MAU FOREST

Mau Forest is a forest complex in the Rift Valley of Kenya. It is the largest indigenous montane forest in East Africa. The Mau Forest complex has an area of 273,300 hectares (675,000 acres).

The forest area has some of the highest rainfall rates in Kenya. Mau Forest is the largest drainage basin in Kenya.Numerous rivers originate from the forest, including the Southern Ewaso Ng'iro, Sondu River, Mara River and Njoro River. These rivers feed Lake Victoria, Lake Nakuru and Lake Natron.The western slopes of the Mau Escarpment are covered by the Mau Forest.The forest has been traditionally inhabited by Ogiek people, whose hunter-gatherer lifestyle is sustainable. However, due to immigration from other ethnic groups, large parts of the forest area have been cleared for settlement.Human activities, especially logging, have led to deforestation of more than a quarter of the area since 1973. This is due to the increased charcoal trade in places like Narok town and the supply of logs to saw mills in Baringo, Nakuru and Narok counties.

In 2008, the inauguration of the Sondu-Miriu hydro power plant was postponed due to low water levels, that are said to be resulting from the destruction of the Mau Forest.