KFS says Ngong Hills tree felling is a tendered harvest of 56 hectares of plantation

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The Kenya Forest Service (KFS) says the tree felling at Ngong Hills Forest that has drawn criticism online is a tendered harvest of 56 hectares of mature commercial plantation in the Kibiku Forest Block, not illegal logging.

In a clarification posted on its official X account on Sunday evening, the agency said it had “noted video clips and photographs circulating on social media alleging illegal logging in Ngong Hills Forest, with claims that the activities are being carried out at night.”

Tender for 56 hectares

KFS said the harvesting is “being undertaken following a competitive bidding process and the subsequent award of a tender for the harvesting of 56 hectares of mature plantations.” It cited the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act 2015, the Forest Conservation and Management Act 2026, the Constitution and the forest harvesting rules of 2016 as the legal basis.

The statement did not name the contractor that won the tender, the tree species being cut, the volume of timber involved or the value of the contract.

The agency said the law limits forest operations to daylight hours. “Forest operations are required to be conducted between 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., as stipulated under the FCMA 2026,” it said.

The log trailer photo

One of the images shared widely showed a trailer loaded with logs. KFS said it “has received information that the vehicle had broken down and was undergoing repairs” and that it was “verifying the circumstances surrounding the incident.”

“The photograph alone does not establish that harvesting activities were taking place at night,” the statement said.

KFS asked members of the public with concerns about forest management to seek clarification at the nearest KFS station, to report suspicious activity to the nearest police station, or to write to info@kenyaforestservice.org.

Replanting through PELIS

Once harvesting is complete, the agency said, “the Community Forest Association is normally engaged to replant more trees through the Plantation Enterprise and Livelihood Improvement Scheme (PELIS).”

In an earlier post on Saturday, KFS said plantation harvesting “follows approved Management Plans where social, economic and environmental objectives are implemented and continuously monitored by professional foresters,” adding that “approved plans are available at forest stations for public inquiry.”

The agency also ran a public poll on the same day asking whether people knew that “public commercial forest plantations in Kenya are harvested and replanted in rotation cycles, much like agricultural crops.” On Sunday it published the first part of a video series, “Cypress: from seed to maturity,” which it said explains “why planned harvesting is part of sustainable commercial forestry.”

KFS also shared a graphic titled “Tree harvesting vs deforestation.” It describes harvesting as the “planned and controlled removal of selected trees for timber, poles and fuelwood” that “follows approved plans and permits” and “can support livelihoods and forest industries,” and describes deforestation as “clearing forest land, often without adequate protection or regeneration.”

What has not been released

None of the agency’s posts included a copy of the Kibiku tender award or the management plan for the block. KFS has directed people who want to see the plans to its forest stations.

The agency has also not said how much of the Kibiku block has been cleared so far, when the harvest is due to end, or when replanting will begin.