The Kenya Forest Service has unveiled strategies to overcome challenges it faces in protecting and conserving forests in the country.
The recruitment of 2,700 forest rangers and foresters will boost the work being done by the current officers in different forest stations.
Last recruitment of the officers was last done in 2007.
Speaking at KFS headquarters in Karura on Friday, forestry PS Ephantus Kamotho said the service has 2,200 rangers meaning that each ranger takes care of 1,000 acres.
“When we have one ranger taking care of about 1,000 acres, it is below the worldwide standards. Since we have recruited, we shall have at least one ranger taking care of about 400 acres,” he said.
Kamotho lauded efforts being done by the Community Forest Associations in assisting rangers in protecting and conserving forests.
Kamotho said the KFS has also received another boost on mobility.
He said the KFS rangers have a challenge of not having enough vehicles to move from block to another in the forest as they serve.
He applauded the partnership between the Africa Development Bank for assisting the service to procure eight Land cruiser vehicles.
The PS was accompanied by acting KFS chief conservator Alex Lemarkoko in flagging off the vehicles to different forest stations in the country.
“These vehicles will boost the rangers including those who will come in to patrol while serving in different regions,” he said.
The PS also noted that they will hold a meeting to come up with better and more houses now that they have started expanding the rangers and foresters in the department of forestry.
Lemarkoko urged stakeholders to continue supporting them as they lay strategies and implement President William Ruto’s directive of planting 15 billion trees.
He said the service will involve the stakeholders and the community more so as to achieve its target while observing the rule of law, the boards instructions as well as the general direction of the government.
Kamotho said they were mobilising more funds to assist the KFS achieve all set goals and motivate officers as well as stakeholders.
