominations to FCCs: As part of the institutional reform in the Forest Sector, the Forest Act 2005 makes provision for establishment of Forest Conservation Committees (FCCs) within 10 conservancy areas. An FCC will consist of ten members, among which four will be nominated from the Community Forest Associations (CFAs) operating in the conservancy. The objective for the establishment of FCC is to contribute to improved management of the forest resource and sustainable economic development through decentralization and increased participation of stakeholders in decision making on forest resource management and utilization. KFWG is working with the Miti Mingi Maisha Bora project of KFS in creating conservancy forums in the conservancies in order to have an enabling environment for communities to undertake elections for representatives to the CFAs. KFWG is involved in advocacy for the continuous improvement of forest governance through the development of favorable policies and laws for SFM. KFWG is using these strategies for this strategic platform Providing support to ongoing forest sector reforms Mainstreaming forests in government plans, vision, policies, and development issues such as the annual budget and through the Misitu Pia! Campaign. Monitoring the implementation of the Forests Act 2005 Advocacy for securing poorly protected forests. Current projects: Mau Complex advocacy: The Mau Forest Complex is the largest remaining true forest in Kenya. It is the source of water for the farmlands of western Kenya and the vast drylands of northwestern Kenya. It supports the livelihood of millions of people, and the most famous wildlife parks in the world. Yet despite this critical importance, in the past two decades the Mau Forests have been destroyed bit by bit by uncontrolled logging, charcoal production, agricultural encroachment and especially settlements. Since 2001, KFWG in partnership with other organizations such as the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), Kenya Forest Service (KFS), Ewaso Ngiro South Development Authority (ENSDA) Department for Resource Surveys and Remote Sensing (DRSRS) and the East African Wild Life Society - has been at the fore-front of efforts to protect the Mau. As a result, together with partners, the KFWG has been able to keep a historical record of excisions, illegal and irregular allocations of land, and encroachments in the Mau Complex forests. KFWG has also over the years shared this information with government ministries and their departments to help bring order in these forests and restore critical water catchment areas in the Mau Complex. This project is supported by various donors. Advancing accountability in the implementation of forest policy and legislation, supported by PACT/USAID: This project seeks to enhance transparency and accountability in the implementation of the Forests Act 2005 and the draft forest policy using three strategies namely; 1) establish alliances to conduct policy advocacy campaigns, 2) monitor enactment and enforcement of the forest legislation/policy and adherence to these instruments, and, 3) strengthen civil society, private sector and government partnerships and information sharing network. The overriding goal of the project is politicians and decision makers accountable in implementation of the Forest Policy and Legislation. The project has three specific objectives 1) To influence implementation of appropriate forest policy decisions, 2) To monitor the status of Kenya’s forests and implementation of policies/laws and use the information generated to advocate for better forest management practices and 3) To hold politicians and political parties accountable in the implementation of forest policies and law. Forest Recovery Policy Strategies: UNDP is providing funding to KFWG to Strengthen KFWG National information sharing mechanism for forest stakeholders to share experiences and learn from each other. Monitor status of Kenya’s forests and use the information generated to advocate for better forest management practices. Provide capacity building of local communities and foresters on Participatory Forest Management (PFM to enable them effectively implement the Forests Act 2005, especially the provisions on PFM) The overall outcome of this project will be to contribute to the integration of the principles of sustainable forest management within the forestry sector taking in consideration the need for responsive policy, legislation and community involvement in forest management. Monitoring Kenya's forest cover changes, supported by various donors: KFWG with support from various donors carries out monitoring with a view to alert both the government and civil society of emerging changes in forest cover. This is primarily done in the five main water catchment forests in Kenya - Mt. Kenya, Aberdare Ranges, Mt. Elgon, Mau complex and Cherengani Hills. Under this strategic platform, KFWG works to strengthen the its collaborative engagement with Government, other local CSOs, international organizations and the private sector in sustainable forest management. SW Mau forest Trust: Kenya Forest Working Group is pursuing collaboration between the government, the Tea Sector in Kericho and local community in the establishment of a South West Mau Trust for the conservation of that forest. KFWG develops, collects and disseminate information on forests. KFWG does through: KFWG’s generated reports and publications through monitoring, satellite imagery, aerial surveys; project baseline studies, Partner information
Last Updated ( Wednesday, 04 March 2009 )