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{
    "id": 514832,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/514832/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 80,
    "type": "other",
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    "content": "confirmed that the Felling Plan was consistent with the conservation of the environment or any other written law. 5. Explain whether the Cabinet Secretary (SC) is aware that the functions and management of forests was devolved to the county governments by the Senate. 6. Provide a data base on the number of mature trees in all forests in the country. 7. Explain the mechanisms, including budgetary allocations, that the national Government has put in place to increase allocation of depleted forests. Mr. Speaker, Sir, on the first question, there exist regulations on harvesting of mature plantations and thinning of trees in State forests. These are contained in the Forest Harvesting Rules 2009, Legal Notice No. 185 of 24th December, 2009. On the second question, the Felling Plan 2012/2017 was not approved by the Cabinet, but it was approved by the Kenya Forest Service Board (KFSB). On the third question, the felling plans form part of the management plans and in preparation of management plans all stakeholders of the forest sector, including the county governments and the Kenya Water Towers Agency (KWTA), are involved. As you may be aware, with regard to the issue of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), that is an expensive undertaking. NEMA and the KFS have agreed to have it done in phases on ecosystem basis. Already, the EIA for Mau and Mt. Kenya ecosystem have been finalized. That of Aberdare and Cherangany is ongoing. It is expected that the whole country will have been covered in the next three years. Those which have been finalized have been approved by NEMA, which indicates that the proposed activities include the implementation of felling plans consistent with the conservation of the environment. Mr. Speaker, Sir, on the fifth question, I am aware that functions and management of some categories of forests have been devolved to county governments. However, forests on public land, including Government plantation forests, have not been devolved in line with Article 62(3) of the Constitution of Kenya. On the question of data base, the number of mature trees in all the forests in the country is as listed in the Schedule which I have already submitted to Sen. Mutula Kilonzo Jnr. and they are listed on all forests. On question 7, the national Government has put in place mechanisms to increase afforestation. They include:- 1. Preparation and implementation of the management plan for each forest in the country. 2. Encouragement of the practice of plantation establishment. This is called PERIS. 3. Promotion of partnerships between ministries through the KFS and communities living adjacent to forests. 4. Fifteen per cent of all revenue accruing from the sale of mature plantations is ploughed back for re-establishment of new plantations. Mr. Speaker, Sir, there were supplementary questions from the Senate Minority Leader (Sen. Wetangula), Sen. (Dr.) Machage and Sen. (Dr.) Khalwale. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate."
}