Read at : Google Alert – desertification
http://allafrica.com/stories/201111230045.html
Kenya: Taita Forests Destroyed – KFS
Raphael Mwadime – 22 November 2011
The Kenya Forest Services (KFS) has raised alarm over wanton environment destruction of forests in Taita Taveta County following cultivating on hill top areas.
KFS commandant Colonel John Kimani said that a large section of Taita hills which serves as the water towers in the region has been encroached resulting to rampant soil erosion and desertification of the lowland areas.
He also appealed to the residents to embark on serious planting of indigenous trees to conserve the environment. “The hill tops are supposed to be covered by forests but now it has been wiped out through cultivating.The future of this region environmental wise is in danger because locals are destroying indigenous forest cover to do farming,” warned Col Kimani .
He warned that the on going encroachment is likely to contribute to recurrent droughts which result from global warming that the whole world is currently grappling with.He added that the trend had also contributed to a decline in water volumes in rivers and rain scarcity.
(continued)
