ELGEYO MARAKWET, Kenya — The Kenya Forest Service (KFS) has launched an expanded forest protection programme centred on strategic fencing, as the government moves to curb encroachment and restore critical ecosystems across the country.
The initiative was flagged off on Monday by Alex Lemarkoko, who commissioned the Kaptagat ecosystem fencing project and handed over the site to KFS’s fencing unit.
The first phase of the project will cover 50 kilometres in the Kapkoi area within Sabor Forest Station, marking the beginning of a broader nationwide plan to secure vulnerable forest zones.
According to KFS, the fencing programme is designed to reduce illegal human activities in forests, minimise human-wildlife conflict, and support long-term ecological restoration.
“The Government is scaling up forest protection through strategic fencing… an effective intervention to curb encroachment, reduce human-wildlife conflict, and support ecosystem restoration,” the agency said.
The Kaptagat ecosystem, located in a key water catchment area, plays a crucial role in environmental stability, including water regulation, carbon sequestration, and soil conservation.
KFS noted that securing such areas will enhance biodiversity conservation while allowing degraded sections of forests to regenerate naturally.
Beyond physical barriers, the agency is also appealing for community participation, urging residents living near forest zones to act as “social fences” by protecting forest resources and reporting illegal activities.
Lemarkoko encouraged Kenyans to take advantage of the ongoing rainy season to plant trees, aligning the initiative with national reforestation targets and climate action commitments.
The fencing programme forms part of Kenya’s broader environmental strategy, which includes increasing forest cover and strengthening protection of critical ecosystems under national climate and conservation policies.
