NAIROBI, KENYA: The government has approved the appointment of Julius Kamau as Chief Conservator of Forests (CCF) for the Kenya Forest Service.
He will be replacing Emilio Mugo whose contract ended last year.
Mr. Kamau who is a re-known environmentalist is the current Deputy Executive Director for Rhino Ark Kenya Charitable Trust and served as the Executive Director at the East African Wild Life Society.
He served as a member of the task force formed last year by to look into forest management resources and logging in the country.
The findings released by task force identified corruption perpetuated by forest officers as one of the leading causes of forest destruction.
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The report commissioned by Environment Cabinet Secretary Keriako Tobiko discovered that blatant destruction of forests through logging undermined Kenya’s push to realise 10 per cent forest cover as recommended by the United Nations besides driving the economy to massive losses.
According to a document seen by the standard digital, Mr. Kamau met the set pass mark of 70 per cent and scored 85.6 per cent.
He was approved by the Cabinet Secretary Environment for his ability to network and mobilize resources from development partners and stakeholders.
In his bio, Julius describes himself as a Forester and a Conservationist with over 17 years of experience in taking actions, negotiating and influencing decisions that support sustainable management and protection of the environment and natural resources in the region.
His passion, dedication, commitment and conservation leadership is premised on his conviction that development and environmental needs of the present generations must be addressed without compromising the ability of the future generations to meet their own needs.
As a conservation leader, he has been instrumental in steering, negotiating, advocating and influencing decisions for sustainable management of forest resources.
He has worked with Sotik Tea Company as the Forest and Environmental Coordinator; Embassy of Finland as a Forest Specialist; Embassy of Sweden as a Regional Programme Manager; INTASAVE Africa as the Regional Director.
While working for the Finnish Embassy as the Forest Specialist, he provided technical advice to the Kenya-Finland 5 years’ bilateral programme – Support to Forest Sector Reform in Kenya’’ and served as the Finnish Government focal point for LVBC Partnership Fund.
“For the foregoing reasons and pursuant to section 14(1) of the act, I do hereby grant approval for the appointment of Julius Kamau as the new Chief Conservator of Forests for the Kenya Forest Service,” reads the letter signed by Environment Cabinet Secretary Keriako Tobiko.
