KFS Board Attends Corporate Governance Workshop In Naivasha

The second Board of Directors of Kenya  Forest Service and the Senior Management have just concluded a three day Corporate Governance Workshop in Naivasha’s Great Rift Valley Lodge  on the foot of the Ebburu Ranges.

The workshop was conducted by Manpower Services and was opened by Permanent Secretary in Ministry of Forestry & Wildlife, Mr. M.A.M. Wa Mwachai. In his opening remarks, he asked the Board to ensure that they are accountable in all they do. ‘Kenyans have huge expectations on KFS, despite enormous challenges both internally and externally’, he said. One of the facilitators, Mr. Michael Ndunda said that there is no other organisation that carries Kenyans on its shoulders like KFS.

The Director KFS, Mr. D.K. Mbugua, said that this was the second such workshop that the Board and Management were attending since KFS became a parastatal in 2007. Apart from internalising the principles of Corporate Governance in the workings of the organisation , he said that the workshop affords the participants a chance to bond and brainstorm.

Report by Raphael Mworia

Nema names 10 green firms in Kenya

Updated 11 hr(s) 47 min(s) ago

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By PETER ORENGO

The National Environment Management Authority (Nema) has released its Green List 2010, which recognises the 10 organisations and institutions that it said have continued to comply with its regulations.

Nema lauded Mater Hospital, Aga Khan University Hospital, Sun and Sand hotel, Serena Hotel, Severin Sea Lodge, East Africa Breweries, Total Kenya, Safaricom, Bamburi Cement Factory, Oshwal Academy, and the Nakumatt Supermarkets for the tangible milestones they have made in attaining high levels of compliance to various environmental regulations.

"We salute the achievements of these firms and institutions and urge them to continue sustaining their efforts while striving to reach higher heights," said Nema Deputy Director Environment Education Awareness and Public Participation, Betty Nzioka.

Nema says it will keep its door open to receive feedback on the environmental achievements from various stakeholders in 2011.

"We want to celebrate our unsung heroes and heroines, communities and individual efforts," said Nzioka.

Last year Nema enforced the noise pollution law and launched the Voices of Environment Campaign, which focuses on the performance of the private sector.

Story Courtesy E.A. Standard

KFS Choir Tours Mombasa On A Charity Mission

A KFS staff Hands a donation to Children from Midzini Childrens Home

KFS staff joins the Kids and Tutors of the Midzini Childrens Home

Mr. Otieno (left),Inmate (enter) ant the acting Commandant Shimo la Tewa Pose for a phot while donating a trophy, looking are the KFS staff and the Inmates

Ms Faith Kosgei handing a donation to an inmate at Shimo la Tewa

 The KFS staff Pose for a photo with Inamtes and the Acting Commandant Shimo Latewa Prisons

In the celebrations mood for the just ended festive season of the year 2010. The Kenya Forest Service Choir toured Mombasa on a charity mission. The team donated stuff worthy fifty thousand to various underprivileged societies spaced within the larger Mombasa. Led by the Senior Human Resource Officer, Ms. Faith Kosgei and the Chief Adminstrator Mr. otieno the team of twenty seven visited Nyumba ya Wazee, Tumaini children’s home, Midzini children’s home and Shimo la Tewa Maximum prisons. The choir which draws its members from various Divisions in the organization, did what they love most, singing and donating various commodities. These created a merry atmosphere among the homes visited.

It was after the cancellation of the State house end year party by His Excellency the President and directing that such funds should be used to entertain the disadvantaged in the society and the Internally displaced persons that made all the state corporations choir to divert their energy into creating a worthy to celebrate Christmas to Inmates in the Prisons, Children’s Homes and adult homes.

The visit to Nyumba ya wazee was very exciting as the officers had a platform to present various talents to them including singing, poetry, dancing amongst other. This created an up mood among the old Kenyans who are housed here. The Home that is sponsored by well wishers from China was more than glad as they received gifts bought to them by thefrom KFS staff. Nyumba ya Wazee has approximately fifty old men ranging from the age of sixty to eighty. This is a home where the aged in the society are taken good care of.

Tumaini and Midzini were to separate children’s homes that were visited. The smiling faces of the young ones would make one to wonder why are they here as they deserved to be well taken care of by parents, but whatever happened to them lives a lot to be desired. The cute, cheerful boys and girls joined the KFS staff in various team building activities that created a home atmosphere among the children. As the sun went down, many were left with tears; same staff members who wanted to remain at the homes as some children wanted to accompany the staff back to Nairobi.The scenario showed how wee the two parties has bonded in a short span of their meeting.

