At the heart of the Rift Valley, the Mau Forest Complex, a once-pristine ecosystem is under siege. For decades, this vital resource, often referred to as Kenya’s “water tower”, has suffered from widespread destruction.
Encroachment, illegal settlements, unregulated grazing and logging have left more than 107,000 hectares of forest land destroyed, representing a staggering 25 per cent of the Mau’s total forest cover.
The consequences of this loss extend far beyond the Mau’s borders. Once a steady source of rainfall and home to perennial rivers that sustained agriculture, wildlife and power generation, the Mau has now become a shadow of its former self.
Diminishing rivers like the Sondu and Mara, shrinking aquifers in Nakuru and disappearing streams in Njoro and Kuresoi are just the tip of the iceberg. Climate irregularities and biodiversity collapse loom large as ecological breakdown triggers water scarcity, food insecurity and economic losses across the country.
But in the face of this crisis, a new wave of hope has emerged.
The Stawisha Mau Trust, an independent, multi-stakeholder conservation initiative, was recently launched to continue and scale up a decades-long restoration effort pioneered by IDH, the Sustainable Trade Initiative under its ISLA Kenya programme.
“We are building on the foundation of success laid by ISLA and its partners,” Stawisha Mau Trust chairman Dr Kipkorir Langat said. “We’ve already seen what consistent community engagement, public-private collaboration and scientific planning can achieve. Now, we’re formalising those efforts to ensure they last.”
The Mau Complex isn’t just a forest; it is a lifeline. It supports some of Kenya’s most iconic assets: the Maasai Mara National Reserve, Lake Nakuru National Park, the Sondu-Miriu Hydropower plant and the Kericho tea estates.
These sites provide tourism revenue, jobs and food. But they also rely on predictable weather patterns and stable water flows, both of which have been disrupted by environmental degradation.
One of the trust’s founding partners is Brown’s Plantations East Africa, formerly Finlay’s Tea, whose business depends on the very rains the forest generates.
Simone Hutchinson, the outgoing managing director, says the company has long supported the restoration efforts.
“Forests like the Mau are the lungs of our business. Without them, tea farming becomes a gamble,” he said.
“We support ground surveillance and law enforcement teams because this isn’t just conservation, it’s smart business.”
The trust’s formation comes after years of groundwork laid through an inclusive, locally grounded approach.
At the heart of this strategy is the community. In the early years, many locals were wary of conservation initiatives. The forest was a source of firewood, pasture, and space for cultivation. Restrictions were viewed as hostile and foreign.
“That was a huge challenge,” IDH programme officer Beatah Nzove recalled. “Overgrazing, illegal logging and competing claims over forestland created tensions. But through consistent dialogue and trust-building, we began to change perceptions.”
Working with community-based organisations (CBOs) and the Ogiek Council of Elders, project teams introduced alternative income-generating activities. Dairy farming, previously underdeveloped in the area, was revitalised.
Farmers were trained in artificial insemination techniques, cooperative formation and best practices to treat livestock as business. At the same time, a potato value chain project was rolled out, connecting farmers with certified seed suppliers and reliable markets. These interventions allowed communities to make a living without relying on destructive forest practices.
The impact has been transformational. “When communities saw their incomes improve, when they saw their children accessing school and health services because of better farming, they became our best advocates,” Nzove said.
To date, more than 17 streams have been rehabilitated, offering renewed hope for water security. The trust has also supported afforestation efforts with donated seedlings, mapped out degraded landscapes and developed sustainability plans with the county governments of Kericho, Bomet and Nakuru.
Environmental education campaigns now run parallel to enforcement, ensuring that forest management isn’t just punitive, it’s participatory.
Importantly, Stawisha Mau Trust is not starting from scratch. It inherits a network of committed partners, including KTDA, Safaricom, Rhino Ark and the Kenya Forest Service, all of whom bring resources, technical expertise and political goodwill.
Still, challenges remain. The absence of prior Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) for the 2001 excisions has left gaps in understanding the full ecological toll. Illegal settlements persist in areas like Maasai Mau and Ol Pusimoru. Enforcement remains uneven, and climate change adds an unpredictable layer to an already fragile system.
But with the trust in place, there’s now an anchor institution coordinating all efforts. “We want to be the glue,” Dr Langat said. “The trust is here to ensure continuity, accountability and the long-term success of what is arguably Kenya’s most important forest restoration project.”
As Kenya grapples with climate unpredictability and water insecurity, the Mau story offers both a cautionary tale and a template for action. And with Stawisha Mau Trust at the helm, the journey to restore this vital ecosystem has entered a promising new chapter.
