The Kenya Forest Service has confirmed the construction of new barracks for National Youth Service personnel at its Karura headquarters to support tree seedling production. This forms part of the national drive to plant 15 billion trees by 2032. KFS has rejected civil society claims that forest land has been excised.
The Kenya Forest Service (KFS) issued a statement on February 27, 2026, to clarify construction activities observed at its Karura headquarters. The new barracks are intended to accommodate National Youth Service (NYS) personnel, who will collaborate with KFS staff to produce tree seedlings nationwide.
"Currently, there is development of barracks for National Youth Service (NYS) personnel who will be partnering with the Service to support the raising of tree seedlings," KFS stated.
This collaboration supports Kenya's national goal of planting 15 billion trees by 2032, established by President William Ruto to reach 30 percent tree cover. KFS explained that such barracks are under construction not only at Karura but across protected forest stations, including Ngong Hills, where they are nearing completion.
"Setting up of barracks for NYS is happening not only in Karura forest, but in other forest stations around the country, including Ngong Hills forest, where the barracks are nearing completion," KFS said.
The barracks consist of prefabricated metal containers placed in an existing residential and administrative zone within the headquarters compound. KFS assured the public of the project's low environmental impact, with no encroachment on protected areas and no felling of trees, particularly indigenous species—only old stumps were removed.
"There has been no excision of Karura forest land, nor allocation to private developers or encroachment into protected indigenous forest or core conservation areas, as alleged by a section of the civil society. In addition, no trees have been felled, only the removal of old tree stumps," KFS affirmed.
KFS dismissed civil society allegations of land excision or allocation to private developers, emphasizing compliance with the Forest Conservation and Management Act of 2016 and Article 69 of the Constitution. Additionally, tree nurseries at forest stations countrywide are being expanded to meet seedling demands for the 15 billion trees target. The new model nurseries will cultivate indigenous, exotic, and fruit tree species, equipped with irrigation systems and secure storage to improve seedling survival.
"Raising and provision of adequate amounts of tree seedlings is a critical first step which has been lacking in the past, leading to severe shortages of good quality tree seedlings," KFS noted.
Karura remains fully protected public forest land, and the construction does not involve any land-use change or forest conversion.
