A trends analysis on forest and landscape restoration in Kenya

Abstract

Kenya has set ambitious Forest and Landscape Restoration (FLR) goals to increase and maintain 10% tree cover by 2022, to restore 5.1 million ha of degraded land by 2030 and to reduce 50% of its greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. The FLR Implementation Action Plan 2022-2026 (FOLAREP) seeks to restore 2.55 million ha of degraded landscapes through integrated approaches and best practices. Additionally, a multi-stakeholder Technical Working Group on Restoration Monitoring has been convened to support sustainable FLR efforts in the country. As part of the consultation process, seven engagement forums bringing together national government, all 47 counties, the Council of Governors and development partners were held between December 2021–March 2022. These engagements reveal that Kenya’s top barriers to restoration are financial constraints; inadequate policy and legislative frameworks; low sensitization on FLR; land ownership; and limited human and technical capacity on FLR. The top drivers to degradation are population pressure, poverty, overstocking, encroachment, and overgrazing. County environment committees (CECs), which are crucial to mainstreaming FLR at the county level, are active in 18 of the 47 counties. In addition, 25 of 47 counties mention county climate change entities as critical to enhance the CECs’ FLR functions. Top indicators selected by counties as important for a national restoration monitoring system include areas of restored forest and agricultural lands, biodiversity revived and access to safe water. Counties present unique FLR monitoring structures, with some entities and departments such the CECs, the Monitoring and Evaluation Committee and Units featuring structures across several counties.