The Country bid to attain the 10 per cent forest cover has been boosted after a local Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) adopted 100 hectares of MAU forest for conservation.
The NGO called Scoop undertook the plantation of more than 1000 tree seedlings over the weekend at Kiptunga Forest Block in Elburgon.
According to the Kenya Forest Service (KFS) Forester in charge of Kiptunga forest Joseph Mbugua, the initiative will go a long way in supplementing government efforts to reclaim the Mau forest water tower.
“Kenya Forest Service will assist in giving technical advice to the NGO’s in order to conserve our water catchment areas and also increase the forest cover,” he added.
The National Bank of Kenya and Crown Foods have also pledged their support to the achievement of the 10 percent forest cover.
Nakuru CeC for water and natural resources Richard Rop said that the county government will support initiatives aimed at conserving the environment.
Kiptunga forest block is one of the Mau forest blocks in which the government initiated tree planting four years ago.
Meanwhile members of the Ogiek Community living in Mau Forest have appealed to the government to ban logging in the water tower to promote the achievement of increased forest cover.
Their chairman Joseph Towett he accused Kenya Forest Service (KFS) of issuing 2,400 acres of forest cover to more than 87 saw millers at Logman, Kiptunga and Olengape.
Towett said the allocated areas are sources of water for lakes in the region.
“Our community along the forest is worried of massive destruction if saw millers will are allowed to harvest the forest despite rehabilitation being conducted,” said Towett.
Towett observed that KFS should partner with residents and task them with the responsibility of taking care of the forest.