From 1990 to 2005, Kenya's forest cover was reduced by nearly 500,000 acres. Deforestation has been even more significant in other East African countries, with Uganda losing over 3 million acres of forest and Tanzania losing 15 million over the same period. This is indicative of a pattern of deforestation across much of Africa as the domestic and foreign demand for African timber continues to grow.
Biodiversity loss, watershed degradation, and ecological instability are all consequences of the deforestation that plagues Africa. Semi-arid lands are particularly devastated when deforestation causes erosion and desertification, as they quickly become barren and unable to support productive foodcrop farming. Dwindling arable farmland can lead families to depend on charcoal production from local woodlands to sustain their livelihoods, further fueling the cycle of environmental damage.
Forests also serve an important function as biological carbon sinks. The amount of forest land lost in Kenya since 1995 represents 15.5 million tons of carbon. The trees felled from these forests would also have absorbed millions more tons of carbon from the atmosphere during their lifetimes. Deforestation results in a net increase of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, and can therefore be a significant contributor to global warming.
The environmental need for a significant shift to more sustainable forestry practices is clear. The tree farms KOMAZA plants will help maintain soil quality and absorb greenhouse gases. We can take advantage of the market demand for timber to lift our farmers out of poverty while improving the environment and reducing pressure to fell indigenous forests.
