Muthui Mwai
8 October 2003
Nairobi — Illegal harvesting of trees is threatening biodiversity at a Mount Kenya forest.
Targeted for decimation at the Chehe Forest in Mathira, Nyeri are the Camphor, Meru Oak, Pondo and Cypress.
Residents of Itundu village, which borders the endangered forest accused forestry officials of being behind the destruction.
They claimed that loggers, responsible for the destruction, had been brought from Western Kenya and were being housed in villages, formerly occupied by squatters evicted in 1989.
"The destruction of forest cover is threatening rivers such as Chehe, Kururu and Ragati. Some of our water supply projects have become white elephants following the felling of the vegetation," a resident said.
The residents said police had arrested the culprits and accused the forestry officials of alerting the loggers through mobile phones whenever the district forest officer toured the forest.
The Chehe forester and his two guards were assaulted and left for dead last year when they tried to arrest poachers. The matter is still pending in a Karatina court.
The residents said the arming of forest guards with guns had not curbed the destruction of the forest.
The district forest officer, Mr Paul Karanja, said he would investigate the report, which he said was exaggerated.
He claimed the theft of forest products was not organised but was perpetrated by individuals bordering the forest.
The official said the poachers were violent, citing the case of the forester, who was severely injured last year, and was now seeking a transfer.
"We are dealing with people who can kill. People from this area are too daring. We have been arresting two to three culprits every month," he added.
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