Shimo la Tewa maximum Prison was a stop that only at the intervention of time that people had to be released out of the 24 hrs surveillance compound. The inmates received toilet papers, bar soaps for washing, detergents, fats for cooking and tooth paste. The Chief Inspector acting as the Commandant of the station thanked the Kenya Forest Service Director for compasion He has towards the inmates by the fact the He facilitated the choir to be Mombasa for the charity Mission. At the end of each year the inmates at the Prison holds various talent shows and it was at this time that the choir was invited for a sleep over at the Prison. Since there was still a lot to be done, the troop opted to by a trophy for the winning team instead of managing to turn up for the night.This trophy was received by the acting commandant who requested KFS to make it a routine in visiting the government Prisons

After the whole long week activities, it was time for the KFS family to bond as they visited the Diani beach in the South Coast for swimming. Those who didn’t know how to swim were taught how to do the same. The salt water at the coast was a place where every Tom, Dick and Harry would want to be everlastingly.

In the spirit of Corporate Social Responsibility, KFS did what has never been done for a while as appreciations engulfed the air from the areas visited. The choir members also appreciated the Director Kenya Forest Service for his kind and compassionate heart to help the poor.

Story By Vincent Paul Bwire

Abu Dhabi host the World Future Energy Summit for 2011

Since its inception in 2008, World Future Energy Summit “WFES” has evolved as the world’s foremost and must-attend annual meeting for the renewable energy and environment industry. In 2010 WFES uniquely brought together over 24,760 attendees from 148 countries including world leaders, international policy makers, industry leaders, investors, experts, academia, intellectuals and journalists to find practical and sustainable solutions for today’s energy security and climate change challenges.

WFES promotes innovation and investment opportunities surrounding renewable energy and environment. It represents an unrivalled business platform bringing together project owners and solution providers with investors and buyers from both the public and private sectors

WFES includes a world class summit, two exhibitions, young future energy leaders program, round table discussions, industry and investment seminars, corporate meetings and social events.

Speaking at this year’s summit in Abu Dhabi, the United Nations Secretary General HE Ban Ki-Moon said, “The world needs to find the renewable energy and clean technologies which can mitigate its effects and set the world on a path to more sustainable economic growth and prosperity. The search for these solutions requires collaboration between governments, academia, enterprise and civil society. The longer we delay, the more we will pay – in resources, economic competitiveness, and lives.”  “Climate change is one of the defining challenges of our times,” he added.

Over 25000 participants took part in this year’s summit.

Story by Leakey Sonkoyo

KFS Embarks On Journey Towards ISO Certification

The Kenya Forest Service has embarked on a process that will see it acquire the International Organisation of Standardization certificate 2008:9001 also known as ISO 2008:9001. The one year process which begun in July 2010 will end in June this year and put KFS in the league of Kenyan organisations that have embraced international standards in customer service delivery.

The government has directed that all its institutions adopt internationally recognized customer service delivery approaches in its general bid to improve the lives of Kenyans as it accelerates social-economic development in the country. Already a number of government institutions led by parastatals and ministries have embraced the process while many others are in the process of implementing relevant certification standards.

According to the Quality Management Representative (QMR) for KFS Mr. Abraham Watta, the Service took up ISO certification at the appropriate time as it is still in its formative stages of development. He added that with the establishment of quality management systems, KFS will be at a vantage position both in service delivery to its many customers as well as being able to implement its various programmes in an efficient, effective and transparent manner.

The process which is being spearheaded from the Corporate Services Division has seen the sensitization of staff in eight conservancies with the remaining two expected to be sensitized by the beginning of February 2011. This has been done with the guidance of a consulting firm Afri-Aviation Ltd who are also assisting with the whole certification process.

At a recent workshop by the KFS ISO Steering committee, the different procedures and processes that affect service delivery were documented and the report handed over to the Director for comments. Following its approval by management, an implementation launch will be held in late February pending the official certification in June 2011.

Story by Leakey Sonkoyo 

Deforestation and Climate Change in Kenya

JANUARY 10TH, 2011

Lakes in the Rift Valley are drying, Rivers have now become streams. Glacier on top of Mt. Kenya is decreasing at an increasing rate. Arid lands are extending. Water points are drying and all one can see is vast plain lands with little or no vegetation. Farmers can no longer predict rainfall. One can not help but pity the bicycle looking animals gracing on dry empty grasslands.

The number of wild animals in Mt Kenya forest is decreasing rapidly. With time it will be difficult for an elephant to survive in the once thick forest that hosted thousands of elephants.

Massive deforestation in Aberderas, Mt.Kenya and Mau forest still remains a political issue. These Forests used to be covered by thick vegetation that trapped moisture, kept temperatures cool, and performed other functions including supplying plentiful rainfall.

