The Witu Forest, is a

protected area Protected areas or conservation areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognized natural, ecological or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the ena ...

in Lamu District, Kenya, East Africa. It was formed in 1927 by combining the Utwani Forest Reserve with the adjacent Gongoni Forest Reserve, although the previous names remained in use. The independent Kenyan government confirmed the reservation, gazetting the forest in 1962, with more gazetted in 2002. The forest covers of gazetted land, with approximately of additional un gazetted, but enclosed, forest. The adjacent Mungajini Forest on the Nairobi Ranch contains approximately . , there was no management plan for the forest, although it is to be managed under the Forests Act, 2005, by the Kenya Forest Service (KFS) which replaced the prior Forest Department in 2005.

Geography

The Witu Forest is bounded to the northeast, and east, by the Pangani Swamp and to the east and southeast by the Nairobi Ranch, including the Mungajini Forest. To the south and southwest it is bordered by Witu settlement areas. The settlement areas were established in 1995 for agricultural development for the local people.

Issues

In 2004 illegal logging in Witu forest was reported as being extensive, and a much more serious problem than local hunting for

bushmeat Bushmeat is meat from wildlife species that are hunted for human consumption, most often referring to the meat of game in Africa. Bushmeat represents a primary source of animal protein and a cash-earning commodity for inhabitants of humid tropi ...

. Illegal logging continued and was noted still in 2011.''There is also the issue of the Witu Forest which is being deforested/destroyed by these new migrants in full knowledge of officials as well as Wangari Mathaai’s Green Belt Movement. No action is being taken by the government or by environmental organizations to stop this destruction.''

Notes

References

* * Protected areas of Kenya {{Kenya-geo-stub