Karura is one of the largest gazetted urban forests in the world.
It has nearly all the 605 species of wildlife in Nairobi, including three types of antelopes.
Karura Forest/FILE
The Kenya Forest Service has assured the public that no part
of Karura Forest has been lost to land grabbers, following recent claims by a
private developer.
Speaking during a patrol and familiarisation tour of the
forest on Thursday, Chief Conservator of Forests Alex Lemarkoko dismissed the
allegations, affirming that the forest remains intact and under legal protection.
“Karura Forest is intact. No one has grabbed it, and no one
will, because we have strong instruments governing the management and
protection of its boundaries,” Lemarkoko said.
He was accompanied by senior KFS officials, including commandant
Mohammed Mohammed, head of survey Evans Kegode, head of legal (Survey) Laura
Yego, Nairobi County forest conservator Margaret Wanjiru and members of the
Friends of Karura Community Forest Association.
The officials toured parts of the forest, including a river
forming the natural boundary on the southern edge. Lemarkoko reiterated that
the forest has been gazetted and legally protected for nearly a century.
Karura was first proclaimed a forest reserve under
Proclamation No. 44 of 1932, and later declared a central forest through Legal
Notice No. 174 on May 20, 1964. At the time of gazettement, the forest covered
2,580 acres. It now spans approximately 1,041 hectares.
Lemarkoko said the Forest Conservation and Management Act
2016 provides stringent legal protections, making it “practically impossible”
to alter the boundaries of protected forests.
“We have fenced the entire Karura Forest except for the
section bordering the river, which acts as a natural boundary. There’s no
threat in that area, and any concerns are already being addressed,” he said.
He also highlighted the importance of community involvement
in forest protection, referencing the "social fence" provided by
active collaboration with local communities and conservation groups like Friends
of Karura.
KFS revealed the forest boundaries were first surveyed in
1923 and are documented in survey plan RF 23/1.
Karura Forest, located on the outskirts of Nairobi, is one
of the world’s largest gazetted urban forests. It supports nearly all of
Nairobi’s 605 wildlife species, including three types of antelope. The forest
is jointly managed by KFS and Friends of Karura, a community-based conservation
group.
Easily accessible from Nairobi’s central business district,
Karura can be entered via gates on Kiambu Road and Limuru Road. It remains a
vital ecological, recreational, and cultural resource for city residents and visitors.
