Plastic Free Karura – Friends of Karura Forest

Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Water and Natural Resources, Dr. Judi Wakhungu, visited Karura Forest in 19 September to see for herself the impact of Kenya’s total ban on non-disposable plastic bags. In support of the Government’s ban on plastic bags, fed up with collecting hundreds of plastic bottles thrown away by careless visitors each week, and listening to numerous comments from Karura Friends, the KFS-FKF Joint Management Committee resolved to ban the use of all disposable plastic products in the forest beginning 28 August 2017.

On her visit, Dr. Wakhungu saw first hand the joint efforts of the Friends of Karura Forest and the Kenya Forest Service. She said that FKF and KFS are doing an excellent job in helping people to comply with Kenya’s ban on disposable plastics. She also commented that KFS’ partnership with the FKF Community Forest Association should be a management and conservation example for other Kenyan Forest Reserves.

L to R: KFS Director, E. Mugo; CS Wakhungu; FKF Chair, K. Njoroge; FKF Board Members Winnie Kiiru and Angelica Kamuyu

Dr. Wakhungu made a point of walking through a striking installation entitled ‘What We Leave Behind’, by artist Debbie Todd. The archway of waste was created to highlight the importance of recycling by showcasing the astonishing volume of waste produced by just two families over only two months. The elements of the piece echo those of classical architecture — columns, capitals, and the arch — referring to the ruins of ancient civilisations, what they left behind.

Here’s what was left behind in Karura after only 5 days.

So don’t get caught short at a Karura Forest gate with one of those un-cool, old-fashioned, non-ecofriendly plastic bottles. For your next visit, Nairobi’s supermarket shelves are full of a wide range of alternative BPA-free (look it up) trail bottles that you can re-use. There’s a good range of prices, from the locally-made pink job at 80/= by Just Agua to the blue upmarket Vietnamese import with a fancy top at 1,100/= (see below). Be prepared!

Trail Bottles: His, Hers

Visitors to Karura should outfit themselves with re-usable bags and trail bottles before arriving at the gate to be told #NoPlasticBagsKE.

For Plastics Ban FAQs, please click below

Plastic Ban FAQs

Kenya Forest Service Takes Over Karura Forest Gate Fees in Unilateral Move

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