People unknowingly or intentionally are clearing forests and replacing them with farms.  Mismanagement of the forests by the government officials either selling or giving permits to timber merchants who over log. There are little efforts by corporate society by planting trees but this does not seem to be a major concern for the government.

As usual everything in Kenya must be politicized. So anyone one who raises his or her head about the forest encroachers risks his political career.  What happened to the Mau eviction? Deforestation is one of several human activities that experts say contribute to climate change.

Local communities are clearing grassy plains and forests for farming or to burn charcoal. This goes on without notice. Factories on the other hand are polluting the environment by driving effluents into already drying up rivers and lakes.

They are especially worried that the emissions of carbon dioxide, methane, and other gases into the air are forming a barrier that prevents the sun’s energy from radiating back into space, thus raising the earth’s temperature.

Climate change is causing more intense and frequent droughts, floods, hurricanes, rising sea levels, and other negative effects in Kenya.

For a country like Kenya to counter the effects of climate change, it has to plant trees and increase its forest cover. Trees absorb excess carbon dioxide and other harmful gases from the atmosphere.

The effects of climate

Loss of species, that is both plants and animals due to drought,

Prolonged drought that causes lose of biodiversity thus affecting the ecosystem

Lose of human life, lack of food and water due to prolonged causes’ death. This is being witnessed in the northern parts of Kenya today.

Poverty, people start relaying on aids. Rain patterns are changing and farmers cannot be able to predict rainfall so most of the times food crops dry up before maturity.

Report Courtesy of http://www.news-kenya.com

Celebrating A Remarkable Year

After an eventful year that saw a new board inaugurated the KFS staff and the senior field officers came together for the annual KFS end of year party that took place on Friday 17^th December 2010 at the KFS Karura head quarters. With its usual theme of uniqueness, bigger and better this year did not disappoint and the event was clearly the event of the year. And with no team building activities, everyone was dressed to impress. That did not mean that it was going to be a boring day as an invitation to children resident in Karura were also invited for the party and spent the better part of the day playing in bouncy castles and enjoying snacks.

The programme was also equally interesting with a lot of fun activities. It all begun with the serving of a mouth watering luncheon. After which it was time for entertainment from the ever ready KFS choir that not only looked dazzling in their new uniforms but also belted some heartwarming Christmas carols that were accompanied by their new instrument.

After the entertainment from the choir it was time for speeches. The first to deliver his speech was the Chief Human Resource Officer Mr.Amukaya who read the speech on behalf of the Deputy Director Human Resources and Administration. In his speech he lauded the organizations, recruitment of more staff and assured the staff that more people would be recruited in the coming year.

The Guest of Honour, the Chairman of the KFS Board, Prof. Richard Musangi in his speech lauded the enactment of the new constitution which he said would require the Service to align its strategies so as to gain from the opportunities the new constitution offered. He also praised the continued restoration of the degraded forest areas in Kenya including the Mau Forest and the focus on drylands that offers the greatest opportunity for forestry growth in Kenya.

While delivering his speech the Director pointed out the great milestone the Service had achieved with the appointment of a new Board of Directors .He also expressed his delight at the recent launch of the ISO Certification process which KFS expects to complete by June 2011 and would be able to assist to improve processes and service delivery. He also lauded the organisation’s registeration with OPI (Optimum Performance Index) which he said was being used to measure the organization’s performance output and also to assist in performance contracting.

After the speeches it was time for more entertainment that was provided by the Rare Watts Band. This was followed by the fashion show segment. Who knew that KFS had such  out and confident  people; the ladies and gentlemen who would have  passed for professional models cat walked for the guests’ in their breathtaking costumes that left many in awe. This was followed by dancing competitions and the children too were not left behind as they paraded their talents to a very appreciative audience. A show of football dribbling skills was also presented as were tongue twisters. The winners were awarded prizes.

The sun eventually went down and the most awaited segment came for the young at heart to show their prowess as everyone danced the night away to a well marked end of year that promised even better things come 2011.

Story by Lydiah Ogada

Happy New Year

To All Visitors,

As we start on the new year 2011, lots need to be accomplished in ensuring that we maintain an adequate forest cover in the country. Although only 2% of our country is set aside as state forests, individuals, communities and institutions have a big role in ensuring that they make their contribution to ensure another 8% is converted to tree cover in our homes, farms, ranches, schools, roadsides, etc.

The world is vulnerable due to environmental degradation that is caused by a myriad of factors. Below please watch and listen to the young girl who made a very moving plea to the world during a UN Conference on Environment. I hope this triggers you into action at your personal level to do something. We always look up to  the government to offer all the solutions, but never at what we can do as individuals. Please go out and change the world in small and personal doses. 

Happy New Year! 

Visit the video HERE and let me know what you think......