The Ministry of Environment plans to install CCTV cameras in all state-owned forests to monitor and prevent deforestation and help in managing resources.
It also plans to acquire drones for surveillance and equip forest rangers with high frequency radio systems for ease of communication, Environment PS Charles Sunkuli said on Sunday.
MONITOR
He said the cameras will be put up at the key entry points in and outside the forests to monitor movement of resources.
The PS was addressing journalists at his Olesentu home in Narok County.
“There is need to commit more resources to KFS so that they can improve the management of forests,” he said.
The use of cameras is one of the measures the ministry is undertaking to strengthen the Kenya Forest Service (KFS).
The officers currently have inadequate number of vehicles and surveillance equipment, he added.
OUTCRY
There has been an outcry from Kenyans over massive deforestation.
“We hope that the CCTV cameras will provide useful information on a wide range of forest management issues,” the PS said.
Mr Sunkuli added that KFS will be given modern equipment to make it more efficient and effective.
“We want them to go high-tech in managing and conserving our forests with all the necessary equipment,” he said.
PROTECT
The ministry also plans to increase the number of officers protecting forests.
“We have 193 forests rangers manning 350,000 hectares of the coastal forest and that is a small number. We need to improve this if we want to protect the forests,” Mr Sunkuli added.
Forests are an important component in the ecosystem and need to be protected. Natural resources need to be well-managed for the benefit of the ecosystem.
The PS said the ministry plans to achieve the 10 percent forest cover by 2022, a change from the initial plan where the target was by 2030.
“We believe it’s achievable by 2022. We have the right mechanisms and attitude to do that,” said Mr Sunkuli.
According to the PS, the ministry is mobilising resources to fence off gazetted forests.