MEN OF THE TREES 



There is a danger that having estaWished markets out- 

 side Kenya, the supply will become exhausted if steps 

 are not taken to reproduce the virgin forests. 



After my tour in the forests of Kenya, I spent my 

 leave in the Mau, where I tried to learn more about the 

 indigenous forests and the secret of their existence and 

 reproduction. Here, at an altitude ranging from nine to 

 ten thousand feet on the slopes of steep mountains and 

 deep valley, is the domain of some of the best forests. 



These forests have not been touched by man, and of 

 late years have not suffered from fire. The lonely n'der- 

 obo forest dweller has done little or no damage. Here 

 one can learn to the best advantage what has happened 

 in those forests in the course of past centuries for our 

 benefit and guidance today. 



It has been suggested that these forests were exploited 

 at a remote time and that the great old beautifully 

 graded road which runs throvigh them was used for the 

 transport of Cedar logs northwards. 



It would seem that a continuous battle of species had 

 been in progress for centuries, first one species pre- 

 dominating for a time, only to be crowded out and re- 

 placed by another. The present forest is constituted 

 mainly of the following trees. Cedar, Podo, Olive, 

 Musharagi, with a few scattered Muchoroway. While 

 on the outskirts of this forest bordering on the higher 

 Bamboo forests may be found Mukeo looking at its best. 



Although the tendency for the greater part is for the 

 Bamboo to gain ground and suppress the neighbouring 



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