What is forestry?

KCSE Geography Paper 2 2018 Section A Question 8.

(a) (i) What is forestry? 

• Forestry is the science of developing and cultivating forests and utilizing them.

​(ii) Apart from tropical hardwood forests, name two other types of natural forest. 

• Temperate hardwood.
•  Coniferous forests/temperate softwood.
•  Montane forest.
•  Mangrove forest.
•  Mixed forests.

(iii) State the problems experienced in exploitation of tropical hardwood forests.

•  Trees take long time to mature
•  Forests are dense! thick.
•  Trees do not mature at different times making harvesting difficult and expensive.
•  The forest have mixed tree species making exploitation difficult and almost impossible.
•  Tree trunks are huge, supported by buttress roots/presence of tree climbers/lianas hence difficult to exploit.
•  The trees are heavy /bulky making transportation difficult.
•  Impassable roads/some parts of the forests are inaccessible.

​(b) List the characteristics of planted forests in Kenya.

• Trees appear in rows.
•  They have same species.
•  There are mainly softwoods.
•  They have little / no undergrowth.
•  They take short time to mature.
•  They appear in blocks.
•  They are mainly located in highland areas.
•  They are scientifically managed.
•  They are mainly exotic.

​(c) Explain three factors that favour forestry in Canada.

• The valley bottoms! Coasts form good sites for location of paper mills/clay from valley bottoms is used for smoothening the paper surface.
•  There are many rivers with waterfalls suitable for generation of hydro electric power for use in the industries.
•  The low temperatures /cold climate in the highlands discourage settlement/agriculture leaving forestry as the only land use.
•  The landscape is rugged with thin soils that discourage agricultural/settlement activities therefore most of the mountain slopes are under forests.
•  Moderate to high precipitation throughout the year favours luxuriant growth of forests.
•  Presence of rivers which provide cheap water transport to transport logs to factories/presence of snow facilitates easy movement of logs.
•  There is ready market of forest products in Canada and USA.
•  Rivers provide water for processing timber.
•  The advanced technology which facilitates exploitation of forests.
•  The advanced scientific research in forest management aids in forest conservation.

​(d) Give five measures that the government has taken to conserve and manage forests in Kenya.

•  It has enacted /enforced laws to prohibit the cutting of trees without a licence/protecting indigenous trees.
•  It has established forest research stations to conduct research on tree species.
•  The NGOs/ Green Belt Movement/NEMA/KWS/KFS encourage protection of threatened forests.
•  It encourages people to use alternative sources of energy.
• The tree planting programmes /campaigns are drawn during rainy seasons and implemented.
•  Forest are protected by establishing forests guards/development of the Nyayo Tea Zones.
•  It encourages people to use energy saving jikos. 
•  It has declared endangered forest as forest reserves gazetting forests
•  Farmers are encouraged to practice agro forestry.
•  Farmers are encouraged to practice agroforestry.
•  Encouraging recycling of wood products.
•  Creating awareness on the importance of trees.
•  Establishment of training institutions in forestry.

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