The highly degraded parts of Maasai Mau forest have a new lease of life as Phase One of an Sh8 million electric fence is 99 per cent complete.
The announcement was made by the Kenya Water Towers Agency that is building the fence to enable rehabilitation and to keep wildlife in and humans out.
The area to be saved is home to elephants, leopards and giant forest hogs.
The humans are settlers, farmers, herders, illegal loggers, charcoal burners and poachers.
The fence has five to 10 wires between heavy timber poles to restrain big game, antelope and carnivores.
The electrified fencing will protect the most degraded areas and allow for rehabilitation and tree planting.
Agency director general Prof Julius Tanui said the first phase, which is 30 kilometres long, is almost complete. The total length will be 110km from Sierra Leone to Olkurto..
“Powering is what is happening now,” Tanui told the Star.
Tanui said three powering stations out of five have been constructed.
“We will commission it in two weeks," he said.
Tanui said the agency is awaiting for partners to implement the remaining 89 kilometres.
“We have am Adopt-A-Kilometre programme and we are talking to friends to give us funds," he said.
He said they hopewell-wishers adopt sections of the forest before fencing them off.
“If people will adopt some sections, that will go a long way to subsidise what we are we are getting from the government," Tunui said.
Organisations and individuals can adopt sections," he said, ranging from three to even 25km.
A kilometre of electrified fencing costs Sh2.7 to Sh3 million.
This means that the agency will need Sh24.3 million and Sh26.7 million to implement the remainder of the fence.
“In the long run, it is not about Maasai Mau. It will promote natural regeneration because nothing disturbs the gorest like encroachment," the director general said.
He said the fence will be replicated in other key water towers such as Kaptagat forest.
Tanui said the community has been involved in the project to ensure that they own it.
In September last year, illegal herders and adjacent residents destroyed about one kilometre of the fence by pulling down posts.
“We are engaging them now. that is why you don't hear things like cutting the fence," he said.
Tanui said women's groups have also been involved in the project through their groups.
“We have given them income generating activities such as bee hives through their associations so they have a source of livelihood.”
Tanui said so far the community understands and appreciates the ongoing work.
He said gates have also been provided in the project to ensure residents have access to user rights such as cutting grass for their livestock.
The most degraded areas are those from which illegal settlers were evicted starting in 2019 after they destroyed huge sections of forest.
Maasai Mau forest covers 114,355 acres.
Restoration of the forest could cost Sh900 million.
Out of 42,007 acres, 4,942 acres were restored through tree planting.
The remaining 37,065 acres were to be rehabilitated through natural regeneration and enrichment planting.
The area had sufficient vegetation to support the production of seedlings from the existing trees, seedlings, saplings and shrubs.
The forest was the most threatened bloc of the Maasai Mau Complex due to human pressure and destruction.
The Water Towers Agency said electrified fences have been used successfully at the Mwea Game Reserve, Mt Elgon, Shimba Hills, Arabuko Sokoke, Marsabit, Tsavo East and Tsavo West and Lake Nakuru national parks.
Fencing reduces human-wildlife conflict as it controls large animals. It keeps away people, cattle, sheep and goats that can destroy planted seedlings.
The first evictions covered 1,772 households totalling 8,860 people. It took place from July 6 to 10 between the Nkoben River's north boundary and Kosia.
About 3,000 head of livestock were removed but crops were spared.
Officials said 11,119 acres were recovered.
A 2008 survey of 7,971 households showed more than 30 per cent had no ownership documents.
Last year, illegal settlers vacated after a 60-day window to voluntarily move out lapsed on October 30.
During the second phase, about 22,000 acres were recovered.
The government aims to plant 10 million trees in the water tower.
Nine species planted through aerial seeding have germinated.
They are among 15 species planted in 2019 after illegal settlers were expelled.
The Kenya Forest Research Institute cited good germination by East African yellow wood, broad-leafed croton for timber and medicinal use, cape chestnut with abundant flowers.
Others are Sudan teak, large-leafed cordia, forest dombeya, Meru oak, black ironwood and African cherry.
Aerial seeding directly broadcasts seeds by drone, plane or helicopter.
The alternative is ground-based seeding, including planting by hand or tractor seeding.
(Edited by V. Graham)
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