To increase tree cover, government must match words with actions

Kenya Forest Service officers and government officials during tree planting in Ruthhumbi forest station, South Imenti, Meru, on January 14, 2025. [Phares Mutembei, Standard]

If the government is serious about planting 15 billion trees by 2032, it must walk the talk. There is no room for empty promises. According to Global Forests Watch, Kenya is losing its forests at an alarming rate. From 2001 to 2023, we have lost 386,000 hectares of tree cover, which represents a staggering 12 per cent decrease since 2000. This deforestation has released 189 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalent, driving climate change and threatening the future of our children, our wildlife, and our nation.

We cannot ignore these facts. The destruction of Kenya’s vital forests is an ongoing crisis that is not only eroding our environmental health but also severely undermining our biodiversity and climate stability. Forests are essential to the health of the planet, providing crucial services such as carbon sequestration, water filtration, and maintaining biodiversity.

However, recent developments have placed some of Kenya’s most iconic and irreplaceable ecosystems — such as the Aberdare, Karura, and Suam forests — under growing threat. These vital habitats, which have taken centuries to evolve, are now at risk due to projects being implemented under the guise of “progress,” projects that fail to recognise the long-term ecological consequences.

Among the most concerning examples is the government’s proposal to allocate 50 acres of Suam Forest in Trans Nzoia County for a border town and housing project to support a one-stop border post with Uganda. On the surface, this may seem like a step toward enhancing regional trade and infrastructure, but the reality is far more complex. The Suam Forest is part of the important forest cover that sustains the ecosystem of the entire region. This proposal threatens to erode the integrity of this valuable forest, putting countless species at risk and depriving communities of essential resources such as clean water and fertile land. What is more troubling is the government’s apparent disregard for the long-term ecological consequences of such actions. The environmental costs of clearing forests for short-term development far outweigh the supposed economic gains.

At the same time, the situation in Karura Forest, one of the world’s most famous urban forests and a symbol of Kenya’s commitment to environmental conservation, is also deeply troubling. Despite the Environment and Land Court injunction temporarily halting plans to excise 51.64 acres of Karura Forest for the Kiambu Road expansion, the government’s ongoing activities within the forest are cause for concern.

Logging has continued within this important green space, and the government has offered justifications for these actions that seem to be in direct contradiction to its stated commitment to environmental protection. The contradictions between the government’s words and actions are widening, revealing a disconnect between its environmental rhetoric and the harsh reality of its policies. If we are truly committed to preserving Karura Forest as a precious urban oasis, such practices should never be allowed to continue.

These forests are not just trees; they are life-giving ecosystems. They are the lungs of our nation, offering clean air, water, and shelter for wildlife. But they do more than that — they protect our rivers, support biodiversity, regulate our climate, and provide us with the resources needed for a sustainable future.

Mr Mwangi is a lawyer and the Advocacy Manager at the Green Belt Movement