Mining Principal Secretary Harry Kimtai has called for increased community involvement in forest conservation, emphasising that sustainable management must be linked to improved livelihoods.

Speaking at Saboti Forest Station in Mt. Elgon during an engagement with members of the Community Forest Association, Kimtai encouraged communities to leverage opportunities presented by sustainable forest management, including ecotourism and agricultural value chains.

“Conserving our forests and empowering communities must go hand in hand if we are to secure a greener, more prosperous future,” stated Mr Kimtai.

As patron of the Mt. Elgon Integrated Conservation and Livelihood Improvement Programme, Kimtai highlighted the central role communities should play in developing the region’s ecotourism potential and strengthening food crop value chains to enhance household incomes and food security.

His comments followed a directive from Dr Deborah Mlongo Barasa, Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Forestry, for the Kenya Forest Service to bolster collaboration with Community Forest Associations under the Plantation Establishment and Livelihood Improvement Scheme.

The initiative aims to expand tree planting, strengthen community participation in forest conservation, and improve livelihoods.

Kimtai further noted that sustainable forest management offers a chance to connect environmental protection with economic development, especially for communities residing near forest ecosystems.

The engagement brought together officials from the Kenya Forest Service, representatives from Community Forest Associations, and national and county leaders, all committed to enhancing forest conservation in Mt. Elgon.