Residents of Nyamira County have been cautioned against engaging in charcoal burning given its negative impact to the environment.
Speaking on Monday during a tour in Gesima market, Nyamira chief environmental officer Lawrence Makori said cases of tree cutting for charcoal were rampant in the region, and the habit was endangering species in the area.
He said the region risked being a desert and subsequently losing major water bodies as a result of targeting forests for timber trading and charcoal burning by a section of area residents, who have defied government policies.
I am seeing us exposing our environment to being a desert. People are cutting trees in a very high rate for either charcoal burning or timber trading. This culture is not only dangerous to the environment but also to living things in it,” he said.
“You risk losing water bodies and springs in this region. In few years’ time, accessing water will be a disaster if a step isn’t taken to avert the crisis,” he added.
He asked locals to work together with the government of the day in a bid to combat the crime since it was increasing to alarming rates.
“Saving our environment from such people needs a lot of concerted efforts from virtually all stakeholders. The government alone cannot win the war. Please help us deal with these individuals who are particularly deforesting government territories,” he said.