How Can New ID Cards Enable Forest Dwellers to Protect Their Land and Resources?

By Chemtai Kirui|phillykirui@gmail.com

Nyandarua County – Communities in Geta Forest Station, located in the country’s west-central region, are set to be the latest beneficiaries of the Community Forest Association’s (CFA) new identity card system—which aims to distinguish genuine forest users from illegal loggers and encroachers, granting them regulated access to the Aberdares Forest.

Each CFA ID card features the holder’s photo, name, national identification number, location, and the block they belong to, with signatures from both the forester and the CFA chairperson.

A “block” in this context refers to a designated zone within the forest, allowing for more effective management of specific areas.

Forest authorities will be able to easily identify authorized users and determine which block they come from by checking their cards.

Officials hope that the cards, which will be issued to the community in phases, will significantly boost forest security.

So far, 2,000 cards have been generated, with registration ongoing and a target of reaching around 6,000 members.

“When we are patrolling the forest, we need to know who our true friends are,” said Inspector Peter Kiana, Enforcement and Compliance Commander of Kenya Forest Services (KFS) at the Geta Forest Station. “By being a CFA member, it shows you are our friend. So, having the ID will make it easier for us to distinguish the friends from poachers.”

Kiana said that the hope is that the card, issued under the CFA rebuilding project supported by the Rhino Ark Kenya Charitable Trust, a conservation charity, will empower the community.

Forest Health

Ecologists have long stressed the important role the Aberdares ecosystem plays as a water tower, providing habitat for various animal species and supporting the livelihoods of local communities.

In this ecosystem, the Geta Forest is essential for regulating the local climate and maintaining watershed health, serving as the source of major rivers, including Malewa, Kinja, Kitiri, and Wanjohi, which flow into Lake Naivasha.

Moreover, it acts as a carbon sink, houses various endangered species, including the Red Cedar and Rosewood, and provides a buffer against soil erosion while protecting against extreme weather events, thus creating an important ecological balance that benefits both wildlife and human communities.

The forest offers numerous benefits to the surrounding communities. Traditional healers rely on the forest for medicines, and the sale of non-timber forest products such as honey also provides income for the communities.

Deforestation Impact

However, with the alarming rates of deforestation experienced, only a small portion of this area still hosts the remaining mature trees. As the trees are cut down, the forest’s ability to absorb carbon is reduced, driving deforestation-induced climate change.

Deforested areas also threaten biodiversity, especially in areas such as the Aberdares region that have experienced significant habitat loss.

“Our parents didn’t know better; we grew up relying on the forest for firewood and timber—that was our way of life,” said Daniel Kiarie Mwaura, Chairperson of the CFA in Geta Forest Station.

Mwaura said that over the years, he has witnessed the forest dwindle, streams dry up, and frequent fires devastate the land, leaving the area more vulnerable to unpredictable weather patterns.

“The forest dwellers report that some species are disappearing due to habitat destruction and increased human encroachment. As a result, deforested areas have become barren and vulnerable to further degradation,” said Reuben Mwangi, a field officer at the Rhino Ark Charitable Trust in the Aberdare ecosystem.

Conservation Initiatives

The CFA rebuilding project, which began in September 2022, has seen a significant change in the locals’ attitudes, shifting from a negative view of the authorities and the belief that the forest belonged to the government, to a welcoming and positive outlook where they now feel they are the custodians of the forest.

“We have witnessed a great change in attitude from the community, and the forest dwellers are now happy to be involved in the forest’s conservation efforts. They are the ones calling to report when things are not right in the forest,” Mwangi said.

Mwangi also noted that, through the CFA rebuilding initiative, important local landmarks within the Geta Forest Station have been documented, including the Mau Mau Cave, Jangiri Falls, and Oldonyo Satima Rocks.

“These sites are creating valuable ecotourism opportunities for the region,” he said.

Speaking to Kass Media at Twins Rock (Mawe Mbili), one of the hiking sites in Geta Forest Station, Adam Mwangi, the project coordinator for Rhino Ark in the Aberdare-Mt Kenya ecosystem, said that the newly developed ecotourism attractions are becoming popular destinations.

Local youths, working as guides under the management of the forest department, charge around Ksh 2,500 per summit, allowing them to lead groups to multiple summits in a single day.

“On weekends, the area sees tens and sometimes hundreds of visitors coming for hiking, camping, and exploration,” Adam said.

User Rights

As ecotourism opportunities expand and forest conservation efforts gain momentum, the CFA’s new identity card system is playing a crucial role in formalizing and regulating access to the forest.

The CFA members from five blocks—Wanjohi, Kitiri, Geta, Kipipiri, and Mekalo—making up the Geta Forest Station, are collaborating with Rhino Ark and the KFS to strengthen conservation efforts.

They are actively engaged in activities such as planting indigenous trees to restore forest cover, conducting forest patrols, and managing nurseries that supply seedlings for reforestation projects. The CFA is also responsible for finding and registering members for the ID cards.

Funded by the Darwin Initiative, Rhino Ark is responsible for producing the cards in collaboration with Kenya Forest Service and 25 CFA management committee members, who represent 15 beats—smaller divisions within the five major blocks of the Geta Forest Station.

Each beat corresponds to a specific area of the forest, allowing for even more localized management and oversight.

As part of the forest management structure, 17 distinct forest user rights are assigned to various community members based on their areas of interest. These rights govern how community members interact with the forest and include activities such as honey harvesting, herbal medicine collection, and ecotourism.

Each right is regulated by the Kenya Forest Service (KFS) to ensure sustainability.

In some cases, entire groups—such as women firewood collectors—are registered under specific rights, while others focus on farming or ecotourism activities.

Ann Wacuka, the CFA treasurer, said that there are entire groups—such as women firewood collectors—registered under specific rights, while others focus on farming or ecotourism activities.

“We mapped this out during the registration. Once the CFA ID cards are issued as communities, we can now clearly identify which groups are involved in different forest activities, helping us better manage the resources,” she said.

Grazing is permitted, but only in designated plantation areas as part of the Plantation Establishment and Livelihood Improvement Scheme (PELIS), which allows for temporary farming in exchange for reforestation efforts.

This system ensures that community members not only use the forest sustainably but also manage their activities in harmony with conservation goals.

In the meantime, the first batch of CFA ID cards has been generated, and the partners aim to launch the first phase of card issuance soon after the ongoing construction of a 10 km fence at the Geta Forest Station is completed.

“We are targeting 2,000 members to be issued with cards in the first phase,” said Mwangi.