People4Nature Green Climate Fund

The period between January 16^th 2024 and June 30^th 2024 witnessed an unprecedented phase of wanton destruction of the Kaya Forest. The systematic felling of mature trees within the forest but outside the sacred zone was due to fresh leadership wrangles pitting two groups of Elders that issued conflicting directives on the management of the Kaya Shrine and its forest resources. Consequently, there was inadequate forest patrol by the traditional forest scouts and surrounding community members took the opportunity to encroach and harvest forest resources.

Several monitoring missions were undertaken in the month of January 2024 to ascertain the extent of forest encroachment and destruction. The missions uncovered a section of the forest that had been cleared, systematic cutting of trees in various sections of the forest and farms that had encroached into the forest area. The forest is estimated to be 204 hectares.

The Elders were facilitated to undertake several consultation meetings between the local government administration, the warring factions of the Elders and the community. In the mid of May 2024, the meetings bore fruit when the local administration and the communities resolved to re-instate the previous committee of Elders to continue to manage the shrine and the forest.

The breakaway committee/Elders eventually vacated the forest towards the end of May 2024. After the departure of the breakaway faction, the Elders assessed and determined that the House of the Chairman and the House of Medicine (Tutu) needed urgent repairs and cleansing. This was prioritised to restore the Authority of the Elders and stem the ongoing destruction of the forest.

The repairs, cleansing, forest patrols and other climate actions require a minimum of USD 5,000. Your contribution is greatly appreciated. 

Links:

• Protecting the Kaya Forest