Forest Reserves in Kericho
Mau Forest Reserve: An Indispensable Gamut
On any given day, hundreds of people descend on Mau Forest Reserve in search of its riches – an indispensable blessing. All the same, it is Kenya’s largest and most important forest ecosystem and “water tower,” providing water for many rivers, lakes, and millions of people. In recent times, some have found themselves permanently attached to the forest, even living in it, in line for a salutary supply of its resources. Off to one side, the Mau Forest Reserve supports the livelihoods of millions of people in Rift Valley and Western Kenya. In the tea sector alone, about 35,000 jobs and the livelihoods of a whopper 50,000 small farmers, along with 430,000 indirect beneficiaries from its stocks; habitat for diverse flora and fauna.
The Mau also forms the headwaters of 12 main rivers that drain into 5 major lakes – Baringo, Nakuru, Natron, Turkana and Victoria – and supplies the Mara River, a key component of the great Mara-Serengeti ecosystem. The landscape of the all-important Mau Reserve, the largest closed‐canopy forest in Kenya and the largest of the country’s 5 watersheds, is eminently salubrious, yet, in reality, it is a pain to come within doors of the Mau Forest Reserve without putting nature on one side and civilization on the other side. It’s a symbolic relationship that answer to the frantic deterioration of the Mau, where some 1077 km2 representing 25% of the forest has been depleted in the past 15 years. In 2001, 61 km2 was converted to settlements. One is capacity, another is increased pressure on land for farming.
Kenya’s vast forest reserves are of immeasurable importance in biodiversity conservation, water regulation, and carbon storage. Collectively, these forests, natural and exotic, cover 2008 km2 or about 3.4% of Kenya’s land surface area, and 15% of the most fertile land. They also provide important recreational and ecotourism opportunities for visitors to enjoy Kenya’s natural beauty and wildlife.
Index of National Forests & Forests Reserves in Kenya
Baringo County - Tugen Hills Forest, Lembus Forest, Koibatek Forest, Bomet County - Chepalungu Forest, Trans Mara Forest, South Western Mau Forest Reserve, Bungoma County - Chepkitale Forest, Busia County - Budalang'i Forest, Elgeyo Marakwet County - Bugar Forest, Kessup Forest, Embobut Forest, Cherangani Hills Forest Reserve, Embu County - Njukiri Forest, Murinduko Hill Forest, Kirimiri Forest, Kiangombe Forest, Irangi Forest, Homa Bay County - Gwassi Hills Forest, The Kodera Forest, Kakamega County - Kakamega Forest Reserve, Kisere Forest, Malava Forest, Kericho County - Mau Forest Complex, Masaita Forest, Kiambu County - Kinale Forest, Kereita Forest, Kilifi County - Arabuko Sokoke Forest Reserve, Mwangea Hill Forest, Dakatcha Woodland, Kirinyaga County - Murinduko Forest, Njukiini Forest, Kisii County - The Nyangweta Forest, Kitui County - Mumoni Hill Forest Reserve, Muvaroa Hill Forest Reserve, Laikipia County - Marmanet Forest Reserve, Mukogodo Forest, Lamu County - Witu Forest, The Dodori Forest, Boni-Lungi Forest, Machakos County - Iveti Forest Reserve, Makueni County - Kibwezi Forest Station, Marsabit County - Marsabit National Reserve, The Turbi Forest, Meru County - Giitune Sacred Forest, Mucheene Forest, Mpogoro Forest, Ngaya Forest, Nyambane Hill Forest, Ngare Ndare Forest, Muranga County - Aberdare Forest Station, Nairobi County - Ngong Forest, The Karura Forest, Nandi County - South Nandi Forest, North Nandi Forest, North Tinderet Reserve, Nyandarua County - Nyandarua Forest, Dundori Forest, Samburu County - Kirisia Forest, Taita Taveta County - Ngangao Forest, Vuria Hill, Fururu Forest, Tharaka Nithi Forest - Chuka Forest Station, Vihiga County - Nganyi Forest, Kaimosi Forest, The Kibiri Forest, West Pokot County - Kamatira Forest
outlook
Located in southwestern part of Kenya within the former Rift Valley Province, Kericho County, a healthful highland, has innumerable picture-postcard tea-farm vistas. Kericho County is famous for its vast tea plantations. It is all around a tea-riffic countryside clutching traditions and culture with one hand and a forward-looking yen on the other. It is home to large forests, historic sites and resorts, too.
You Are Here: Mau Forest Reserve
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Explore Destinations Nearby Mau Forest Reserve
A Guide to Kericho County
A Summa Digest of Kericho
About Kericho Way Back When
35 Destinations in Kericho County, arranged as one would visit these - east, north, south then west - with aid of narratives, images, strip maps and distance chart:
Mau Forest Reserve, Chereres Waterfalls, A.I.C Kericho, Chesumot Estate, Chagaik Arboretum, Chesumot Dam, Kimugu River Lodge, James Finlays Tea Factory, Dimbolil Dam, The Sacred Heart Cathedral, A.C.K Kericho, Kericho Golf Club, Gurdwara Sahib, Kericho Wagon Works, Kericho Tea Hotel, Chebown Sanctuary, Chelimo Arboretum, Tagabi Monkey Sanctuary, Changoi Tea Estate, Chebulu Conservancy, The Kiptui Falls, Kapkatet Kipsigis Cultural Museum, The Tulwap-Kipsigis Hill, Londiani-Koru-Awasi Route, Londiani Dam, Masaita Forest Station, KFC Hospitality Centre, Londiani Falls, Kimasian Railway Bridge, Kiminket Garden, Kipkelion Monastery, The Van Wicker's Cave, Fort Tenan Pre-Historic Site, Tinderet Mountain, Ole Soi Resort, Bagao Caves
Know More About Kericho County: Its Geography, Land-Use, Highlights, Population, Roads - including a distance chart, Airports, Climate & National Monuments
Generally speaking, Kericho County has favorable, temperate highland climate with moderate temperatures and reliable relief rainfall. The annual mean temperature ranges between 29oC and 10oC. The central part of the county, where tea is grown, receives the highest rainfall.
Kericho has an undulating topography, with the overall slope of the land being to the west – forming a hilly shelf between the Mau Hills and the lowlands of Kisumu.