Mau Forest, Kenya’s largest water catchment area, has lost 25% of its forest cover during the last 36 years, according to new satellite photographs.
What’s more concerning is that satellite images show the forest facing another round of devastation in 2024.
According to satellite data from Global Forest Watch (GFW), deforestation in Mau Forest decreased considerably in 2021 and 2022 before increasing again in 2023.
From 2001 to 2022, more than 19% of tree cover was lost.
According to the statistics and photos, the Mau Forest is facing another large round of deforestation in 2024.
This is despite President William Ruto’s desire to boost the country’s forest cover to 10%.
The photos below show the Mau Forest Complex’s limits as well as other areas where forest cover has been removed.
Purple is used to denote these places.The Mau Forest Complex consists of the Maasai Mau, Eastern Mau, and Western Mau forest units.
This year’s clearing activities appear to be centered in the Northern Mau forest reserves of Northern Tinderet, Tinderet, and Mount Londiani, as well as the Olpusimoru Forest Reserve in Southern Mau.
Since 2000, the degazettement of forest reserves and continued broad encroachment have resulted in the destruction of nearly 247,105 acres of forest, or roughly one-quarter of Mau Complex’s area.
The principal cause of deforestation is agricultural growth, which includes slash-and-burn farming for cattle grazing and crop cultivation.
According to research by geospatial data analyst Stefanie Mehlich, fires are regularly used to clear land, accounting for up to 14% of yearly forest loss between 2012 and 2017.
The Rift Valley region, the country’s breadbasket, faces a threat from declining forest cover.
As deforestation changes rainfall patterns, the region may suffer less rainfall, reducing agricultural productivity.Given the Rift Valley’s critical significance in feeding the nation.
Such disruptions might seriously jeopardize Kenya’s food security.Lower yields may require increased reliance on costly imports, raising food costs and stressing household finances.
While other factors such as climate change and global meteorological events influence rainfall, deforestation exacerbates these issues, resulting in a catastrophic feedback cycle with far-reaching economic and societal effects.
