The construction of three dams in the Mau Forest will not affect the ecosystem, the Kenya Forest Service has said.
KFS chairman Peter Kinyua on Wednesday said they had done proper environmental assessment to ensure the construction of Chemususu, Itare and Bosto Dams causes minimal disturbance to Kenya’s biggest water tower.
“The dams will be completed with minimum effect on the ecosystem,” Kinyua said. Environmental experts and residents have opposed the construction of the dams, saying it will threaten water supply in the country.
“It is a tough balancing act for the government and KFS between conserving the forest and providing water for the growing populations. Water is a vital requirement for industrialisation,” KFS chief conservator Emilio Mugo said.
Mugo said KFS was initially opposed to the construction of a mega-dam in the Mau Forest Complex but reconsidered its stance given the necessity to supply Kenyans with water.
The officials spoke at the Nakuru KFS offices on Wednesday after touring the Mau Forest. Kinyua said concerns about massive destruction of the forest by loggers should not raise alarm. He said only KFS licenced saw millers were harvesting old trees.
Mugo said the saw millers were only harvesting trees that were strictly grown for timber. “Logging is normal. I can assure the public that there is no illegal logging going on,” he added.
He said 1.4 million hectares of of the 2.5 million hectares national forest cover is under trees meant for timber production. Some 7,000 sawmillers are licensed to annually harvest the trees.
The construction of the Bosto Dam has been opposed because it is designed to eat up more than 2,000 hectares of the Mau Forest. Mugo said the tour was to assess the concerns.
“KFS is handling the matter with a lot of care. We have proposed a different site where forest destruction would be minimal,” Mugo said.
According to Mugo, Kenya’s forest cover has grown from six per cent to 7.2 per cent over the last few years. “KFS has a target of growing the forest cover to 10 per cent by 2020,” he said.
The Mau is Kenya’s largest source of water, with 12 rivers originating from the expansive forest. Its waters also serve the Serengeti ecosystem.