The Director General for the global organization Forests Stewardship Council Mr. Mr. Kim Carstensen who is in the country for the Africa Climate Summit was hosted for a candid conversation and discussion by the CCF (Chief Conservator of Forests Kenya) Mr. Mr. Alex Lemarkoko. The forestry sector had consultations on matters concerning forest certification.

As the organization is charged with forest management in the country, the Kenya Forest Service is keen to standardize our forest management programed and to have the country’s forests certified in order to be in step with best global best practices in the forestry sector.

The Kenya Forests Service together with the Ministry of Environment are working hard to make sure that the country’s forests are managed sustainably and responsibly for the social economic development of the country and therefore chain of custody and ecosystem services issues need to be streamlined so that they can help in adding value to forest products.

Mr. Lemarkoko thanked FSC for working with KFS in 4 forest blocks including Eburu, Kinale, Geta and Muringato forest ecosystems which will act as a pilot for forest certification in Kenya. The CCF noted with appreciation that FSC had already trained over 20 technical officers and the KFS management on the process. He also agreed with Mr. Carstensen that there was a need to upscale the training in order to prepare our officers for the certification.

Mr. Carstensen showed his appreciation to the Kenya Forest Service on their continued commitment and dedication to the certification process, noting that the forests in the pilot areas would soon be certified.

In the meantime, the Kenya Forest Service has seen to it that Tree planting activities continue to take place in several parts of the country aimed at enabling the country inch closer to the targeted 30% tree cover. This is in line with President Ruto’s stance on tackling the dire effects of climate change through reforestation. The activities which also focus on restoration and rehabilitation of degraded forest areas, take place through partnership between the KFS, State and Non state sector.

Over the past weeks, a total of 247,285 seedlings were planted in the coast region. These included mangroves and other indigenous species. A further total of 90,175 seedlings were planted in the North Rift Conservancy while 418 ceremonial trees have been planted in the Nairobi region.