The Architectural Association of Kenya (AAK) has called for urgent action to halt widespread tree felling and environmental destruction across the country, warning that poorly safeguarded infrastructure development threatens public health, biodiversity and climate resilience.
The association expressed concern over the removal of trees along major transport corridors in Nairobi, including Uhuru Highway, Mombasa Road, State House Road, Kenyatta Avenue and Valley Road, as well as the felling of mature trees along Oginga Odinga Avenue in Nakuru. It also raised concerns about tree cutting along the Mau Summit–Rironi highway.
Beyond urban areas, AAK highlighted reports of extensive logging in ecologically important forests, including the Aberdare ecosystem, Kapchemutwa Forest, Saboti Forest, Karura Forest and Imenti Forest.
AAK President George A. Ndege warned that environmental protection must remain central to the country’s development agenda.
“Development must not be pursued at the expense of the environmental systems on which human settlements depend,” the association stated, calling on national and county governments, the Kenya Forest Service, the National Environment Management Authority and other stakeholders to take decisive action.
The association noted that trees and forests play a critical role in regulating water flows, reducing flood risks, absorbing carbon, improving air quality, providing wildlife habitats and mitigating urban heat.
AAK warned that continued environmental destruction undermines Kenya’s climate commitments, including the government’s 15 Billion Tree Growing Programme, which aims to restore 10.6 million hectares of degraded landscapes and increase national tree cover to 30% by 2032.
The association has called for an immediate halt to tree felling and investigations into reported incidents, alongside mandatory tree preservation in development approvals, environmental safeguards throughout project lifecycles and tree inventories before construction begins.
It also urged developers to prioritise indigenous species in restoration programmes, explore transplanting trees where feasible, strengthen public accountability and provide green spaces within neighbourhoods.
AAK reaffirmed its commitment to promoting development that respects ecological limits, stressing that environmental conservation is fundamental to the well-being of present and future generations.
 has called for urgent action to halt widespread tree felling and environmental destruction across the country, warning that poorly safeguarded infrastructure development threatens public health, biodiversity and climate resilience.){kind=link}