By Bernard Gitau
The Friends of Karura Forest, mandated to protect and conserve the urban forest in collaboration with the Kenya Forest Service (KFS), has allayed concerns about illegal logging in the ecosystem.
The chairman of the Friends of Karura Forest Community Association, Professor Karanja Njoroge, has clarified that the alleged logging is an ongoing exercise to replace exotic trees with indigenous species.
“In 2010 in consultation with KFS through our Forest Management Plan, we started to convert the forest from plantation to African montane forest, where we have been clearing 5,000 hectares annually and planting indigenous trees,” said Prof Karanja.
He added in 2010, the forest was 70 percent plantation and 30 percent indigenous forest but currently, the tide has changed where 60 percent is African montane and 40 percent exotic trees.
“It is unfortunate to hear information circulating of illegal logging in a bid to grab the land by alleged leaders. I can assure the country under my watch and the Friends of Karura, not an inch will be grabbed,” said Pro Karanja.
The exotic trees being felled include cypress, pine, and eucalyptus which have surpassed their maturity age.
On who is cutting down trees, Prof Karanja said the KFS management placed a bid for qualified saw-millers and those who qualified were given the tender to harvest the trees.
Karura Forest is 1,041 hectares (2,570 acres) of three parts separated by Limuru and Kiambu roads.
The large middle portion is 710 hectares (1,800 acres); the Sigria salient to the west is 250 hectares (620 acres).
Due to the replacement of exotic species with Indigenous, the forest is now home to some 260species of bird as well as suni, Harveys Duiker, bushbucks, bush pigs, genets, civets, honey badgers, bush babies, porcupines, Syke’s monkeys, bush squirrels, hares, fruit bats, and various reptiles and butterflies.
Karura now has over 50 km of trails for visitors to walk, run or bike where over 60,000 people visit every month.
