Environment CS Tuya bans grazing in forests

Environment, Forestry and Climate Change Cabinet Secretary Soipan Tuya, said illegal grazing in public forests is on the rise across the country and undermines the progress the government is making towards the 15b national tree growing target.

 In a statement on Friday, CS Tuya said to ensure that only sustainable participatory forest management activities are undertaken in all gazetted forests, the ministry shall only engage with forest adjacent communities, which are members of duly registered Community Forest Associations, through negotiated participatory forest management plans, and forest management agreements as stipulated in law.

“In order to ensure that only sustainable participatory forest management activities are undertaken in our gazetted forests including grazing, the public is notified that the Chief Conservator of Forests is hereby directed to ensure that established rules and regulations on grazing and grass harvesting in public forests are implemented to the letter,” stated Tuya.

The CS  says, the ministry, working with partners, is deploying technology to enhance forest surveillance, hastening delineation of boundaries and expanding the fencing programme to cover all gazetted public forests.

The ministry has directed the chief conservator of forests to ensure that established rules and regulations on grazing and grass harvesting in public forests are implemented to the letter.

Four days ago, the Kenya Forest Service released a statement on grazing guidelines in public forests.