Sh200m to revitalise Mau Forest

Friday, 25 February 2011 00:01 BY JOHN MUCHANGI

Mau secretariat has received Sh200 million donation from the European Union to fund selected conservation projects in the Mau forest. The earmarked projects are in north western part of the 400,000ha forest.

EU commissioner for environment Janez Potočnik yesterday said the funds will mainly secure services generated by the flows of the Yala and Nyando rivers.

The rivers, which feed Lake Victoria and are important for drinking water, also support 5,000 hectares of rice production. Mau Forest was one of the 60 projects selected across the world to benefit from a Sh5 billion EU environment fund. “The Mau forest complex is a living example of where economy and environment intersect and reflects not only our cooperative work with UNEP, but the EU’s overall vision for a sustainable 21^st century at home and abroad,” said Potočnik said at a press conference at the ongoing 26^th session of the Unep governing council.

Unep said the Kenyan project will contribute to maintaining nature-based assets worth an estimated Sh120 billion a year to the Kenyan economy.

Unep executive director Achim Steiner said although the funds will mainly support existing projects, they will discuss potential projects that can be started under the new partnership.

He said: “The new strategic cooperation between the EC and UNEP with funding from the EU will allow us to better meet the genuine aspirations of more and more nations towards their transition to a Green Economy.”
Head of Mau secretariat Hassan noor said survey works in Eburru portion of the forest were now complete and the title deed handed over to the Kenya Forest Service.

He said three other blocks within the forest were being surveyed and they would apply for title deeds within the next three weeks. These blocks are Transmara, South Western Mau and Maasai Mau. “Once the titles are given to KFS under the constutiotn no one will be able to excise the forest anymore,” he said.

The Unep announced that it chose Mau because 2011 is the UN's year of forests. UNEP has since 2008 partnered with the Government to bring awareness of the status of the Mau ecosystem.

Formation of the Noor-headed secretariat was one of the measures to halt the deforestation and illegal settlements in the Mau forest since July 2008.