Kenya: Ahead of the launch of the National Tree Growing Restoration Campaign by President Dr William Ruto, Kenya Forest Service has been conducting build-up activities in different parts of the country.
The government led campaign is set to enable the country to grow 15 billion trees by the year 2032, and this target is set to increase the nation’s tree cover from the current 12.13% to 30%.
In ensuring tree growth through the bottom-up approach, the President directed the Ministry of Interior and Administration of National Government to ensure that all Chiefs and their assistants mobilize the public from their respective jurisdictions through ‘Nyumba Kumi’ to actively engage in tree growing through bottom-up starting from the over 45,000 officers from the bottom of the administration pyramid upwards.
Following these directives, the Service has, in the past few weeks, conducted tree growing exercises in Eastern, Central Highlands, North Eastern, Nyanza and Western Conservancies.
A total of 24,950 seedlings have so far been planted in Machakos and Makueni counties led by KFS and other government agencies. These tree planting activities were carried out in forest areas aimed at rehabilitation and public spaces within the counties. A further 43,000 seedlings were planted by KFS and partners at Makongo Forest block in Makueni County.
Still, in the Eastern Conservation area, 25,300 seedlings were planted in Marania Forest Station in Meru county.
In the Central Highlands region, 43,350 seedlings were planted in Laikipia, Kiambu and Nyeri counties. These activities were followed up by restoration planting, where 25,000 seedlings were planted in the Kereita and Kinale forest stations of Kiambu County. An additional 10,470 seedlings were planted by the local communities in Lari Subcounty.
As the build up activities continue, 2000 seedlings have been planted in Western and Nyanza led by the Service and the National Government Administrative Officers.
All these activities have attracted county governments, partners and other stakeholders from different sectors of the economy, demonstrating the strategic objective of leaving no one behind in the tree growing course.