Fresh concerns have arisen over the government's logging of eucalyptus trees in Nairobi's Karura Forest.
The conservation group Green Blue Africa Foundation has raised alarm over Kenya’s declining forest cover, questioning the move to cut down trees amid a nationwide tree-growing campaign launched by President William Ruto.
The group warned that the decision to fell eucalyptus trees in Karura could undermine Kenya’s long-term climate mitigation strategies, posing a setback to environmental conservation efforts.
Further, the group warned that the facing off of the trees was damaging the already fragile ecosystem.
''How could we as a country achieve the goal of 15 billion trees in 10 years as set by the President by cutting down trees? We must resist the temptation to make a quick buck by depleting already depleted forest cover,'' Bedan Mbugua, the President of the foundation stated.
The group has now issued a demand to the government to immediately halt the process and prioritize ideas that can increase forest cover.
''We, therefore, call upon the government to immediately halt the destruction of eucalyptus trees in Karura and prioritize strategies that genuinely increase forest cover,'' he added.
''The thing that is actually more disturbing is that this is happening at the KFS headquarters. How can a government institution like KFS be the same ones who look on the other side when this kind of thing is being done,'' Wilfred Kiboro, the chairperson of the foundation added.
However, the Friends of Karura Forest, the Community Forest Association, and the Kenya Forest Service defended the logging, stating that it was necessary to restore the original African mountain forest that once thrived in the area before colonialists introduced exotic tree species.
''We are not letting go of public forests for private use and I can guarantee that. Karura was almost 75 per cent made of eucalyptus as only 25 per cent was indigenous,'' Karanja Njoroge a broad member of the Friends of Karura Forests refuted.
Environment Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale also defended the cutting of trees, pointing out that those saying the government was not acting in good faith were ill-advised propagandists.
Further, the CS maintained that the government would be undertaking a similar exercise every five years to ensure the success of the transition.
The cutting of the eucalyptus trees that began in late 2024 in the forest sparked public concerns and outcries with the Kenya Forest Service defending the decision over what they revealed was facing out exotic trees to introduce indigenous ones.
