We often hear claims that Kenya’s forest cover is dangerously low, currently standing at a mere seven percent.
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization recommends a minimum forest cover of ten percent, a benchmark also enshrined in the 2010 Kenyan Constitution. However, a more nuanced examination reveals a complex interplay between science and socio-economics.
Finland, North Korea, Papua New Guinea, Congo Brazzaville, Surinam, Guyana, Norway, and Gabon, proudly maintain forest covers of up to 70% of their land areas.
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Astonishingly, these nations do not perceive themselves as overly forested; instead, they heavily rely on forest industries for their economies.
Japan prudently preserve its own forests, opts to import wood chips from Australia, which in turn, harvests wood from the rich indigenous forests of Papua New Guinea. Even Brazil, home to the vast Amazon Forest, dedicates three million hectares to eucalyptus plantations.
Similarly, Gabon, Congo Brazzaville, and the DR Congo continue to export logs to Japanese and European markets. China also partakes in this by importing timber primarily from the Caribbean and North America, after unloading its own cargo.
This situation prevails in countries with more than 50% forest cover. Conversely, oil-rich Middle Eastern nations Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Iran, Iraq, Qatar, and Kuwait are challenged by their harsh climates, leading to a forest cover of less than three percent.
Their cost-effective approach is to export oil and import timber, poles for vine growing, and charcoal, often from countries like Kenya. Despite Kenya’s 1985 ban on pine timber and charcoal exports, these products continue to find their way to the Middle East from East Africa.
Between these extremes, countries can achieve forest covers ranging from five to 30 percent, contingent on their ecological and economic circumstances. The pivotal factor is aligning the cover with the specific purposes for which the forests are intended.
Some nations prioritise wood and non-wood products, while others focus on soil, water, and biodiversity protection. Wealthier nations like England and Japan place a higher value on recreation and aesthetics derived from their forests, thereby choosing to import the majority of their wood.
In Kenya, three percent of the total land area is designated as state forests, with another eight percent set aside as protected areas, mainly game parks and reserves. When factoring in private forests and trust land managed by county governments, the total forest cover approximates six percent.
While Kenya claims to have achieved the 10% forest cover mandated by the Constitution and aspires to reach 30% by 2030, challenges arise due to the quality and location of these forests. Many of them are in ecologically fragile areas where water, soil, and biodiversity are at risk. Kenya’s substantial reliance on firewood and charcoal necessitates the annual harvest of at least one million hectares of forest.
Kenya boasts the world’s highest tree growth rates, even in arid and semi-arid regions. Native trees such as Acacia, Eucalyptus, and Melea volkensii thrive, and with irrigation, even the Chalbi Desert can be afforested, following India’s efforts in desert regions.
To achieve this, Kenya must adopt sustainable tree harvesting practices, steer clear of ecologically sensitive areas, extensively plant trees on available lands, and cater to local needs, potentially surpassing the 10% forest cover target.
Her ecological conditions facilitate the annual production of up to 20 cubic meters of wood per hectare, known as Mean Annual Increment (MAI), with Eucalyptus and Giant Bamboo doubling this capacity to 40 cubic meters per hectare.
This allowed Kenya to meet its timber needs and even export surplus to the Middle East, utilising only a fraction of its gazetted forests. However, 80% of the population relies on firewood and charcoal for energy, necessitating the annual harvest of about 1.5 million hectares of forest.
To meet this demand sustainably, Kenya would need to utilise its entire two percent forest cover each year, given its total land area of 52 million hectares.
However, Kenya’s forests can produce at a rate 50 times the MAI, necessitating the mining of only a fraction, of 0.4%.
Nonetheless, selecting the right tree species and engaging in purposeful planting, as opposed to cultivating exotic or indigenous trees indiscriminately, is crucial. The ideal forest cover for a country hinges on its socio-economic and ecological context, rather than rigid adherence to the magical 10%.
Kenya has the potential to fulfill its forestry needs and even export wood products, as demonstrated in the 1970s when Kenya efficiently employed a mere 170,000 hectares (0.3% of land area) for plantation wood forestry in gazetted forests.
Regrettably, past actions, including expelling forest workers from gazetted forests and shutting down sawmills, led to the collapse of the wood industry and the displacement of forest squatters.
Between 1989 and 2009, Kenya lost 3.4 million cubic meters of wood from neglected plantations, equivalent to Ksh74 billion. This had dire economic consequences as the country had to import poles from South Africa, pine timber from Malawi, and furniture from Malaysia and Finland, depleting foreign exchange reserves.
The science of forestry offers a means to ensure forests can regenerate and meet local needs sustainably. There is a renewed focus on forestry practice in Kenya, with state forest plantations undergoing management and replanting using participatory methods.
Tree planting campaigns have proliferated across the country, and irrigation schemes are integrating forestry development. It is imperative not to repeat the mistakes of the past, which led to the destruction of forest plantations and industries.
– Wamugunda Geteria is a Forestry Consultant, former Deputy Chief Conservator of Forests, Advocate of the High Court of Kenya and Chairman, Forestry Society of Kenya. [email protected]
