Maasai Mau forest status report 2005

The Maasai Mau forest forms the southern part of the Mau Forest Complex, Kenya largest closed-canopy forest area. It is a trust land indigenous forest managed by the County Council of Narok covering some 46,000 hectares. Despite its high catchment value and its potential to become a twin conservation area with the Maasai Mara National Reserve, The Maasai Mau forest is one of the most threatened forest blocks in the Mau Complex, in particular due to irregular allocations of forest land. The report looks at the changes in the forest cover over the past 30 years, presents detailed account on the extent, type and location of recent destructive activities and analyses the irregular processes that enable the illegal allocations of over 14,000 hectares of that forest for settlement.