Rehabilitation

Kenya's high-elevation forests are the source for most of the water on which the draught-plagued nation depends.  After decades of government-abetted abuse of these regions, a new conservation strategy of working with local communities is now showing signs of success. The five main water towers include the Aberdare Mountains and the Mau forest complex and supply more than 75% of the country's renewable surface water (according to the United Nations Environment Programme).

At least 40% of the forest cover in Mau has been depleted by deforestation and encroachment.  In the Aberdare Mountains squatters wanting to farm, illegal loggers, hunters, villages wanting firewood and corporates trying to source illegal water for flower and vegetable farms is harming the bio-diversity.

Prior to the ban on exploitation of indigenous trees in the mid 1980s, Bamboo stems were exploited for domestic uses mainly for fencing and construction. Due to its high rate of regeneration the controlled exploitation of bamboo has no negative impact on catchment value of the forest.

The Bamboo Trading Company approached Durnford Dart to determine the feasibility of growing and harvesting bamboo in a sustainable manner in these areas. They planned to rehabilitate one forest concession on the Mau and another on the Aberdare.  However there were no management plans for bamboo forest and the ban of exploitation of indigenous tree species would affect harvesting of bamboo.

The forest concessions would produce a valuable source of wood biomass for the nation and at the same time restore wildlife habitat, control erosion and preserve water quality in catchment areas.

In 2012 Durnford was engaged to establish the biomass productivity of the bamboo in different zones of the Aberdares and Mau and then to establish the most cost effective method of management, propagation, reforestation and harvesting. Commencing with a field work feasibility study in 2012, he recommended propagation methods, grid measurements for planting, provided information on care, maintenance and harvesting and the necessity of stockpiles to prevent harvesting during new shoot emergence.

Durnford concluded "I am impressed with the many qualities of Arundinaria alpina, it's biomass productivity is good, it's ability to cloak the hillsides in a natural monoculture supporting biodiversity is good and it's shape and size make it easy to use commercially."

Aerial views of the Aberdares (left) and the Mau (right) showing where areas of bamboo have been replaced by agriculture - in this case tea