KAGONDU NJAGI  PETER Wainana remembers when the forest near his home outside Kenya's capital, Nairobi, was so thick with trees and vegetation it was difficult to walk through. Today, Thogoto forest, on Nairobi's northwest edge, is dotted with open spaces that locals and environmentalists say have been illegally cleared of trees by loggers and property developers, Wainana said. The destruction motivated the 49-year-old to join with a dozen other farmers from Karinde village to protect Thogoto's trees through projects such as bamboo farming and beekeeping. "Everybody wants a piece of this forest because it is near the capital city. Rich…