Harvesting and felling of timber in private plantations and woodlots is permitted, the government has clarified.
Environment
CS Keriako Tobiko on Tuesday said the ban on Timber harvesting is only limited to public and community land.
"Harvesting and felling (timber) in private plantation and woodlots is permitted provided there is a joint verification and confirmation of source and origin," Tobiko said in a statement.
The government further said that importation of timber or timber products from neighbouring
countries as long as there is proper
verification at the border entry point.
“.....provided there is the authenticity of the importation documents, issuance of movement permits, due payments of any applicable government taxes and levies, and maintenance of the chain of custody records,” the CS said.
On February
24,
the government declared a moratorium on logging in public and community forests for
a period of 90 days.
The ban which is still ongoing was set to allow reassessment and rationalisation of the entire forest sector in Kenya.
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In the statement, Tobiko said harvesting, transporting and exporting gums and resins is also permitted.
However ban on the harvesting, transportation and utilisation of timber allegedly already paid for, felled or yet to be felled by licensed saw millers in Kenya Forest Services plantation will not be lifted.
Tobiko said that licensed saw millers in KFS plantations as at the time of moratorium are not exempted as it is subject to inquiry by the setup task force.
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