•The objectives of PFMP include the participation of communities in forestry conservation through sustainable utilisation of resources and the creation of livelihood improvement opportunities through on-farm activities.
•PFMP involves communities in fostering sustainable socioeconomic and environmental management.
Loitoktok Community Forest Association can now reap maximum benefits from forest resources following the signing of a second generation of the Participatory Forest Management plan.
The plan provides a management framework for the ecosystem and communities. A Forest Management Agreement with the CFA was also signed.
The objectives of PFMP include the participation of communities in forestry conservation through sustainable utilisation of resources and the creation of livelihood improvement opportunities through on-farm activities.
PFMP involves communities in fostering sustainable socioeconomic and environmental management.
“Community Forest Association helps play a crucial role in governments’ agenda of 15 billion trees by 2032 through Landscape Restoration Strategy,” Chief Conservator of Forests Alex Lemarkoko said while presiding over the signing the PFMP and Forest Management Agreement at Loitoktok on August 16.
He said restoration efforts need massive seedlings that will be raised by both KFS and CFAs.
Lemarkoko said KFS's relationship with CFA must benefit the community.
He lauded the Loitoktok CFA for implementing 80 per cent of the old PFMP and challenged them to implement the new one fully.
He said CFAs will help bolster the government agenda of enhancing the country's forest cover from the current 12.3 per cent to 30 per cent.
During the signing ceremony, Lemarkoko got an opportunity to tour a model tree nursery that boasts 1.3 million tree seedlings annually. He was accompanied by Kenya Forest Service Commandant Mohammad Mohammed
The CFA has plans to enhance the model nursery to accommodate two million seedlings.
Image: Gilbert Koech.
WWF-Kenya funded the model tree nursery for Sh16 million.
Other organisations that supported the project include the International Climate Initiative through the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety, and Consumer Protection.
The nursery is equipped with a solar-powered borehole to ensure year-round seedling production.
The communities use forests sustainably to generate income and improve their livelihoods, easing pressure on the forest areas.
Community Forest Associations are supposed to sign the Participatory Forest Management Plan and Forest Management Agreement, as per the Forest Conservation and Management Act, 2016.
Once CFAs sign agreements with the KFS as per the Forest Conservation and Management Act of 2016, they get user rights.
Some user rights include the collection of medicinal herbs, the harvesting of honey, the collection of dead fuel wood, grass harvesting, and collecting herbs and honey.
Others are ecotourism, recreational activities, and plantation establishments, among other rights.
A registered CFA is under obligation to protect, conserve, and manage the public forest following the approved management plan and formulate and implement sustainable forest programmes.
CFA’s also protect sacred groves and protected trees, assist KFS in enforcing the provisions of the forest laws, help fight the fires, and inform KFS of any developments, changes, and occurrences that are critical for the conservation of biodiversity.
World Wide Fund for Nature National Forest Program Coordinator Elijah Korir said the launch of the Loitoktok PFMP and the signing of the Forest Management Plan for 2024-2029 under the theme "Forest for Improved Livelihoods and Sustainable Forest Conservation" marks a significant milestone in our commitment to forest management and restoration efforts across Kenya.
“WWF Kenya has been actively engaged in enhancing both terrestrial and mangrove ecosystems through several key initiatives. Our organization has supported the production of quality tree seedlings by building capacity in seed collection and handling and establishing model tree nurseries,” Korir said.
Korir said WWF-Kenya has also played a crucial role in enhancing forest governance by encouraging and facilitating community participation in forest management.
“To date, WWF Kenya has successfully developed 17 Participatory Forest Management Plans (PFMPs), providing a structured approach for sustainable forest management. Additionally, we have provided extensive training and capacity-building programs for Community Forest Associations (CFAs), rangers, and community scouts. This includes equipping them with the necessary uniforms and equipment to carry out their duties effectively,” Korir said.
Korir said in the realm of policy and legal frameworks, WWF-K contributions include supporting the National Landscape and Ecosystem Restoration Strategy, which aims at achieving the ambitious goal of growing 15 billion trees, as well as contributing to the development of mangrove restoration guidelines.
The Loitoktok PFMP is a blueprint document that will guide the implementation of restoration activities for the next five years.
“To ensure the sustainability of these efforts beyond WWF Kenya's support, we call upon our partners, including the Kenya Forest Service (KFS) and the Kajiado County Government, churches, and banks to continue supporting these critical activities. Together, we can achieve long-term sustainability and conservation of our forests, ultimately improving livelihoods and protecting these vital ecosystems for future generations,” Korir said.