Kenya Forestry College | Sustainable Forestry Management

DEPARTMENT OF FOREST ENGINEERING

Forestry work entails mechanization and earthwork, thus accident-prone. We endeavor to prepare a graduate with ability to make the working environment safe for self and others. The college has within its reach, engineering equipment and facilities necessary to enhance adequate experience in addition to knowledge and skills of its graduates. Towards this respect, we offer the following specialized trainings:

This department is able to address this through the following practical and theoretical subjects: Surveying and mapping, Forest Engineering, Wood Utilization, Ergonomics and Safety, Hand tools, Motorized Equipment and Machinery, Building Construction, and Roads and logging.

SPECIALIZED TRAININGS OFFERED

1. Forest engineering at diploma level, prepares graduates to plan, and supervise an organized logging with maximum safety on equipment and crew and minimum cost. Masaita forest block is handy to enhance practical aspects. At this level, graduates become able to design and maintain safe water supplies at the working station.
2. In the introductory classes ergonomics and safety is introduced to fit work to man by designing appropriate work places, advising on correct work postures and handling minor accidents. Hand tools and safety dwells on maintenance and use of a ‘right tool for the right job’, to stress further on safety at work and optimal use of energy to enhance productivity. Our well-equipped technical training unit serves for practical lessons on tools and doctoring.
3. Foresters from KFC possess knowledge and skills required in land surveying and mapping. In addition, the subject prepares them to handle other related works in building and road design and construction. The latter two subjects play crucial roles for one who is required to erect and maintain structures within an estate. They provide the enable one to carry out assessment on conditions of structures and do timely repairs. We have an expansive land, which enable the practice of the above e.g. some senior staff houses are products of students practice. They are even the major maintainers of the ring and other roads within our upper campus.
4. KFC boasts of (mechanized) modern wood workshop and ultra-modern sawmilling units where students do wood utilization practice.

This department strives to relate engineering concerns to the overall training college functions. It carries out its training responsibilities in accordance with the requirements of the college training regulations and guidelines. For example, it is a requirement that our technicians are 60% practically oriented to field procedures. This adds to a 40% theory lessons taken in a classroom atmosphere. We also address on-going and emerging issues relating to maintaining and improving engineering knowledge and skills and thus the overall quality of graduates. The training activities for the department recognize the following main areas:

Requirements for implementing the training, i.e.:

1. Curricula based requirements for Field Practice / Case studies
2. Curricula based requirements for classroom lessons e.g. teaching aids