A coalition of Kenyan environmental organisations on have urged the government to immediately halt the destruction of indigenous forests and public green spaces, warning that continued encroachment is undermining the country’s climate commitments despite an ambitious national tree-planting campaign.
Speaking today at a news conference in Nairobi, the coalition said Kenya’s goal of planting 15 billion trees by 2032 would have limited impact if mature forests continue to be cleared for infrastructure and commercial projects.
“We cannot replace centuries-old indigenous forests with seedlings and claim we are advancing conservation,” the groups said, arguing that existing forests provide critical ecosystem services including carbon storage, biodiversity conservation, water catchment protection, climate regulation and flood control.
The coalition brought together representatives from the Kenya Forest Working Group (KFWG), Friends of City Park, the Green Belt Movement and JustAct.
The organisations said Kenya risks weakening its international reputation as a climate leader if forest destruction continues while tree-planting initiatives dominate environmental policy.
Among the areas of greatest concern is Ngong Road Forest, one of Nairobi’s remaining indigenous forests. The coalition cited a series of proposed developments, including a luxury tented camp, the Riruta-Ngong Town Meter Gauge Railway, a road linking Talanta Stadium to the proposed Bomas International Conference Centre, a contractor’s construction camp and the proposed Talanta Sports City project.
While acknowledging that individual projects may serve legitimate public interests, the groups said their combined impact threatens the forest’s ecological integrity.
The coalition also raised concerns over continued development within Nairobi National Park, describing it as one of the world’s few protected wildlife areas bordering a capital city. It said successive infrastructure projects, including roads, railways and electricity transmission lines, have steadily reduced wildlife habitat, while new proposals for a Nairobi Animal Orphanage and a 1,300-vehicle parking facility could intensify pressure on the park.
Environmentalists also pointed to developments in Upper Imenti Forest, where construction of an airstrip, State Lodge and golf course has sparked concerns over the future of one of Kenya’s key water towers.
In Nairobi, the coalition opposed plans to expand State House Road if they require the removal of mature trees, saying modern engineering should allow infrastructure improvements without sacrificing long-established urban tree cover.
The groups also opposed any further reduction of Uhuru Park, calling it both a national monument and a symbol of Kenya’s environmental and democratic history, preserved through the efforts of the late environmentalist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate .
They warned that City Park continues to deteriorate because of unresolved land ownership disputes, encroachment, weak governance and years of neglect, calling for an inclusive rehabilitation programme supported by a comprehensive management plan.
The coalition urged the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry, the Kenya Forest Service, the Kenya Wildlife Service and the National Environment Management Authority to strengthen enforcement of environmental laws and safeguard forests, national parks and public green spaces.
It also expressed concern over what it described as repeated disregard for court orders halting developments in environmentally sensitive areas, saying failure to enforce judicial decisions weakens the rule of law and public confidence in environmental governance.
The organisations called for an immediate suspension of projects that result in the destruction or excision of public forests unless they are supported by meaningful public participation, comprehensive environmental impact assessments and evidence that no environmentally viable alternatives exist.
They also urged Parliament to strengthen legal protections for forests, national parks and public green spaces, saying Kenya’s environmental legacy would ultimately depend not on the number of trees planted but on its ability to preserve existing ecosystems
Discover more from Newsroom Kenya
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
