One of the main motivations for KOMAZA's work is the environmental need for a sustainable timber supply within Kenya and throughout Eastern Africa. Currently, demand for wood is quickly depleting indigenous forests, reducing biodiversity and harming ecological stability while contributing to erosion, desertification, and the release of greenhouse gases.
With this in mind, we have taken extensive measures to ensure that we take the utmost care to protect the environment where we work and where our families live. The planting of Eucalyptus trees, as with any crop, has the potential to upset nature's delicate balance if done irresponsibly, and this has unfortunately been the case with some Eucalyptus plantations in other countries. Today, Eucalyptus tree farming is broadly recognized as a safe and sustainable supply of wood in the many countries where it is grown, including South Africa, India and Ethiopia.
KOMAZA is careful to ensure that our trees do not overuse water resources, so as to prevent any adverse effects on other crops or the general water supply. We use a breed of Eucalyptus tree bred to require less water than other varieties. By surveying the land, we can ensure that our trees are only planted where their roots will never access the water table, and far away from any streams, marshes, riparian zones, lakes or water holes. Our use of Aqua-Soil as a planting input also reduces trees' reliance on ground water.
KOMAZA has also implemented farming practices that maintain the quality of the soil. A comprehensive suite of fertilizers increases soil nutrients, and intercropping cowpeas adds nitrogen to the soil. We also monitor farm fertility with soil analysis, which allows us to correct any significant nutrient imbalance. Additionally, our trees are planted with a full 10 meter buffer from any neighboring crops, and KOMAZA farm families regularly check for and remove any Eucalyptus seedlings which may have sprouted outside the bounds of their tree farm. Finally, we only plant in small plots spread over a large land area, which dissipates any undesirable environmental effects occasionally associated with large plantations.
We take the quality of our communities' environments very seriously. The protections we have put in place ensure that KOMAZA's trees grow in a healthy balance with their surroundings. By planting responsibly, we ensure that our trees help reverse some of the harmful effects of deforestation without any adverse effects of their own.
