North Kinangop, South Kinangop, and Geta Community Forest Association (CFA) members in Nyandarua County on Thursday celebrated the launch of their Participatory Forest Management Plans and the signing of Forest Management Agreements with the Kenya Forest Service.
According to the Deputy Chief Conservator of Forests at KFS, Beatrice Mbula, the five-year plan (2026–2031) now grants community members 18 user rights on how the three forests will be managed.
Some of these rights include participating in the establishment of tree plantations. “We also have grazing rights, fuelwood rights, and eco-tourism rights…” Mbula added.
The forests host numerous ecotourism attractions, including caves, waterfalls, wildlife and birds, eco-lodges, campsites, nature trails, viewpoints, colonial infrastructure, and zip-lining, among others.
The CFAs say the user rights provided in the agreement present an opportunity for members to benefit economically from forest conservation.
“Ni document ambayo itatufaidi sisi, ndio tuone ya kwamba livelihoods zetu zimeinuka na bado tunafanya maendeleo katika vijiji vyetu,” noted James Kariuki, Chair of the South Kinangop Community Forest Association.
Nyandarua County Chief Forest Conservator Daniel Mkung highlighted that implementing the agreement will help ensure water access for nearby urban populations. The forests are a source of several rivers that contribute to the Tana River and Ewaso Nyiro.
“Nyandarua is where all the waters enjoyed by Nairobi and Nakuru counties come from… so unless anything happens up here, we will have a negative breakdown,” he said.
Partners who supported the development of the plans include the National Environment Trust Fund (NETFUND), WWF, KWS, GEF, ADB, Rhino Ark, and the Dedan Kimathi Foundation, among others.
According to NETFUND Programs Manager Michael Okok, members were urged to implement all activities outlined in the five-year plan through a teamwork approach.
“So they will be able to derive projects from the Participatory Forest Management Plans, from which they can write proposals and engage different actors to secure more resources to drive conservation activities in this area,” Okok added.
Community Forest Associations (CFAs) in Kenya are legally recognized entities formed by local community members to participate in the conservation and management of public forests in partnership with the Kenya Forest Service (KFS).
Registered under the Societies Act and mandated by the Forest Conservation and Management Act (2016), CFAs are granted user rights—such as grazing, firewood collection, and non-residential cultivation—in exchange for assisting with forest protection, firefighting, and management planning.
