THE MAU FOREST COMPLEX
7 Jan 10 THE MAU FOREST Never in Kenya's history, has an environmental issue been more resounding and complex as the Mau Forest. Green Africa Foundation has been vocal and silently advocated against the destruction of the Mau. "The Mau is our lifeline and we have let selfish ambition led us to this destruction. It's time we realize our very survival lies at the Mau, lets pull in a collective effort and save Mau', says Green Africa Foundation's Chairperson, Isaac P. Kalua. Here are some useful facts about Mau Forest we would like to share with our readers. BACKGROUND •The Mau Complex, the largest forest of Kenya, covers some 400,000 ha. It lies between 2,000 m and 2,600 m above the sea level. •One of the five water towers of Kenya (Mt. Kenya, Aberdare Range, Mt Elgon, Cherengani Hills) •The Mau Complex comprises five main gazetted forest reserves: Eastern Mau (66,000 hectares), South-Western Mau (22,700 hectares), Trans-Mara (34,400 hectares), and Ol Pusimoru (17,200 hectares) •Mau complex is the source of twelve rivers: 1.Nzoia
2.Yala
3.Nyando
4.Sondu
5. Njoro
6. Naishi
7. Makalia
8. Nderit
9. Molo
10. Mara
11. Ewaso Nyiiro
12. Kerio •Rivers Nzoia, Yala, Nyando and Sondu, all entirely within Kenya, flow broadly westward into Lake Victoria • Njoro, Naishi, Makalia and Nderit (Enderit?), also entirely Kenyan, flow eastward into Lake Nakuru, from the Eastern Mau. •Ewaso Nyiro River, in its turn, flows southward, emptying its water into Lake Natron; unlike Mara River which first flows southward but eventually turns westward and then northward, inside Tanzania, toward Lake Victoria. •Molo River drains into Lake Baringo, and Kerio River ends way way up north in Lake Turkana.
•Mara River, it should be underscored, is a 13,750-kilometer "international river" shared by Kenya and Tanzania. Kenya owns the first 65% of its length, which traverses the world-famous Maasai Mara Game Reserve. Tanzania owns the other 35%, which crosses the Serengeti National Park.
•Mau is the source of over 60 per cent of the water flowing into Lake Victoria which shared with Uganda and Tanzania. •East Africa's largest block of indigenous forest is also home to 45 bird species •Lake Natron is shared by Kenya and Tanzania and Lake Turkana is shared by Kenya and Ethiopia). IMPORTANCE OF MAU •Rich in biological diversity in terms of fauna and flora. such large pockets of cedar and podocarpus forests with scattered natural glades. •Wildlife: Bongo and the yellow-backed Duiker; carnivores, the Golden Cat and the Leopard, and the forest elephant. •A water source to 4 millions people inhabiting more than 578 locations in Kenya and several locations in Northern Tanzania. DESTRUCTION
•In the past 15 years more than 100,000 hectares (413 square miles) - 25% of the Mau forest cover has been lost. •due to irregular and unplanned settlements, illegal resources extraction, in particular logging and charcoal burning, the change of land use from forest to unsustainable agriculture and change in ownership from public to private. EFFECTS OF DESTRUCTION •If the destruction of the Mau Complex is not stopped, Kenya stands to lose $300 million revenue from tea, agriculture, tourism, energy. •600,000 people in the tea sector will be affected
•Biodiversity loss is affecting wildlife in Lake Nakuru National Park and the Maasai Mara National Reserve
•Estimated potential hydro-power generation in the Mau Complex catchments is about 535 MW, representing 57 per cent of the current total hydro-power generation capacity in Kenya. The launch of the Sondu Miriu Hydroelectric power project was stopped, because the water levels had reduced dramatically.
POPULATION AFFECTED
•20,000 families have been settling in the forest •an estimate of only 1,962 families have genuine title deeds •Ogiek community are oldest inhabitants of the Mau Forest. •Humanitarian crisis has emerged with 20,000 families living on the road side. A replica of the Mt. Kenya evictees who have lived on the roadside for 20 years until july 2009 when they were allocated land in Laikipia. INTERVENTION •In July 2008 there has been a political row over resettlement of people, who had been allocated land there during the KANU era during the 80's and 90's. Some of the settlers are famed politicians, like Franklin Bett and Zakayo Cheruiyot. However in Kenyatta's Era, Moi's Era and now recently the Kibaki Era land allocations have been undertaken. •In 2004 Paul Ndung'u released "Ndungu Report", which listed these land allocations, terming them illegal and recommended revocation of them. Some evictions were implemented between 2004 and 2006, without a resettlement scheme. •On July 15, 2008, Prime Minister Raila Odinga issued an order that these evictions to be implemented by October 2008 in order to protect the forest from destruction. •The task force comprises 21 members drawn from senior officials from relevant Ministries, representatives of stakeholders groups and expert organizations including United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP). WHISTLE BLOWERS 1. Ndung'u Land Report by Paul Ndung'u
The commission, chaired by Mr Paul Ndung'u, had been appointed by President Mwai Kibaki in 2003 to investigate the illegal allocation of public land throughout the country.
The commission submitted its report, commonly referred to as the Ndung'u report to the President in June 2004. 2. Kenya Forests Work Group (KFWG) & UNEP
Through it's Mau Complex Advocacy, the KFWG has been able to keep a historical record of excisions, illegal and irregular allocations of land, and encroachments in the Mau Complex forests. KFWG has also over the years shared this information with government ministries and their departments to help bring order in these forests and restore critical water catchments areas in the Mau Complex.
SAVING EFFORTS
•38 billion needed to rehabilitation of the Mau Forest, which includes evictions, compensation, planting of trees and fencing.
•South west Some 300 security officers has been deployed in the area which is a 42-kilometre stretch. •Some 100 forest rangers have been deployed in the first 15-kilometre strip. •A ten-point intervention plan has been identified by the Interim Coordinating Secretariat to implement the recommendations of the Mau Forest Task Force for immediate and medium-term action. Key interventions include:
- Creation of Effective Institutional Frameworks
- Strategic Management Plan for the Mau Forest Complex
- Public Awareness and Community Sensitization
- Boundary surveys and Issuance of Title Deeds for Forest Blocks
- Monitoring and Enforcement
- Relocation and Resettlement
- Livelihood Support and Development
- Restoration and Replanting of degraded Sites
- Private Sector Investment
- Resource Mobilization
What to do •Remove all settlers and start rehabilitation
•Research and evidence based solutions
•Involve local community to gain their long term support
•Do the same for other forest in the country
•Enforce the 10 percent rule on individual forest land
•Engage seriously with carbon trading markets for benefits of locals
•Alternative sources of fuel for local communities such as bio-fuels
•Strictly reinforce laws on logging and illegal charcoal burning
•Plant suitable trees especially along river lines
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