A section of the Mau Forest. [Photo: Courtesy]
The chairperson of the Kenya Water Towers Agency Isaac Kalua has stated that they have reclaimed 70,000 hectares of land in Mau Forest over five years.
Speaking during this year’s Mau water Forest stakeholder meeting at Ewaso Nyiro, he said the government has cleared settlements in most parts of the water tower and reclaimed land.
However, Kalua has stated that 30,000 hectares of the reclaimed land has been badly degraded through human activities such as charcoal burning, logging, illegal settlements and grazing.
“We have reclaimed quite a lot of land and its impact in the ecosystem is evident, rivers that had dried up have started flowing,” he said.
He added that they are out alternatives for wood materials to reduce cases of deforestation.
“We are now giving out plastic posts for fencing to replace cedar,” said the chairperson.