Exporters cleared trees equal to five Karura Forests in six months to supply timber to China and India. This deforestation threatens President William Ruto’s plan to plant 15 billion trees by 2032. The Kenya Forestry Research Institute (Kefri) reported that six million eucalyptus trees were cut between January and June 2024. Workers processed the young trees into over 60,000 tonnes of veneer for export.
Acting Kefri CEO Jane Njuguna stated that the felled trees covered 11,720 acres, about half the size of Nairobi National Park. Local manufacturers and the Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM) raised concerns, prompting the government to ban veneer exports and stop harvesting immature eucalyptus trees. However, some Chinese-owned firms in Nyandarua and Kericho counties continued processing veneers for export.
Kefri’s report highlighted significant environmental and economic impacts. Farmers earned KSh642 million from exports but could have earned KSh8.6 billion if the trees matured to 10-15 years. Fully matured trees, aged 20-25 years, could have generated over KSh11 billion. Processing waste, left in open fields, causes long-term environmental harm. Eucalyptus waste degrades slowly and pollutes soil and water systems.
Large-scale tree felling increased wind speeds, triggered soil erosion, and raised local temperatures. Flash floods also occurred in eucalyptus-growing regions. The timber industry now faces shortages, which will likely increase wood product prices. This disruption threatens the local timber industry, which relies on farmed forestry.
KAM and Kefri criticized the lack of planning before harvesting. “We needed proper strategy and feasibility studies,” said KAM Chair Kaberia Kamencu. The Ministry of Environment plans to create regulations for sustainable eucalyptus use. These rules aim to protect the environment while supporting economic development.
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