Cedar timbers recovered from Mau

A joint team of Kenya Forest Service and police officers has smashed an illegal logging syndicate in the Maasai Mau forest.

The officers, acting on a tip-off, recovered over 200 cedar timber of assorted sizes at a private farm along the Oleguruone-Olposimoru road.

No one was arrested during the Tuesday raid.

Safe custody

KFS said the incident was reported at Olenguruone Police Station where the exhibits were taken for safe custody.

“A joint team of law enforcement agencies is on the ground in various sections in Mau to curb forest destruction,” said KFS.

Two evictions have been carried out in the Mau and over 17,000 hectares recovered as the government seeks to rehabilitate the water tower.

In November, a 10-million tree planting initiative was launched by Environment Cabinet Secretary Keriako Tobiko. More than 300,000 trees were planted.

Kenya Water Towers Agency early this month confirmed that 90 per cent of the trees planted in the Maasai Mau Forest survived.

Tree planting

The Ministry of Environment and Forestry had scheduled a tree-planting campaign to commence with celebrations marking the International Day of Forests on March 21, 2020.

However, in light of the prevailing coronavirus threat, the ministry decided to postpone the plan for 30 days.

“The planned national and county level celebrations for the International Day of Forests have been cancelled,” read a press statement signed by Environment and Forestry Principal Secretary Chris Kiptoo.

He said individuals are encouraged, where circumstances allow and within the measures prescribed by the government, to take advantage of the current rains to plant trees in their homes.