Kenya’s beautiful natural areas—from its misty highlands to its sunlit coasts—are intimately linked to its forests. These ecosystems are more than scenic landscapes: they support biodiversity, regulate water and climate systems, and underpin major sectors of the national economy. However, a revealing document—the National Forest Resources Assessment Report 2024, released in February 2025—shows that ongoing deforestation and forest degradation are costing Kenya an estimated KSh 534 billion every year. This staggering figure is equal to at least 3% of the country’s GDP, underscoring an urgent need to protect Kenya’s natural capital as a foundation for its future wealth and stability.
The report, compiled by the Kenya Forest Service (KFS), presents worrying trends. An average of 84,716 hectares of forest are lost each year, and another 14,934 hectares become degraded. These losses are not abstract—they lead directly to financial strain in key sectors. Agriculture, which employs over 70% of the rural population, becomes less productive as soils degrade, water becomes scarcer, and pollinators disappear. The tourism sector, worth over KSh 268 billion annually, also suffers. As forests disappear, so do the habitats of elephants, leopards, birds, and countless other species that attract tourists from around the world.
Another significant concern is hydropower, which provides about 30% of Kenya’s electricity. Forest degradation leads to erratic water flows, silting of dams, and lower energy yields, making electricity generation more expensive and less reliable. The ripple effects extend to increased costs for drinking water treatment, higher flood risks in lowlands, and the loss of forest-based livelihoods. Communities that depend on wood for fuel, timber, medicine, and shelter find their resources depleted, while overfished and sediment-laden rivers and lakes harm inland fisheries.
A System Under Pressure
Several drivers fuel this loss:
- Rapid population growth pushes communities to convert forests into farmland and settlements.
- Poverty and unemployment incentivize unsustainable charcoal production and illegal logging.
- Weak governance and tenure conflicts make it difficult to enforce forest protection rules.
- Climate change adds pressure through longer droughts, stronger floods, and unpredictable weather—problems worsened by deforestation itself.
The report also flags biodiversity loss as a critical concern: 356 plant and animal species are now listed as threatened or near-threatened, including 24 critically endangered taxa. Biodiversity hotspots like the Coastal Forests (e.g., Arabuko Sokoke and Kaya Forests) are especially vulnerable, with rare species disappearing as habitat shrinks.
Government Action: Ambitious Yet Challenging
Recognizing the seriousness of this crisis, Kenya has pledged to increase tree cover from 12.13% to 30% by 2032, supported by the 15 Billion Tree Growing Campaign and the Forest Ecosystem Landscape Restoration Strategy. These initiatives aim to restore 10.6 million hectares of degraded land, improve ecosystem services, and make Kenya more resilient to climate shocks.
The Kenya Forest Service has also adopted practical strategies such as:
- A 30-year sustainable forest harvesting and replanting plan, starting with 5,000 hectares of mature exotic plantations annually.
- New regulations on grazing in public forests, including zoning, nighttime grazing bans, and monthly permits.
- Collaborations with counties to promote community-led restoration and afforestation.
Local Participation Is Key
Despite these plans, success will depend on strong enforcement, clear land rights, sustained funding, and active community involvement. Local people must not just be seen as forest users but as forest stewards—empowered through education, benefit-sharing schemes, and green job opportunities. This includes embracing agroforestry, payment for ecosystem services (PES), and sustainable forest-based enterprises that reduce pressure on natural forests while providing income.
Turning Crisis Into Opportunity
Stopping the billion-shilling annual drain caused by deforestation is not just an environmental necessity—it’s an economic imperative. A future where Kenya thrives will depend on how well it balances development with conservation. By restoring forests, enforcing laws, supporting green innovation, and investing in nature as infrastructure, Kenya can build an economy that is resilient, inclusive, and regenerative.
In short, deforestation isn’t just the loss of trees—it’s the loss of opportunity. But with smart, inclusive action, it can also be the beginning of a more prosperous path.
