Managing natural regeneration of Cypress interim guidelines for Kenya

Abstract

Inspiration for this work came from the realization that traditional methods of establishing plantations may not be sustainable in the long run. This is partly attributed to the high costs associated with such methods. In addition, the popular shamba system, which had previously been used effectively, is no longer viable for a variety of reasons. One reason is labour constraints at the Forest Department. This has made it virtually impossible to cope with the need to establish as many plantations as are cut down. The Kenya Forestry Research Institute was therefore invited by stakeholders, to explore other alternatives to the traditional methods. As a response to the challenge, research on management of natural regeneration was instituted by KEFRI, with technical cooperation with the Finnish Forest Research Institute. The aim was to assess the potential of the method in establishing plantations. What is presented here are guidelines that are direct outputs of research efforts by KEFRI scientists. The authors decided to present the guidelines in a user friendly format, using simple language and yet not losing the technical frame on which the guidelines are built. This pamphlet should be useful to both professional foresters and non-professional enthusiasts alike.