1) Kaya forests
A new plan to protect the Kaya forests from encroachment has been unveiled. The five-year ‘Kaya Forests Conservation Strategic Plan’ was launched yesterday by National Museum of Kenya acting director general Ahmed Yassin in Kilifi town. The plan is supported by World Wide Fund for Nature and Act Kenya
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**2) Arabuko Sokoke forest
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CAMAC Energy won a bid to prospect for oil and gas in what is known as block L16. Block L16 includes many major conservation hotspots including the Arabuko-Sokoke Forest. CAMAC ENERGY (K) LTD intends to collect and acquire seismic data from Block L16. To do so they sub contracted BGP (K) LTD to collect such information from Block L16. Four transects are intended to pass through the Arabuko Sokoke Forest. Two are on the Northern and Southern boundards, two cut straight through the forest, including through the Biodiversity Zone. It is still unclear what areas the marine surveys will take place.
Arabuko-Sokoke Forest is the last large intact natural East African Coastal forest in Kenya. It is considered the second most important forest on the African mainland for bird species in terms of diversity and uniqueness. Arabuko Sokoke Forest provides critical ecosystem services to the community including water catchment, soil conservation, climate moderation, carbon sequestration, sources of livelihood for the local community and protection for rare plants including four globally endangered mammals and six globally threatened birds.
Earthview Global Consultants conducted an ESIA in 2013 pursuant to which NEMA granted CAMAC energy a license to conduct the seismic surveys. There are many issues with the ESIA which will be shared here.
The Forest Communities have protected Arabuko Sokoke Forest and its biodiversity for years. They do not want any prospecting or drilling for oil, gas or any minerals to take place there. We support them as they lead the charge in this fight to stop CAMAC from ruining their forest.
