Kenya Forests Working Group

Membership and Strategic Partners 

KFWG strategic partners are usually members of KFWG who have the following characteristics:

• Are actively pursuing similar interests
• Work together with KFWG in implementing activities within KFWG’s strategic platforms
• Participate in monthly forums consistently and
• Can, when called upon, use own resources to pursue joint strategies.

KFWG is currently in partnership with these organizations –

1. Kenya Forest Service
2. Kenya Forestry Research Institute
3. Kenya Wildlife Service
4. The National Alliance of Community Forest Associations (NACOFA) and Community Forest Associations
5. Nature Kenya – The East African Natural History Society and Birdlife International partner in Kenya
6. Forest Action Network
7. World Wildlife Fund (EARPO)
8. IUCN (EARPO)
9. United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
10. Ewaso Ngiro South Development Authority (ENSDA)
11. The Green Belt Movement
12. Kenya Charcoal Working Group
13. Organizations representation in the National Alliance for the Forests Agenda in the 2007 elections and beyond who are running the Misitu Pia Campaign.
14. The Department of Remote Sensing and Resource Surveys (DRSRS)
15. Kijabe Environment Volunteers

Membership:

KFWG’s strength lies in its diverse membership. Within the membership is represented a wide range of interests at the local, national and international levels. Currently there are over 60 organizations affiliated to KFWG, while individual members number over 500. Members contribute to KFWG through involvement in monthly meetings and subcommittees. They discuss problems facing different forests and come up with strategies to address them.

Membership in KFWG is open to individuals or organizations demonstrating active interest in forests conservation and management and related areas.

Subcommittees:

KFWG is able to catalyze its members to form committees to address different forest issues. Most of the sub-committees are formed at the monthly meetings. Such groups include the Charcoal sub-group; sub-groups that address problems related to a specific forest; and the PFM sub-group that works on participatory forest management issues.

Membership categories are:

• Private individual – Individuals not affiliated to any institution with an interest in forests.
• Government – Government institutions involved in forest management and conservation activities
• Local NGOs – Organizations registered as NGOs in Kenya with interest in forest conservation
• International organizations - International NGOs with an interest in forests
• Grassroot community organizations – CBOs and CFAs

Join the KFWG (membership sign up, guidelines and obligations)

• Not a member of KFWG? Join us today.
• Membership is free and open.

However to become a member you must be willing to:

• Help define the vision, mission and philosophy of KFWG
• Publicize the vision and philosophy of KFWG
• Contribute to forums to discuss emerging forest issues particularly through the monthly meetings. Consistent attendance to the monthly meetings will be expected.
• Participate in discussions and provide comments on particular issues of concern via email communication or on websites
• Participate in KFWG Activities such as advocacy campaigns, lobbying policy makers and fact finding missions
• Contribute to the human resource expertise database for the determination of existing member expertise
• Participate in membership evaluations required by KFWG or Donors and Partners
• Members are also required to inform the KFWG of any change in their contact person (if organization), the postal address, the e-mail address, and telephone and fax numbers and must also be willing to receive periodic information relevant to the membership through the contacts they provide.

Member benefits:

• As a member you benefit through:
• Being a member of a network of individuals, organizations, institutions concerned with Kenya’s forests;
• Sharing of information and experiences among members;
• Periodic information sent through to you mainly via email and via KFWG publications;
• Announcements on key decisions by government;
• Announcements being made by other members through KFWG. These include job opportunities and consultancies, opportunities for study, training and conferences;
• Opportunity to debate key forest issues.