As the country continue debating the issue of cutting of trees in the forests, stakeholders has come out to differentiate between illegal logging and forest tree harvesting.
Timber and Manufacturers sector national chairman at the Kenya Association of Manufactures Kaberia Kamencu says that so many people might be misinformed by what they see and hear.
He says that no one can take his expensive machinery to the forest in a broad day light and start cutting trees.
Kamencu explains that, tree harvesting is a controlled and planned removal of trees in a forest for timber, poles and fuel.
He said that forests are classified into natural and plantation sections adding that tree planting happens in both sections, but harvesting is not done in both.
He expounded that, plantation sections, is where tree harvesting is done, since it was set aside for exotic trees growing.
Kamencu added that, the exotic trees such as Cyprus and Eucalyptus, which are largely grown in the plantation sections, were introduced in the country so as to address the rising demand for wood in the country.
These exotic trees grows so fast and they mature to be harvested, failure to which, they start decaying.
When the trees overripe, the manufacturers who buys them end up counting losses since the inner part is all waste, since it cannot produce timber for sale, he added.
Kamencu reveals that, all timber manufacturers must participate in the Kenya Forest Service bidding process to harvest trees and the winners are vetted and cleared to harvest trees from the plantation sections.
“All timber manufacturers do the work under the supervision of the KFS. We have never touched the natural forests. We only deal with the planation sections only” he said.
Kamencu thanks the KFS for ensuring that the harvested areas are replanted immediately, by the communities living near the forests since they are awarded pieces of lands where they grow food crops even as protect trees planted under the Plantation Establishment and Livelihood Systems program.
“After three to four years, the trees planted are so tall. These trees grows so fast. The communities are moved to another harvested section by the KFS” he added.
In the natural forests, that is where we find wild animals living, water towers, river sources, water falls and other important sites for our environment.
He adds that, while deforestation which is alleged was ongoing, the exercise is not known by law and thus it is illegal.
Deforestation leaves permanent destruction of ecosystem and loss of forest cover, habitat and also contributes to soil erosion and lands slides in the forests.
Kiambu county Timer and Manufacturers chairman Wainaina Mburu popularly known as Boys, asks the government start educating the public about forest management since the demand of wood in the country is still rising.
“When we import timber, furniture items will definitely rise. On the other hand, so many people will lose their jobs” he said.
Speaking at Kinale forest in Lari sub county on Monday, Mburu adds that, the timber manufacturers, KFS and the community were ready with seedlings to plant the already harvested forests within the county, and were still producing other seedlings.
“We have seedbeds with grown seedlings that can hold tree planting throughout an year, that is 12 months. We have planned so well” he said.
Kinale CFA secretary Njinu Warwathe said that normally ensure that all trees planted in the pieces of lands where they cultivate have grown.
“If a seedling dries up in someone’s plot, you have to get another seedling from our nurseries. We have been attaining 99 percentage growth of seedlings planted, meaning that forest growth in the forests is maintained” he said.
Njinu adds that, the KFS has clear framework of how to grow trees together with the community as they also benefit.
“We have never done anything without the guidance of our KFS officers. They are very eager to work with us so as ri see forest cover has been raised” he said.
They all dismissed the allegations from some quarters that the ongoing forest harvesting was illegal.
