FSK President Charity Munyasya addresses a press conference in Nairobi.
By Njoroge David
Forestry professionals have welcomed President William Ruto’s move to lift the nationwide ban on logging in public plantations, describing it as a long-overdue step toward restoring balance in forest management.
The Forestry Society of Kenya (FSK) noted that the 2018 ban deepened the country’s timber shortage, forcing heavy reliance on imports and choking off local economic growth.
“The lifting of the ban will help ease the timber shortage and open up opportunities for growth and jobs,” observed FSK President Charity Muthoni Munyasya.
The announcement comes days after President Ruto officially lifted the logging moratorium, specifying that only mature trees will be harvested under regulated conditions.
However, Munyasya urged authorities to ensure harvesting follows the Allowable Annual Cut to prevent overexploitation and preserve forest health.
“We must manage our plantation forests wisely if they are to continue meeting the nation’s needs for timber, poles and pulp,” she explained.
She also called for updates to plantation management plans and encouraged the expansion of commercial tree plantations beyond the existing 152,000 hectares of public forest land.
“The Forestry Society of Kenya remains committed to working with the government to promote responsible forestry that benefits both people and the environment,” Munyasya noted.
The society stressed that sustainable forest management is central to Kenya’s environmental protection and economic resilience.
