The Kenya Forest Service (KFS) Board chairman Peter Kinyua has called on MPs not to delete section 34(2) of the Forest Conservation and Management Act of 2016.
In a press statement, Kinyua said the section protects Public Forests from boundary variations and excisions that would otherwise endanger Kenyan Forests and their rich biodiversity.
The National Assembly’s Procedure and House Rules committee wants MPs to repeal the section.
“The Forest act of 2016 , and in particular section 34(2), was carefully drafted to respond to the effects of any proposed forest boundary variation or excision on endangered , rare and threatened species and the ecological sensitive areas,” he said.
He added that KFS is required to ensure that any proposed variation of forest boundary is approved by the Local Forest Conservation Committees, has undergone Independent Environmental Impact Assessment and full public participation.
The Chairman added that this is the section that has enabled KFS to protect the existing Public Forests for provision of water, conservation of biodiversity and supply of other forest goods and services.
“Removing this section will reverse the gains made over the past 15 years in restoring our public Forests and water catchment areas, compromise the protection of these Forests and thus deny Kenyans access to these forest goods and services which are critical to their survival ” he said.