Lariak Forest Conservation Area Project leads way in Forest Conservation

By Bob Aston 

Conservation of forests has become a crucial importance to Kenya as the repercussions of forest depletion in the country is now seen in drastic climate change. Early 2011 a group of conservation experts in Kinamba Division, Laikipia County came up together to form Lariak Forest Conservation Area Project.

Lariak Forest Conservation Area Project realized that solving the problems of climate change and reducing its inevitable negative effects require individual and global cooperation. The realization made the conservation group to involve itself in major socio-economic activities to help communities living around Lariak Forest.

The conservation group operates in Kinamba, Sipili, Karaba, Muhotetu, Muthengera, OL-Moran and Karandi.

Joseph Maina from the conservation group says that they involve themselves with: Bee keeping, women empowerment through service-beads and basket making, tree planting (Forest and agro Forest), Poultry keeping (improvement of hybrid), energy saving jikos and institutional biogas. They are also planning to bring a brick making machine before end of the year.

Lariak Forest conservation group has already achieved a lot within the short time that it was formed. The group has established a fruit tree nursery within Lariak Forest, rehabilitated around twenty (20) ha of forest land in Lariak,trained women group in bead work, gave energy saving jikos to atleast six hundred (600) households, distributed cockerel to more than four hundred (400) farmers, Build biogas for three schools and also trained community on HIV.

“Our aim is to reduce pressure in forests and to enable communities be self reliant by introducing income generating activities,” said Hezron Kanyari.

“Turn up during tree planting exercise is normally low as most of the community members want to be paid during such events,” added Hezron.

The conservation group currently faces challenge with funds as the funds available cannot meet the communities’ expectations.