Wangari MAATHAI

Issue / The Deforestation of Kenya

Each year, millions of hectares of forest are destroyed by human activity all over the planet. A considerable proportion of deforestation activities take place on African soil, where the forest plays a key role in biodiversity and in the life of its inhabitants. In Kenya, the number of trees cut down outnumbers those planted, causing the retreat of the forests so that they now cover only approximately 2% of the territory.

The reasons for the decimation of forests in Kenya are principally industrial exploitation, the use of wood for heating, the scarcity of arable land, poor agricultural practises, the lack of jobs and political inaction. This situation could cause critical consequences to biodiversity, tourism, the aridity of the climate and the country's water reserves. It is becoming even more urgent to act in order to preserve and restore Kenya's forests.