As you know, Karura Forest stands as a global beacon of community-led conservation. Since 2010, our partnership with the Kenya Forest Service (KFS) has seen indigenous cover grow from 25% to over 60%, creating a unique urban sanctuary that now receives 75,000 visits per month. However, this hard-won progress is currently facing a serious threat.

Without any consultation with FKF as co-managers of the Forest, KFS recently cleared over an acre of tree and shrub cover within the jointly managed forest area, claiming the area is intended for containers to house National Youth Service (NYS) workers looking after seedlings in the expanded KFS tree nursery. The nursery itself is inside the136-acre KFS Headquarters (as you can see from GoogleEarth imagery, below). 

While FKF fully supports the President’s 15 Billion Tree Initiative and the expansion of the KFS nursery, it does not support a new settlement within the forest. 

Why? Because:

The HQ Alternatives: The KFS Headquarters enclave has ample space and infrastructure for this temporary housing. The NYS also has its headquarters nearby.

Policy Contradiction: The current Karura Participatory Forest Management Plan (2021-2026) specifically stipulates that action shall be taken “…to move the rangers’ village from inside the forest to HQ” (p.47). Constructing a new settlement flies in the face of this agreed-upon strategy.

FKF’s Position:

Creating an urban settlement within a sensitive ecological zone jeopardises the ecological integrity and visitor experience we have spent 17 years building. We are currently exploring legal action concerning the proposed new settlement. 

How You Can Help:

We ask our members to back us up. We are calling for: 

– An immediate halt to all construction within the forest boundary. 

– The relocation of the proposed NYS housing to the established 136-acre KFS Headquarters enclave. 

Karura remains “the people’s forest” because you have always been willing to speak for it. We will continue to keep you updated as we pursue every legal avenue to protect this priceless sanctuary.

Watch for further updates via email and @karurafriends for FaceBook, InstaGram, and X.

Sincerely,

The FKF Board