Kenya launches Sh1.5 billion Mau Forest restoration plan to rehabilitate 33,138 hectares

A Sh1.5 billion tree planting initiative to restore the Mau Forest Complex has been launched.

The ten-year plan by the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry is expected to deliver wide-ranging environmental and economic benefits by rehabilitating degraded land, improving livelihoods, and securing critical ecosystem services.

The Mau Forest Conservation and Livelihood Improvement Programme is set to restore 33,138 hectares of forest, plant more than 40 million trees, rehabilitate rivers and wetlands, and reduce forest destruction through alternative energy solutions.

Environment PS Festus Ng’eno projected that within the first year alone, over 3,000 hectares will be restored and four million trees planted, with momentum already building through weekly tree-planting drives that have seen 150,000 seedlings planted in Eastern Mau in just one month.

“By 2035, we expect the Mau to be transformed into a climate-resilient ecosystem that delivers sustainable water, food, and energy security while supporting tens of thousands of green jobs,” Ng’eno said.

At the household level, the programme is expected to benefit more than 80,000 families through alternative livelihoods such as beekeeping, potato farming, bamboo growing, and nature-based enterprises.

“Through this programme we expect to provide solar, biogas and efficient stoves to 100,000 households and install biogas and solar lighting systems in 500 schools,” he said.

He noted that waste-to-energy initiatives and biogas solutions will reduce pressure on forest resources while providing communities with affordable and cleaner energy.

“These measures will not only improve incomes but also create thousands of direct and indirect jobs, particularly for women and young people in forest-adjacent areas,” the PS remarked.

Nationally, the restoration of the Mau is expected to secure steady flows of water into rivers including the Mara, Sondu, and Njoro, which feed Lake Victoria, Lake Nakuru, and the Rift Valley’s agricultural heartlands.

Tourism is another sector expected to benefit significantly. The Mau sustains Lake Nakuru National Park, which attracts nearly 300,000 visitors annually, and the Maasai Mara ecosystem, which generates over Sh2.5 billion each year and supports thousands of local jobs.

According to the PS, restoring the forest will secure the water sources that keep these world-renowned destinations alive, ensuring continued revenue and employment from Kenya’s wildlife and cultural heritage.

The initiative is also expected to strengthen biodiversity conservation. The Mau Forest harbors globally significant species and supports the wildebeest migration. Officials expect restoration to stabilize habitats, protect endangered species, and enhance Kenya’s contribution to global biodiversity commitments under the Convention on Biological Diversity and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Regionally, the Mau is a cornerstone of the Lake Victoria Basin and contributes to the flow of the Nile, benefiting Uganda, South Sudan, Sudan, and Egypt.

Restoring it will therefore bolster regional water security and energy generation, including support for the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. Beyond East Africa, the Mau will continue to serve as a critical carbon sink, advancing international climate goals and reinforcing Kenya’s leadership in global restoration efforts.

The Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Dr. Deborah Barasa, noted that restoring the Mau is expected to guarantee energy stability, secure food systems, and safeguard GDP growth.

“This is not charity but economic insurance for national development,” she said.

She explained that the campaign also extends into Kenya’s Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs), which make up more than 70 percent of the country’s landmass and are among the regions hardest hit by climate change.

Restoring these landscapes is projected to generate Sh50 billion annually through improved rangelands, greener deserts, and stronger livelihoods.

“This will have ripple effects across the Horn of Africa, reinforcing the Great Green Wall initiative and providing a regional shield against hunger. When land is degraded, the economy suffers. When land is restored, the nation prospers,” said the CS.