Environmental Management in Kenya: A Framework for Sustainable Forest Management in Kenya – Understanding the New Forest Policy and Forests Act, 2005

Abstract

For a long time, the Government has intended to see the state as the prime beneficiary of forests, whether forests are managed as producers of timber revenue or as protected natural resources. Yet, concerns about deforestation and population growth have continued to exert pressure on forest resources. Complicating the question of rights of different communities is the problem of imbalances in Authority and decision-making. Often, those most dependent on forest resources have the least power of access and the most limited role in decisionmaking. The Economic Recovery Strategy for Wealth and Employment Creation (ERS) 2003-2007 which is the government’s blue print to economic growth and poverty reduction recognizes the importance of forests in national economic growth and its support to productive sectors especially agriculture. The ERS identifies and highlights some of the major constraints, which have hampered growth in the forest sector. These constraints in addition to other factors they include inadequate Policy, legal and institutional framework, inadequate community participation in the management of the environment and natural resources, insufficient information for informed policy decision-making, weak governance and lack of cheaper alternative sources of energy. It is against the above background that a new Forest Policy and Forests Act has been formulated. This book aims at providing a simplified version of the forests policy and legislation have been approved and enacted, respectively. The policy identifies critical areas to be addressed if the forest sector is to be revamped and the new Forests Act provides the appropriate legal and institutional framework for sustainable forest management in Kenya.