Lower Eastern Times Opening The Third Eye
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By: Nicholas Wambua
The Muungano Environmental Resources Management Alliance (MARMA) convened on Thursday with a singular purpose: to strategize and determine the methods and types of tree seedlings for the rehabilitation of the Mumoni Hills Forest in Kitui County.
Mumoni Hill Forest Reserve stands as the largest gazetted forest in Kitui County and holds critical status as a water tower. Designated as a Key Biodiversity Area (KBA) of international significance, it meets stringent criteria for identifying sites crucial for biodiversity conservation, including Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas and Alliance for Zero Extinction sites.
KBAs are among the most diverse and vital places on Earth for nature, playing a pivotal role in the planet’s health and biodiversity persistence. Notably, the site harbors two vulnerable bird species listed in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List Category: Poleaetus bellicosus (Martial Eagle) and Turdoides hindei (Hinde’s Babbler).
Emerging as an “inselberg” from arid scrubland vegetation at 600 meters above sea level, Mumoni Hill Forest experiences arid to semi-arid climates with erratic and unreliable rainfall, ranging from 500 mm in the lowlands to over 1,050 mm at the hilltop. The region witnesses two rainy seasons: long rains from March to June and short rains from October to December.
Addressing the press, Dr. Festus Mutiso, Chairperson of the project, and Dominic Mumbu, Director of Environment in Kitui County, unveiled their comprehensive plans for Mumoni Hills Forest, including sensitizing and building capacity among local communities on Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+), and community governance.
Additionally, they aim to support participatory community and stakeholder meetings to enhance sustainable forest management at Mumoni Hills, demonstrate best practices in degraded landscape and ecosystem restoration, and rehabilitate Mumoni Hill Forest Reserve and neighboring farmlands.
The initiative, led by county government officials including Kitui Forester Charles Kavithi, Dr. Mwisya Mwinzi of the Board of Directors, Margaret Katele, and other leaders of Kitui County, marks a significant step towards the preservation and restoration of Mumoni Hills Forest.
