How loggers and Kenya Forest Service officials collude to deplete forests

A resident of Kiamuriuki section of Mt
Kenya forest examines some of the timber
worth millions of shillings loggers abandoned
after they flushed them out of the area
for failing to include the community to
share harvesting benefits of mature exotic
trees estmated at Sh 100 million on a 35-
acre block. (PHOTO: MUNENE KAMAU/
STANDARD)
Illegal loggers have compromised forest
rangers to deplete large sections of forests
in Mt Kenya region.
The schemes to deplete the natural
resources are plotted by some Kenya Forest
Service (KFS) officials who drop the guard
to allow commercial saw millers to harvest
more mature trees than they are allowed.
In some instances the commercial saw
millers fell double or triple the amount of
trees they are licensed to cut.
A spot check in Mt Kenya and Aberdare
forests revealed that illegal logging has
left parts of the forests bare.
Our team encountered freshly cut tree
stumps deep inside the forest, a complete
different picture when you view the forest
from the fringes.