Inside race to save shrinking Ngong Forest amid rapid urban expansion

At the edge of Nairobi's rapidly expanding skyline, where roads, buildings and concrete continue to advance, Ngong Forest is struggling to preserve what remains of one of the city's most important green spaces. What was once a continuous indigenous forest belt has gradually shrunk from an estimated 2,926 hectares at gazettement to about 1,224 hectares today. Urban expansion, land encroachment, and increasing human activity have steadily reduced its ecological footprint, turning the forest into a symbol of a city growing faster than its natural systems can withstand. Yet on the forest floor, a different story is unfolding, one of restoration and renewal. In a coordinated exercise led by Global Green Initiatives (GGI), alongside conservation partners, government agencies and community groups, replanting efforts have begun across degraded sections of the forest in an attempt to restore what has been lost, one seedling at a time. Restoration efforts GGI Project Manager Kennedy Onyango Luther said the initiative focuses on long-term ecological restoration and climate resilience rather than one-off tree-planting campaigns. "This is about practical climate solutions that create long-term impact. We are committed to ecosystem restoration, biodiversity conservation, renewable energy access, circular economy approaches and building community resilience across Africa," said Luther. The exercise brought together environmental stakeholders , youth volunteers, community members, conservation partners, the Kenya Forest Service (KFS) and the Community Forest Association (CFA). Together, they planted 224 indigenous and exotic tree seedlings as part of ongoing ecosystem rehabilitation efforts. Among those participating was Sam Mwezezo Mahamoudi, founder of Green Generation Initiative in the Democratic Republic of Congo, who said the exercise carried both personal and environmental significance. Mahamoudi said growing up in a country that hosts the Congo Basin, one of the world's largest tropical forests, instilled in him a strong sense of environmental responsibility. "For me, protecting nature is not a choice; it is a duty we owe to our communities, our continent and future generations," he said. Shared responsibility He noted that the exercise provided an opportunity to learn from Kenya's conservation approach. "What inspired me is how environmental action here is organised around partnerships and local ownership. When communities are actively involved, conservation becomes more sustainable and effective," he said. "Ngong Forest contributes to biodiversity, climate regulation, soil protection and water systems that support surrounding communities. Restoring it is about protecting a natural asset that supports the environmental security of Nairobi and neighbouring areas," he said. According to Mahamoudi, local communities must remain at the centre of conservation efforts. Stay informed. Subscribe to our newsletter