Forests Sourcebook - HCV Resource Network

Box 6.19
Implementation of the Kenya Forests Act: An Institution-Centered SEA
The government of Kenya ratified a new forest bill in
September 2005, an outcome of the Kenya Forestry
Master Plan finalized in 1991. It intends to unlock
opportunities for forest resources to contribute to economic
development and poverty alleviation, and to
enable socially and environmentally sustainable forest
management and conservation. The bill embraces the
concept of participatory forest management, a radical
departure from the government’s previous practice of
assuming full management responsibilities. The bill
also encourages the formation of forest community
associations to be recognized as management partners.
Commercial plantations will be open to lease arrangements
by interested groups to supplement government
efforts, with the aim of improving their productivity
and increase availability of timber and other products
and services to the country and for export.
In April 2006, the World Bank supported a SEA of
the implementation of the Kenya Forests Act, focused
on integrating environmental, social, economic, and
institutional considerations of the act and strengthening
the processes for its implementation. The act contains
many innovative improvements, including a
strong emphasis on partnerships, engagement of local
communities, and promotion of private investment.
The purpose of the SEA was to inform and influence
the process of implementing the new Forests Act and
indirectly inform the policy dialogue regarding sustainable
use of natural resources for national development.
The SEA examined current risks confronting both
woodland and forest environments and the social wellbeing
of communities relying on these resources. Evidence
gathered through research and extensive consultation
was used to identify the scope for improving
institutional structures and governance processes under
the planned forestry reforms; notably those relating to
the Kenya Forest Service and the participation of communities
and the private sector in forest management.
The SEA recommends ways of enhancing the opportunities
for environmental and social gain, which already
form part of the overall goal of the Forests Act.
A crucial element of the SEA has been its reliance on
the active participation of a wide range of stakeholders,
which has been essential in identifying key issues and
priorities for action. The SEA has also examined conditions
within two forest areas to assess priority issues
and consider the views of community forest associations
and other local stakeholders.
Important characteristics of the SEA in Kenya
include the following:
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Reliance on rapid assessment of the political economy
and analysis of existing publications to establish
the background to implementation of the act
Strong emphasis on the role of stakeholder groups
to help identify priority areas of concern and key
intersectoral environmental and social linkages
Use of a case study to help identify potential winners
and losers arising from implementation and
the extent to which sustainable forest management
benefits are likely to be shared throughout society
Development of a policy-action matrix that incorporates
an accountability and transparency framework,
to assist the government in charting out how
to effectively implement the act
The SEA analyzed social, environmental, and economic
risks and assessed opportunities, and examined
potential weaknesses in institutional structure and
governance. Through consultation and analysis, the
SEA identified three priority areas for action: strategic
management and planning of the Forest Service,
enabling community participation and benefit sharing,
and enabling investment in the forest sector.
Strategic planning and management of the Kenya
Forest Service embraces a number of subsidiary themes,
the most important of which are:
■ enabling proper governance (including transparency
and accountability) of the Kenya Forest
Service;
■ ensuring proper strategic planning of forest
resources;
■ maximizing the economic value of these resources
for the nation; and
■ achieving effective financial management and regulation
of the forest sector.
Community participation and benefit sharing combines
the following interlinked objectives:
(Box continues on the following page.)
NOTE 6.4:ASSESSING CROSS-SECTORAL IMPACTS: USE OF CEAS AND SEAS 243