This archive report was first published on 21 November 2019.
Environment Cabinet Secretary Keriako Tobiko has dealt a blow to sawmillers by extending the ban on logging in public and community forests for another year.
The ban, which was first imposed on February 24, 2018, was initially set to expire on February 24, 2019, but Tobiko extended it in November 2018.
Speaking in a press statement on November 21, 2019, Tobiko said the extension would allow a multi-agency team to map and verify mature forest and ascertain which plantations are prime for harvest.
“The moratorium imposed by the government on logging in Public and community forests has been extended for a further period of 12 months,” Tobiko said.
He noted that the task force would conduct the inspection in four months and submit its report to the government.
Tobiko said the extension would also pave the way for the overhaul of the Kenya Forest Services (KFS) management and allow for the scaling up of tree planting campaigns.
“The extension will allow scaling up of tree planting campaigns that aim at achieving a ten per cent forest cover by 2022,” he said.
Since the ban on logging and extraction of timber in all public and community forests came into effect, wood has been scarce, causing a ripple effect on the construction industry.
Prices of the now-scarce timber have skyrocketed, with industry players saying it could go higher if the ban is not lifted.
