Aberdare forest cover increased

NAKURU COUNTY: More than 300 acres have been put under tree cover around the Aberdare forest as part of efforts to conserve the critical water tower.

This has been achieved through the Plantation Establishment Livelihood Improvement Scheme (PELIS), commonly known as the Shamba system.

According to statistics from the World Wide Fund (WWF), forest cover for the once-endangered forest has increased.

Speaking on Thursday after visiting Kibura in Aberdare forest and Kinangop, WWF technical officer Daniel Koros noted this has been achieved through an initiative of WWF, Community Forest Associations and Kenya Forest Service.

“In the last three years, more than 300 acres of depleted forest land has been planted with trees whose survival rate is very high,” he said.

He observed that under the system there was improved food production and pasture.

“We did a survey in this area where many farmers own less than two acres. This made it hard to farm but now the availability of the forest land is a big boost for them,” he said.