Mount Kenya Forests

Findings

Forest fire on the north western slopes	Destruction of forest canopy in the Lower Imenti

The survey provided factual information on the type, extent and location of destructive activities in the forests. The results of the survey established that:

• Mt. Kenya forests are heavily impacted by extensive illegal activities leading to serious destruction below the bamboo/bamboo-podocarpus belt.


• Over 6,700 Camphor (Ocotea usambarensis) and 14,662 indigenous trees were destroyed through logging.


• Extensive marijuana (bhangi) cultivation - totaling 200 hectares-destroyed indigenous forests from the edges of Mt. Kenya to deep inside and high up.


• Over 75% of clear-felled plantations have not been replanted with tree seedlings, although these areas are under the Shamba (taungya) system.


• Encroachment into edges of indigenous forests was recorded emanating from Shamba-system cultivated areas.


• Most of the natural forest in the Lower Imenti have been destroyed and were replaced crops.


• In the lower part of the Upper Imenti, extensive past and on-going charcoal production was observed throughout the area, leading to extensive destruction of the indigenous forest.


• The Ngare Ndare is impacted by illegal logging of Cedar (Juniperus procera), livestock grazing and fires.