Limit logging to gazetted plantation forests, says PS

Permanent Secretary for Environment Gitonga Mugambi now wants the logging of trees to be strictly limited to gazetted plantation forests areas.

In an affidavit filed before the court in response to the LSK petition on logging, Gitonga said that limiting plantation forest areas will ensure the health and integrity of the delicate natural ecosystem with strict regulations and sustainable approaches that will ensure the balance between conservation and economic development.

“That lifting of the ban on logging in gazette public plantation forests was informed by an inventory of forest plantations that was undertaken by a multi-agency taskforce between 2022-23 which revealed 26,000 Ha. of mature and over mature forest plantation stocks,” the PS's affidavit reads.

Mugambi said that they used a principle where the number of trees removed annually should be equal to the number of trees to be planted.

According to the court papers, the ban was lifted on harvesting Industrial Forests plantations. 

The state further said that out of 150,000 hectares of gazette commercial forests, only 5,000 hectares can be harvested every year.

"The revenue from the sale of the plantation forests is used to supplement the cost of forest protection, conservation and management of natural forests including replanting harvested plantations," he said.

The state has therefore urged the court to dismiss the petition by LSK arguing that the petition by LSK is misconceived and an abuse of court of process.

He said the petition lacks precision and is pre-mature adding that the court lacks jurisdiction to hear the matter.

On August 2, the High Court issued orders blocking an executive order that lifted the ban on logging.

On February 24, 2018, the state imposed a 90-day ban on logging, which was later extended to November 24.