Forest Products, Livelihoods and Conservation

Simon Kosgei Choge 159

Forest and tree resource exploitation in Kenya is subject to various state

laws and policies, including Presidential Decrees and directives that have a

direct impact on conservation, utilisation, alteration or removal of forests.

Although the regulations are fairly comprehensive, they are spread over various

acts which are administered without co-ordination by a wide range of authorised

public bodies and individuals, some of whom are even unaware of their

responsibilities (MENR 1994). Lack of political will in support of the forest

sector in Kenya further complicates the problem where sanctioned forest

excisions are rife and where effective deterrents against economic activities

that degrade forest resources are lacking. The present exploitation pattern

maximises short term private benefits at the expense of long term sustainable

utilisation and conservation values. If the policies and laws relevant to the

woodcarving industry were administered more efficiently, potential benefits

would ensue as listed in Table 1.

Generally, the scattered and poorly harmonised legislation governing

utilisation of tree resources in Kenya is being addressed under the Forest

Policy and Law. The bill seeks to establish a legal body responsible for

environmental conservation, to co-ordinate environmental management

between different sectors and to set binding standards and liabilities against

environmental damage (Emerton et al. 1998). More importantly, the

introduction of stakeholder involvement in decision making, planning and

management of existing forest resources, including the local communities

and perhaps a supportive political will to implement these changes, is likely

to impart positively on the woodcarving industry in Kenya.

TRENDS AND ISSUES

The wood industry in Kenya is characterised by overexploitation of the favoured

tree species from one area to the next, and carvers have to constantly shift to

new areas with sufficient raw materials. As the most intensively utilised species,

Brachylaena huillensis has been most negatively impacted. Its scarcity has

also led to importation of Brachylaena logs from Tanzania. For example,

between 1988 and 2000 34% of the wood used in Kenya was represented by

Brachylaena logs smuggled from Tanzania. While alternative species have

increasingly been used by carvers, the question remains whether these new

woods can support the growing industry. Wood scarcity is affecting not only

the woodcarving industry but furniture and other industries as well. This

underlines the need for diversification of wood types used in the carving industry

and on-farm cultivation of fast growing trees for supply to the woodcarving

industry. The switch to alternative carving species and the use of juveniles or

wood of unknown carving qualities have introduced a number of challenges,

most of them revolving around cracking of finished carvings. This has resulted

in enormous wood waste, loss of income and loss in market share. The effects

of scarcity the carving wood scarcity in Kenya are shown in Figure 3. Presently

there is a general acute imbalance in carving wood supply and demand in the

country, manifested through higher prices of wood, longer distances covered

by carvers in search of wood, more use of immature wood and a wide range of

other varied responses. This shortage has led to increased incidences of

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