Kenya Loses 6 Million Eucalyptus Trees in Six Months

The Kenya Forestry Research Institute (Kefri) has raised alarms regarding a significant depletion of the nation’s eucalyptus forests, alerting the National Assembly’s Departmental Committee on Environment, Forestry and Mining.

This concerning development coincides with Kenya’s ambitious goal of planting 15 billion trees within the next decade, spearheaded by President William Ruto. Kefri reports that approximately six million eucalyptus trees were lost within the first half of the year. This loss corresponds to an area five times the size of Karura Forest and roughly half the size of Nairobi National Park.

The felled trees, primarily aged between five and six years, were processed into more than 60,000 tonnes of veneers and exported to markets in China and India. This extensive deforestation has prompted local timber manufacturers and environmental watchdogs to voice serious concerns about sustainability, leading the Ministry of Environment to suspend the export of immature eucalyptus trees.

Kefri Acting Chief Executive Officer Jane Njuguna has underscored the scale of this loss, noting that six million trees spaced three meters apart would cover an estimated 11,720 acres. Despite the ban issued by Environment Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale, investigative reports reveal that Chinese-owned timber processing plants in Nyandarua and Kericho counties continue their operations, processing veneers and receiving truckloads of eucalyptus from suppliers.

The environmental and economic consequences of this deforestation are severe. Members of the Kenya Manufacturers Association (KAM) and local timber producers have expressed apprehension regarding the sustainability of such practices, warning of looming shortages and potential price increases for wood products. KAM’s chairperson for the timber, wood, and furniture sector, Kaberia Kamencu, highlights the critical shortage of electricity poles, an issue that has arisen directly from deforestation.

The premature harvesting of eucalyptus not only diminishes immediate financial returns for farmers but also undermines long-term environmental benefits and future economic prospects. Kefri’s report estimates that the revenue generated from prematurely harvested trees amounted to Sh642 million, a stark contrast to the projected Sh 8.6 billion that could have been realized if the trees had been allowed to mature for ten to fifteen years.

Furthermore, allowing the trees to reach twenty to twenty-five years of age could have increased their value to over Sh 11 billion. The processing of veneers also generates substantial waste, with 46 percent of the material being discarded, which poses significant environmental risks due to its chemical composition and prolonged degradation period. Beyond the immediate economic impact, the large-scale clear-cutting of eucalyptus has led to alterations in local micro-climates, resulting in increased wind speeds, soil erosion, and heightened flash flood occurrences.

These changes disrupt the delicate balance of the ecosystem, contributing to elevated local temperatures and more severe weather conditions.
In light of these challenges, the Ministry of Environment is actively drafting comprehensive regulations to oversee eucalyptus exploitation and curtail raw material exports. The ministry’s objective is to stabilize the landscape while fostering economic transformation, particularly in rural areas where eucalyptus farming is prevalent.