Our Projects
Mau Forest Complex Restoration Project
Project Overview
The Mau Forest Complex stands as Kenya’s largest closed canopy forest ecosystem, spanning over 370,000 hectares within the Great Rift Valley. This remarkable landscape acts as the country’s most significant “water tower,” feeding 13 major rivers that sustain communities, agriculture, and wildlife across the region.
Despite its critical importance, the Mau has lost approximately 18% of its forest cover between 2001-2023—threatening water security for over 5 million people. Eden’s approach brings diverse stakeholders together to envision and implement a restored future for the Mau.
By fostering coordination among Community Forest Associations, government agencies, and conservation partners, we’re working to align existing restoration efforts, demonstrate effective techniques, and implement a unified landscape restoration plan that addresses the interconnected needs of people and ecosystems in this vital landscape.
Download the Mau Forest Complex Restoration Project Brochure
Learn more about this restoration project and its impact on local communities and ecosystems. Our detailed project brochure provides key information about implementation strategies, current progress, and partnership opportunities.Ecosystem
The Mau Forest Complex forms Kenya’s largest closed canopy Afromontane forest ecosystem, creating an irreplaceable ecological cornerstone for the region. As the primary source for 13 major rivers—including those feeding Kenya’s iconic Mara-Serengeti ecosystem—the forest’s hydrological functions support biodiversity and human communities far beyond its boundaries.
The high-altitude forests host a rich array of flora and fauna, including endemic and threatened species such as the critically endangered mountain bongo, Hartlaub’s turaco (an important seed disperser), and Hunter’s cisticola (an indicator of forest health). The landscape also provides essential corridors for elephants and other wildlife to move throughout the ecosystem.
However, this vital landscape faces significant challenges from deforestation, forest fires, fragmented restoration efforts, and unsustainable timber harvesting that threaten both biodiversity and water security throughout the region.
| Stat Label | Stat Value |
|---|---|
| Forest Area | 370,000 hectares of Afromontane forest ecosystem |
| Trees Planned | 2,490,000+ indigenous trees to be planted (2025-2026) |
| Restoration Target | 1,000+ hectares under active restoration by 2026 |
| Community Impact | 168 seasonal restoration team members employed |
Community
The Mau Forest Complex provides essential ecosystem services that directly support the livelihoods and well-being of millions of Kenyans. An estimated 5+ million people depend on its water resources, while the forest also sustains major agricultural regions and tourism opportunities connected to the Mara-Serengeti ecosystem.
Local communities maintain deep cultural connections to the forest through traditional management practices and sacred sites. These communities engage with the landscape through Community Forest Associations (CFAs), which play a crucial role in forest management and conservation efforts.
Eden’s approach centers on collaboration with these local stakeholders to develop forest protection measures that address livelihood needs while promoting local leadership. By working directly with communities to identify challenges and develop sustainable solutions, we’re fostering a restoration approach that balances ecological recovery with community development and cultural heritage.
Technical Approach
Our work in the Mau Forest implements a coordinated, landscape-scale approach to restoration that combines multiple techniques tailored to different ecological conditions. Key restoration methods include:
- Applied nucleation to accelerate natural forest recovery
- Strategic species mixing of early and late succession indigenous trees
- Hedgerow planting to establish connectivity between forest fragments
- Enhanced natural regeneration in areas with remnant seed sources
- Indigenous tree planting in severely degraded areas
Implementation begins with comprehensive stakeholder mapping and coordination, followed by a participatory planning process that incorporates traditional knowledge and scientific expertise. We’re establishing a 100-hectare demonstration area to test and showcase four distinct restoration techniques while simultaneously implementing larger-scale restoration across the landscape.
To ensure effectiveness, we’re developing an open-access monitoring platform that tracks forest connectivity, wildlife corridor functionality, water recharge patterns, and overall restoration progress through regular assessments and community engagement.
Progress and Impact
The Mau Forest Complex Restoration Project is currently in its Vision + Design phase, with significant progress already underway. Eden has operated in the Mau landscape since 2020 and is now expanding work to address landscape-scale challenges.
Initial steps include mapping existing restoration efforts to identify gaps and opportunities for coordination. We’ve begun engaging key stakeholders—including Community Forest Associations, Kenya Forest Service, Kenya Water Towers Agency, and Kenya Wildlife Service—to build consensus around a unified restoration vision.
In 2025-2026, we’ll facilitate Vision + Design workshops to develop a comprehensive Project Design Document with community input. This participatory approach ensures that restoration strategies reflect local priorities and knowledge while addressing the landscape’s ecological needs.
As implementation progresses, we’ll establish quarterly learning events to share knowledge and adapt approaches based on monitoring results and stakeholder feedback.
