The Kenya Forest Service has dismissed more than 10 staff found grossly culpable for various illegal forest activities.
Another seven have been interdicted and massive changes instituted in the plantation management.
The KFS board chairman Peter Kinyua said on Tuesday that the changes will ensure water catchment areas are protected.
"The head of plantations and enterprise division has been asked to step aside as the board takes a full audit of plantation forestry management and review complaints from the public," he told reporters at KFS offices in Karura,
flanked by board members said
The purge comes a day after the Environment CS Keriako Tobiko directed the board to act swiftly and reverse encroachment.
"The country is facing an unprecedented and acute water shortage running into three years now. There is no usual red carpet and time to celebrate as rivers have dried, the intensity of drought and frequency has increased," he said on Monday after meeting the board.
On Tuesday, the CS named a task force that will look into forest destruction and give its report in 14 days. Green belt movement chairperson Marion Wakanyi will chair the team.
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The agency chairman
warned that officers who plunder natural resources will bear personal responsibility.
"Heads
of conservancies, ecosystem conservators and station managers shall bear the brunt of any illegal activities in their areas," he said, adding
this will happen even if officers below them are the ones involved in the illegal activities.
The Arabuko Sokoke Forest management has been changed and the office of the ecosystem conservator relocated from Kilifi town to Gede.
The board has also recommended that the forest be a model run by young foresters who graduated recently.
In addition, an overhaul has taken place among forest rangers at the Coastal Gede station.
The chief inspector for enforcement and compliance in Boni Forest has been interdicted for logging.
Others affected are Irangi Forest head of conservancy, two foresters in Bungoma County and an officer who abetted the logging of sandal wood in Samburu.
The licences of eight saw millers have been cancelled.
"Any millers flouting the conditions of their licences will [lose them through cancellation]," Kinyua said.
The KFS boss said his board has received numerous complaints of tree cutting by road contractors with no reference to the service.
He warned road contractors that they will be arrested.
Since January, KFS has had about 250 criminal and civil cases which are yet to be concluded.
Chief conservator Emilio Mugo, who attended the pres conference, said most water catchment areas have been encroached and needed rehabilitation.
He lauded counties that have come up with frameworks to curb the burning of charcoal.