- Community Forest Associations are empowering locals like Mercy Arusei to protect Kenya’s forests, reduce deforestation, and foster sustainable livelihoods through grassroots conservation efforts.
Like many forested regions in Kenya, the Mau Forest Complex has long suffered from deforestation, illegal logging, charcoal burning, and encroachment. These pressures have not only degraded the environment but also threatened the traditional livelihoods of indigenous communities like the Ogiek.
Mercy Arusei, a passionate member of the Community Forest Association (CFA) representing the Ogiek of Ndoinet paints a picture of how grassroots conservation is breathing new life into Kenya’s threatened forest ecosystems.
“Our forest is not just trees,” Arusei says, her eyes fixed on the mist-draped canopy of the nearby Ndoinet Forest. “It is medicine, water, food, and our identity. Through the CFA, we now have a voice in protecting what we depend on.”
“Before, outsiders would invade and exploit our forests, and we had no say,” Arusei recalls. “But now, with CFA, we’re organized. We plant trees. We patrol. We teach our children the importance of conservation.”
Community Forest Associations are legal entities formed by forest-adjacent communities to partner with the Kenya Forest Service (KFS) in the sustainable management and conservation of forest resources.
Under the Forest Conservation and Management Act, CFAs have the right to enter into Participatory Forest Management Plans (PFMPs), ensuring locals are no longer passive bystanders but active custodians of nature.
In Chenugu, the CFA has become a beacon of collaborative conservation. Mercy and her fellow members hold regular forest patrols, tree planting drives, and environmental awareness sessions. Their involvement has drastically reduced illegal activities in the area.
“We’ve seen change,” Arusei asserts. “People are afraid to cut trees anyhow now. They know the community is watching.”
Despite the success of CFAs in areas like Ndoinet, awareness and adoption of the model remain low in neighboring communities. Many forest-adjacent villages still lack formal CFAs or understanding of how to establish one.
“There is an urgent need for sensitization,” Arusei emphasizes. “Our neighbors in places like Kiptagich and Tinet must also form CFAs. Forest destruction doesn’t stop at borders. Conservation must be collective.”
Her call resonates with the growing consensus among environmentalists and policymakers: empowering local communities through structured associations is among the most sustainable ways to protect Kenya’s dwindling forests.
Beyond environmental protection, CFAs are also transforming lives. In Chenugu, CFA activities have created job opportunities, especially for women and youth, through eco-tourism, seedling nurseries, and bee-keeping projects.
“For me, CFA has given purpose,” Arusei smiles. “I no longer feel helpless. I am part of the solution.”
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As climate change continues to impact rainfall patterns, water sources, and agricultural productivity in Kuresoi South, forest conservation is no longer optional, it is essential. Mercy Arusei’s story is proof that when communities are trusted, trained, and empowered, they can become powerful allies in safeguarding Kenya’s natural heritage.
“We don’t need outsiders to save our forests,” she concludes. “We only need the chance and the support to do it ourselves.”
Indeed, the time has come for policymakers, non-profits, and the Kenya Forest Service to heed Mercy’s call: support, expand, and sensitize communities on the importance of CFAs—not just in Chenugu, but across the nation.
