A logger burning charcoal inside the Mau Forest. Concerns have been raised over the decrease in forest cover. [Photo/cabiblog]
The National Environmental Complaints Committee (NECC) has attributed rising cases of logging and charcoal burning in forests to the failed shamba system.
The committee now wants the system is also known as Plantation Establishment Livelihood improvement Scheme (PELIS) banned as it was poorly implemented by the Kenya Forest Service (KFS).
The scheme that has for years being practiced in parts of the country brings farmers on board to cultivate land boarding forests while at the same time planting trees.
This emerged when the committee which is involved in advocacy visited Naivasha over the weekend for a fact-finding mission on various water towers and wetlands.
Addressing the press after the tour, the committee secretary Dr. John Chumo said that there was an outcry countrywide over the scheme.
He noted that the farming strategy which was meant to increase food production was good but it was poorly implemented.
“The scheme is being carried out in various water towers like the Aberdare, Mt Elgon, Kakamega forest and the Mau but it’s counterproductive,” he said.
Chumo said that in forests where the exercise was carried out, cases of logging and charcoal burning were on the rise.
The senior officer at the same time praised the move to ban the use of plastic papers noting that the country was now feeling the positive effects.
Chumo said that tens of wetlands were choked by the papers which were not degradable adding that the ban was long overdue.
“It’s evident that the plastic papers had negative effects in our water towers and wetlands and this ban should be supported by all,” he said.
On her part, the committee legal officer, Carolyne Khasoa called for the survey and marking of all wetlands and water towers.
According to her, lack of land ownership documents had led to an increase in cases of land grabbing targeting the wetlands and riparian land.
“We have launched a campaign where we shall work with other government agencies to mark and place beacons around all wetlands,” she said.
Khasoa added that the recent increase in human activities around riparian land was due to lack of legal documents.
“Very few wetlands in the country have title deeds or are marked and this exposes them to grabbing by unscrupulous traders,” she said.