Protocol for aerial seeding of degraded forests and other landscapes in Kenya

Abstract

Aerial seeding technology is an old practice and is well documented at global level, but is relatively new in Kenya. The technology is already regarded as a practical reforestation technique with success in the United States of America, Canada, Australia, Russia, India and New Zealand. Although uptake of the technology is low in developing countries, majority of these countries are re-considering taking up aerial seeding since the traditional method of raising and planting seedlings is already overwhelmed relative to the extent of land in dire need of restoration. Application of aerial seeding by developing countries will also benefit from past experiences drawn from countries that pioneered and implemented the technology in forestry. The cost effectiveness of applying aerial seeding technology on large scale restoration programs makes it a preferable option. Like many other African countries, forest and land degradation is a serious problem in Kenya and forest restoration is therefore a high priority agenda for the Government. Restoration opportunities have been identified either over large contiguous areas or in some cases, over small areas. With respect to the small areas, good progress in restoration has been made using traditional method of raising and planting seedlings. For large areas, planting seedlings is a drop-in-the-ocean relative to the expansiveness of areas requiring restoration. Much of these large areas are often not accessible due to rugged terrain that has only been opened-up by non-motorable roads, therefore remaining a key barrier to achieving restoration targets solely based on traditional methods. Restoring these areas through traditional methods will be difficult and likely to take many years coupled with heavy financing. Aerial seeding is therefore well suited for reforesting large sites that are disturbed and inaccessible due to rough terrain, rapidly and at a relatively low cost. The technology also circumvents challenges associated with poor detection of target sites, reduced access to the sites as well as other hazards such as wildlife. In Kenya’s forestry sector, application of aerial seeding technology is projected to play an increasingly important role given the need to fast-track rehabilitation/restoration of degraded forestlands. This protocol has been produced with the aim of supporting Kenya’s forestry sector in its endeavor to apply aerial seeding technology to meet the country's restoration targets. The protocol provides key technical guidelines for successful planning and execution of aerial seeding mission over targeted landscape(s).