Forest (Meru) Rules

THE FORESTS (MERU) RULES 1. These Rules may be cited as the Forests (Meru) Rules. 2. These rules shall apply to the Central Forests specified in the Second Schedule, and shall be additional to any other rules applicable to all Central Forests made under the Act: L.N.502/1959, L.N.236/1964, L.N.303/1964 . Provided that where the provisions of these Rules conflict with any of those rules the provisions of these Rules shall prevail. 3. Any person residing in the Meru Land Unit may (a) take for fuel dead fallen wood for his or her personal domestic use without licence in such parts of the forest areas to which these Rules apply as a forest officer may direct, taking into consideration the proper management and silvicultural treatment of the Central Forests; and fuel may only be cut with a panga or native chopping tool; communal collection of fuel for domestic use in ox-carts or by donkeys may be permitted in areas specified by a forest officer; (b) (b)collect and take wild berries and fruits for his own consumption, without licence; (c)place and visit honey barrels under a licence issued by a forest officer, without charge, so that all honey barrel owners may be registered; the right to hang honey barrels shall be limited to members of the Meru tribe and to such other persons resident within the Meru Land Unit as are approved individually by the Meru County Council. (d)collect and take Miugu creepers of species other than Landolphia species (wild rubber vine), without licence; (e)enter and sleep, for a period not exceeding two weeks, within a Central Forest for genuine tribal ceremonies connected with circumcision, handing over of the ruling age grade and certain dances, and at such time take such forest produce as is required by custom for those taking part, without licence; (f)cut and take thatching grass at places approved by a forest officer, without licence. 4. Subject to provisions of rule 9, all forest produce taken by any other person either on his own behalf or on behalf of any private firm or body, including the Meru County Council, shall be paid for at the royalty rates at the time in force for that produce (with the exception of poles and withies required for the erection of schools and medical buildings and the requirements of paupers as certified by chiefs or the Meru County Council, on which no royalty shall be paid), and shall be cut and removed under the direction of a forest officer. 5. No grazing of goats shall be allowed int he Central Forests to which these Rules apply. 6. No other cattle as defined in the Act shall be allowed to graze in the Central Forests except under a grazing licence from or under the direction of a forest officer, who shall take into consideration the carrying capacity of any grazeable areas. 7. No burning of vegetation of any kind shall be allowed in the Central Forests, except ont he instructions of a forest officer.8. No cattle as defined in the Act shall enter the Central Forests for ht purpose of transit or access to water and salt licks except by the stock routes and to the watering places specified in the First Schedule. 9. Notwithstanding the provisions of rules 4 and 7 (a)in the Njuguni, Munguni and Thuuri Central Forests, the collection and removal of pottery clay and the burning of the pottery at places prescribed by a forest officer and use of dead fallen fuel for ht purposes of burning the pottery by Mwimbi members of the Meru tribe, in the case of Njuguni and |Munguni, and by Tigania members of the Meru tribe, in the case of Thuuri, shall be allowed, without licence; (b)in the Nyambeni Central Forest, the extraction and removal of red ochre for use within the Meru Land Unit, but not for export therefrom, shall be allowed, without licence, to members of the Meru tribe from a place near the Muhura spring; (c)in the Nyambeni, Ngaia and Kieiga Central Forests, the collection of Mivuno leaves for medicinal purposes shall be allowed, without licence, to members of the Meru tribe. 10. A forest officer who issues permits and licences under these Rules shall keep our cause to be kept a register of all permits and licences issued by him. FIRST SCHEDULE (r. 8) STOCK ROUTES AND WATERING PLACES WHICH MAY BE USED FOR CATTLE Central Forest Stock Routes Watering Places 1. Upper Imenti Kikongoro kia Gaithranga Mburi ya Ntakira Kikongoro kia Mwira Ngombe Nkunga Kikongoro kia Nkireri Mburi ya Nthimbiri Kikongoro kia Nthimbiri Githima kia Njigi Kikongoro kia Karere Njia ya Karinga Njia ya Igoki Njia ya Njoroegoro Njia ya Ntakira 2. Lower Imenti Njia ya Kikundu Kuru Njia ya Munithu Kinyaritha Njia ya Chugu Njia ya Mulanthankari Njia ya Ruiru to Kieru Njia ya Thuura 3. Nyambeni Njia ya Kamboo Kioi Njia ya Kathaiene Thangatha 4. Ngaia Antubetwe Nil 5. thuuri Nil Nil 6. Kieiga Miathene-Mikinduri Road Kiandui Karuruno 7. Thunguru Njia ya Themwe Nil 8. Kijegge Kanthakame Thamantu Main stock routes between Kijegge and Kanthakame. Stock route between Thamantu and Kanthakame Muganka Kiguru Mutwati Mtendera 9. Mutharanga Horne's old road on east face of Mutharanga Nil 10. Kierera Nil Nil 11. Ntugi Nil Nil 12. Kigingo (and Thamakunge) Machakuru rock Kwandue Kinyaka during rains Ndungo 13. Maatha Stock route between Mathaa and Kithambarumi (Kiambua) Kiambua Wakingo 14. Mutejwa (and Kandutho) Stock route between Mutejwa and Kandutho. Bingorotaingwa Stock route West to East through Mutejwa to Tana River Karokwaro 15. Munguni Stock route between Munguni and Kitunga Nil 16. Njuguni Mwilolelo across centre of hill Katabara (if Mwilolelo not sufficient) Ulii Murarangaru Kitunju Nachoma 17. Kiagu Nil Nil 18. Kibithewa Njia ya Kinjo Nil SECOND SCHEDULE (r. 2) Central Forest Acres 1. Upper Imenti ........................................................................................................... 28,600 2. Lower Imenti ........................................................................................................... 6,166 3. Ngaia ....................................................................................................................... 10,230 4. Nyambeni ................................................................................................................ 14,400 5. Kibithewa ................................................................................................................ 510 6. Kieiga ...................................................................................................................... 1,330 7. Thuuri ...................................................................................................................... 1,796 8. Kiagu ....................................................................................................................... 3,341 9. Thunguru ................................................................................................................. 1,282 10. Kikingo .................................................................................................................... 3,030 11. Maatha ..................................................................................................................... 1,580 12. Mutejwa ................................................................................................................... 3,370 13. Ntugi ........................................................................................................................ 3,286 14. Njuguni .................................................................................................................... 5,990 15. Mutharanga.............................................................................................................. 715 16. Kijegge .................................................................................................................... 8,081 17. Munguni .................................................................................................................. 470 18. Kierera ..................................................................................................................... 1,950 96,127