Eastern Arc Mountains and Coastal Forests of Tanzania and Kenya ...

4. Support the government policy of alleviating poverty and promoting rural development,by income based on forest and tree resources, by providing employment and bypromoting equity and participation by local communities.5. Fulfil the agreed national obligations under international environmental and other forestryrelated conventions and principles.6. Manage the forest resource, assigned for productive use, efficiently for the maximumsustainable benefit, taking into account all direct and indirect economic andenvironmental impacts and including a review of the ways in which forest and trees arevalued, in order to facilitate management decisions.7. Recognize and maximize the benefits of a viable and efficient forest industry for thenational economy and development.The proposed forest policy on indigenous forest states: “All gazetted indigenous forests;woodlands, bushlands and mangroves should remain reserved. They will be managed by stateapprovedagencies which will allocate them primarily for: (1) regulated multi-purpose forestry,using zoning concepts which do not endanger the conservation functions of the forest; (2)preservation of biodiversity; (3) conservation of soil and water; and (4) providing products andservices mainly locally on a subsistence basis, by community participation where appropriate.”In the general management principles, the policy states: “The rationale of forest managementdepends on local conditions set by climate, soil and tree species and on the actual forest relatedneeds of the people, which incorporate both social and cultural aspects. In all circumstances, theforest resources will be managed in a sustainable manner with due regard to environmentalconservation. Reliable information on forest resources and their utilisation should be ensured.This information should include forest-health monitoring.”Up to the end of 2002, the new forest policy had not been implemented on the ground. In 2001the Government gazetted the excision of 67,185 ha of forest reserves, mainly for settlement,further decreasing the country’s forest cover. There was strong protest from civil society againstthese excisions. Two court cases were brought against the government’s action and these casesare ongoing. The replanting of harvested plantations, which was also recommended under thenew policy, had fallen years behind, but was revived in 2002. On the positive side, jointmanagement of certain forests with communities and environmental NGOs was undertaken on apilot basis. Since the new government took office at the end of 2002, official statements haveindicated that the new forest policy and legislation will soon be approved and put into effect andthat the issue of the 2001 excisions will be revisited.LegislationThe Forestry Department operates through the Forest Act Cap 385 of the Laws of Kenya.However the act is outdated and does not address the current issues, realities and expectations.To address this, a new Forest Bill 2000 was prepared. The bill has gone through all stages ofdevelopment, but is awaiting tabling in Parliament to become law. The bill is much morecomprehensive than the act it will replace and covers issues of community participation andmultiple stakeholders in forestry. The bill proposes the establishment of a corporate body calledthe Kenya Forest Service. Among its responsibilities, this body will:(a) formulate policies for the management, conservation and utilization of all types of forest;30