Nairobi’s beloved Karura Forest, often referred to as the city’s “green lungs,” is facing new challenges as native trees are being removed to facilitate construction.
Reports indicate that trees near the Rangers Village area are being cleared to make way for buildings intended for the National Youth Service (NYS).
On Thursday, an environmental organization known as Friends of Karura Forest (FKF) released a statement stating that chainsaws and heavy equipment have been active in the forest for several days.
An unspecified number of trees have been cut and removed, with the Kenya Forest Service (KFS) Station Manager reportedly permitting access to the location.
The conservation group, which shares management responsibilities with KFS, states it was not consulted despite recent collaborative meetings.
“As co-managers of Karura, we demand an immediate stop to this activity. Any development or construction plans for this forest land must be brought into public discussion,” said Prof Njoroge Karanja of the FKF Board.
This controversy follows last year’s covert road tarmacking within the forest, which FKF successfully opposed in court.
KFS has stated on social media that the cleared area is within their headquarters, but FKF maintains it is located approximately one kilometer inside the forest boundaries.
The organization fears the site will house barracks for NYS personnel, despite the current Karura Forest Management Plan specifying that the Rangers Village should be relocated to the KFS headquarters area adjacent to Kiambu Road.
“It has been 15 years since Karura was officially opened, and it has been an exceptional achievement to jointly preserve and protect this forest,” Prof Karanja said.
“All this progress is now jeopardized by this barracks proposal for a large group of people, which will cause significant disturbance within the forest.”
FKF called for immediate action to cease the clearing and restore the land to indigenous forest, protecting one of Nairobi’s most important natural sanctuaries.
Karura Forest, which was saved from irreversible damage in the 1990s, stands like a living cathedral with its canopy of native trees.
The air is fresh and cool, carrying the earthy scent of moist soil and green foliage.
On bright days, sunlight filters through the dense foliage in golden beams, dancing along winding paths where bird calls and monkey sounds enliven the quiet.
It’s no wonder the forest is called Nairobi’s lungsa sanctuary that breathes life into the city, providing shade, water, and a rare haven of peace.
Former environmentalist and Nobel laureate Wangarĩ Maathai once stood against destructive developments in Karura Forest.
She remains a potent symbol of resistance as today’s conservationists echo her call to protect Nairobi’s green lungs from deforestation and development.