CONSCIOUS of the misconception that has, over the years, been attached to the practice of Public Relations, participants rose from this year’s All Africa Public Relations Conference in Mombasa, Kenya, with a renewed commitment to foster ethical responsibility and professionalism among  practitioners in the continent.
Organised by the Africa Public Relations Associations (APRA), the conference held at the Mombasa Continental Resort, Shanzu Beach, Mombasa, Kenya, drew participants from more than 15 countries, both in Africa and the world.

Countries represented included Uganda, Tanzania, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Mozambique, Botswana, Rwanda, The Gambia, Ghana, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, the Republic of Ireland and the United States of America.

On the 9th November 2011, the Natural Resource Management project (NRM) officers together with government officers presented to the community the enterprise plans developed on ideas presented to NRM teams during wider community consultation meetings held in villages. The community joyfully accepted them and its all systems go to the next step, which is training them on handling and effective implementation of the projects of their choice. This will be done through groups. The meeting, that took place at the Sengwer Cultural Centre, was led by the District Livestock Development Officer Mr. Richard Ndiwa, assisted by Vulnerable and Marginalized Groups Coordination Committee (VMGCC) Chairman Transnzoia, Mr. David Yator.

The Kenya Forest Service has injected KSh 230 million in an exercise to absorb 1,550 rangers who have been seconded to it by the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife since 2007 when it was established.
The recruitment exercise is being undertaken by five teams across the Country that are involved in selection of suitable individuals to join the Enforcement and Compliance Division of KFS. Requirements of joining include at least seven of service, a clean record free of pending indiscipline cases, Certificate of Good Conduct, and physical and medical fitness.
The Chairperson of the team charged with the absorption exercise, Senior Deputy Director Field Operations Mr. Emilio Mugo has said the improved terms of service will aid to increase staff morale and lead to better forest conservation.
He noted that the rangers will be engaged in ongoing training to improve their skills to respond to emerging challenges in forest protection including surveillance, as well as improve their competencies in public relations.
Mr. Mugo said the exercise is part of the ongoing forestry sector reforms as enshrined in the Forest Act 2005. He said bringing on board 1,550 rangers is the initial intake for the fiscal year 2011/12 while the rest will come on board during the fiscal year 2012/13.

The year 2011 was earmarked as the International Year of Forests by the United Nations. And while has been done to highlight issues affecting the planet’s forests, it is also the year that the world lost its foremost environmental crusader and Nobel Laureate Prof. Wangari Maathai. But just when the country was starting to recover from the loss, the forestry sector was met with news of the death of the first African Chief Conservation of Forests Mr. Onsesmus Wambugu Muguro.