Kenya Forest Working Group (KFWG)

Who we are
KFWG is a gathering of individuals and organizations (government and non-government, local, national and international) concerned with forests, their conservation and management. KFWG was formed in 1995 to provide a forum for exchanging and sharing information and experiences among members. It exists as a sub-committee of the East African Wild Life Society.

Our Goal
Is to improve the status of Kenya's forests and increase the benefits from them through sound management and conservation practices.
The main activities of the group include;

• Meeting regularly (every last Friday of the month) to discuss forest related issues and come up with strategies to tackle forest problems.
• Running awareness campaigns about our forests.
• Running a forest hotline (Telfax: 571335) for the public to report forest destruction in their areas and to obtain information regarding forests in the country.
• Monitoring the status of our forests through ground and aerial surveys, study of satellite images and make strategic responses to forest crises as they occur.
• Lobbying policy and decision makers for forest policies and laws that are pro-forest and pro-people.
• Supporting and encouraging tree planting on state and private land.
• Building the capacities of local communities to enable them to participate in forest management and conservation activities.
• Partnering with local, national and international organizations promoting sustainable forest management and conservation.
  www.kenyaforests.org

Farm Forestry and Natural Resources Conservation around Arabuko-Sokoke Forest, Malindi
This project started in May 2001 and is now coming to a close. Funded by the European Union, it was a collaborative programme between EAWLS, Kenya Forest Research Institute, KEFRI, and ALISEI, an Italian based NGO. The aim was to simultaneously reduce poverty levels in Malindi and reduce pressure on the Arabuko Sokoke forest. KEFRI was responsible for the scientific and forestry input, whilst the Society undertook all the work related to community awareness and participation. Overseen by ALISEI, farm forestry techniques were introduced and this has helped local people plant high value multi-purpose indigenous and exotic trees. These trees produce oil and food for both human and animal consumption. As it was difficult to completely eradicate charcoal burning, EAWLS set up 2 charcoal-burning kilns, which require less quantities of wood. The wood used in the kilns is derived from the local farms to reduce deforestation.