Acknowledging the support of United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Sub-regional office for Eastern Africa, and in partnership with Kenya Forests Working Group (KFWG), the Forestry Society of Kenya (FSK) Council, would like to share the following resolutions:

1. In recognising that forest services and goods go beyond national borders and face almost similar challenges, FSK sees the need to strengthen linkages in the region to support capacities and enterprises.

2. FSK as the custodian of matters of forestry professionalism should be in the fore-front in advocating forestry issues.

3. Recognizing that Vision 2030 aims at reducing poverty and bringing Kenya to a middle income developing country and acknowledging that the government’s commitment to elevate Forestry by creating a fully fledged Ministry to deal with forestry issues, FSK will endeavour to promote lobbying to ensure forestry is recognised within the economic pillar in addition to the social pillar (livelihoods & environmental conservation) of Vision 2030.

4. In recognizing the critical role of forestry in the emerging global carbon markets and related opportunities recognised in Vision 2030, FSK should undertake to enhance the opportunity of members and the general Kenyan populace to actively participate in carbon trade to contribute to national development.

5. In recognizing that the society is a professional forestry body in the country, FSK should spearhead development and harmonization of forestry curricula to build capacity in line with Vision 2030.

6. In recognizing the fast pace in the development of technology for the development, management and utilization of forest resources (PFM, Multiple use, NWTP, GIS etc), FSK should take the lead in sensitising Kenyans on the roles and responsibilities of the various stakeholders as highlighted by the Forest Act No. 7 of 2005.

7. Recognizing the importance of quality germplasm in forestry development and the increasing proliferation of tree nurseries across the country, the society will promote nursery practices that enhance the quality of planting material in Kenya.

8. Recognizing that good professional forestry practice is a prerequisite for sustainable forest management and considering that currently there is no mechanism to enforce good forest practice, FSK will develop a Code of Conduct for its members and lobby for enactment of appropriate legislation to enforce this.

9. Taking into account the weak linkages between forestry research, education and management, and the need to strengthen this for Sustainable Forest Management, the Society shall lobby for the establishment for a strong and effective body to coordinate education, research and forest management.

10. Taking into account Kenyan's keen interest in tree plantation in farmlands for economic development, and appreciating the increased demand for Eucalyptus by Kenyans across the country, the society will endeavour to develop, package and disseminate information on appropriate species, provenances, sites and practices for successful tree planting.

11. Recognizing the important role of forest industries in realizing Vision 2030, the large/middle level investments in the forest industry sector, and the existing forest exploitation bans, FSK will prepare policy briefs on the various bans and lobby for their lifting as appropriate.

12. In recognizing the massive succession problem in forestry and the need to address the existing succession gaps to ensure the future of the sector FSK implores upon KFS Management Board to prepare a new staff employment and development plan and to immediately implement it. The society will intensify its lobbying towards addressing the succession problem.

13. Recognizing the very low and even negative investment in forest industries in the country and the need to enhance efficient utilization of the country’s scarce wood resources, FSK will prepare policy briefs and lobby for the establishment of schemes to promote investments in the sector.

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