The Kenya Forest Service (KFS) has moved to clarify recent logging operations in Kivale Forest, Mbooni, following an outcry by residents and local leaders in Makueni County
In a statement issued today Friday, KFS confirmed that the tree harvesting currently happening in Mbooni Forest Station is both legal and planned.
The exercise, the agency said, was approved by its board and officially greenlit by the Chief Conservator of Forests in May this year.
“This isn’t random or illegal logging,” the agency noted. “It’s a structured, sustainable activity following all legal and environmental requirements.”The move comes months after a court ruling in October 2024 lifted a national moratorium on logging and instructed KFS to resume forest management work especially in aging plantations that pose risks to the environment.
The trees being felled in South Block 3(D) of Mbooni, according to the agency, are over 30 years old.
If left intact, they would begin to rot, leading to soil erosion, reduced carbon sequestration, and potential loss to the government.
The residents had complained about whether they had been consulted before logging began.In response, KFS said the Mbooni Community Forest Association (CFA) has been involved throughout the process.Public meetings were held in August last year and again in January this year to discuss the plans.
Earlier consultations also took place during the 2017 Environmental Impact Assessment process.Only three licensed investors were allowed to harvest in the area, and their payments were made in full, the agency said.
Separately, KFS is also supervising the removal of old eucalyptus trees near its offices that had become hazardous due to strong winds.
As part of its community engagement, the forest agency said investors have hired local youth to support the work and donated firewood to nearby households.
Additionally, the Makueni County Government was granted early site access for the Mulima Dam project, which is expected to boost water access for Mbooni residents.
KFS assured the public that tree planting will follow as soon as the harvesting ends.
“This is not about destruction. It’s part of a bigger plan to manage forests wisely, while involving the people who live around them,” the statement concluded.