It Takes a Village to Grow a Forest

It takes a village to raise a forest. This small twist on a well-known African proverb encapsulates the value of participatory forest management. 

In Rift Valley Kenya, two forest communities from Kiptogot in Trans Nzoia County  and Chepalungu in Bomet County formalized their participatory forest management plans in 2020. These plans will help safeguard forest blocks in Mt. Elgon and the Mau Forest Complex which are two of Kenya’s five important “water towers". Together, the five water towers, also located in Mt. Kenya, Aberdare Range, and Cherangani Hills, provide 75 percent of the country’s water resources, hydro-electric power, and support to vital biodiversity that drives tourism in Kenya.

The concept of participatory forest management is simple. It enables people who have a direct stake in forest resources to be part of the decision-making for managing those resources over the long term. Formalized participatory forest management plans have enabled communities to initiate safe, sustainable livelihood projects on forest grounds. 

Last year, the Kiptogot community held an elephant conservation fundraising event in partnership with a local nonprofit, Jumbo Charge, and the Trans Nzoia County Government. Further, Bomet County Government donated an office to the Chepalungu Community Forest Association and will provide over 30 million Kenya shillings for forest conservation activities. 

“We will do our rightful duty to support you. We play a key role in supporting the plans that are there for the forests,” said Simon Langat, Acting County Secretary, Bomet County government during the launch of the participatory forest management plans  for Chepalungu Forest station in Bomet County in 2021. The Kiptogot community also runs a tree nursery on forest grounds. They sell seedlings to the public, the Kenya Forest Service, and conservation organizations like the Green Belt Movement. The Green Belt Movement was founded by legendary Kenyan conservationist Wangari Maathai. In 2021, the Green Belt Movement bought 3 million Kenya shillings worth of indigenous tree seedlings from  women and youth in  Kiptogot.

“We earn our living through the forest. We save and pay school fees. I have personally benefited from planting trees for three years now,” said Lydia Wanjala, a resident of Kiptogot and a member of the Kiptogot Community Forest Association. Wanjala says that she moved from a mud house to a stone house and that her children will remember that she earned the money by selling tree seedlings. Formalized management plans have enabled greater collaboration. Organizations and companies now know who they can speak to if they’d like to conduct an activity in the forest or collaborate on a conservation initiative.

The Chepalungu community is currently collaborating with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the Kenya Forestry Research Institute on grazing plans for two areas of forest. The plans will enable livestock rearing without forest degradation. The formalized participatory management plans did not happen overnight nor in isolation. They represent several years of research, mapping exercises, community meetings and assessments to inform government involvement and action.

The participatory management plan project was a collaborative effort between the Kenya Forest Service, Kenya Wildlife Service, county governments, Kenya Water Towers Agency, Water Resource Authority, Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, Ministry of Interior and Coordination, Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Development and several NGOs, including the National Alliance of Community Forest Associations. The U.S. Agency for International Development provided funding through the Kenya Integrated Water Tower Program, implemented by the U.S. Forest Service.

The U.S. Forest Service collected data on the demographics, livelihoods, and agricultural practices of local communities to better understand how they use forest resources. They also mapped forest boundaries, management zones, physical features, community forest use areas, resources, and areas of degradation or threat. That data informed the management plans which now guide community activity in the forests. 

“Communities are establishing tree nurseries, rehabilitating forests, and managing ecotourism activities. They are generating income through ecotourism activities and tree planting while maintaining the forest management conservation plans. People have started to understand the importance of taking care of these forests. It is for their own benefit,” said David Omoto, the Forest Station Manager for Kiptogot.