This Act makes provision for the conservation and management of public and private forests and areas of forest land that require special protection, defines the rights in forests and prescribes rules for the use of forest land. The Act consists of 67 sections.
This Act shall apply to all forests and woodlands on state, local authority and private land. The Kenya Forest Service is established as a body corporate. This Service shall be the principal public body responsible for the management and conservation of public forests in Kenya. In particular, it shall have, amongst other, the following functions: (a) formulate policies and guidelines regarding the management, conservation and utilization of all types of forest areas in the country; (b) manage all State forests; (c) manage all provisional forests in consultation with the forest owners; (d) protect forests in Kenya in accordance with the provisions of this Act; (e) collaborate with and assist non governmental entities and forest owners in the development, management and conservation of forests; and (f) enforce rules relative to forest management and conservation. The Service shall be managed by a Forests Board. The Board shall advise the Minister on all matters pertaining to the establishment, development, conservation and utilisation of forests in Kenya and carry out other functions assigned to it by this Act. The Board may from time to time establish committees for the better carrying out of its functions. The Board shall establish forest conservancy areas for the proper and efficient management of forests and may divide such conservancy areas into forest divisions and stations. There shall be established a forest conservation committee in respect of each conservancy area established. Such committee shall assist the Board in the implementation of its work and liaise with local parties involved in forest management and conservation. There is established a Forest Management and Conservation Fund. The Fund shall be managed by a Finance Committee appointed by the Board. The Act further provides for the establishment of nature reserves, the protection of trees by Presidential Order, management plans, joint management of forests, management of State and local forests and relevant management agreements, concession over state forests, environmental impact assessment, management of indigenous forests, (tasks of) forests associations and regulates mining, re-vegetation and other activities in (State) forests.