Kenya: The Chief Conservator of Forests, Julius Kamau, has called on members of the public to rally behind tree growing, noting the benefits trees provide in the mitigation of climate change adversities such as drought, floods, and environmental degradation.
The CCF noted that the Government, through the Ministry of Environment & Forestry, has set out to plant 15 billion trees countrywide by 2032 to enable the country to achieve a 30% tree cover by 2032.
While addressing members of the fourth estate today during the ‘Wakenya Tulindane’ media breakfast meeting organized by the National Steering Committee on Drought Response, the CCF appealed to Kenyans to heed the clarion call by His Excellency the President for every Kenyan to plant and nurture at least 300 trees to full maturity as a contribution towards the greening campaign.
He further noted the health benefits that trees also provide as ‘earth lungs, ‘ reminding the public how oxygen was a scarce but crucial commodity when the world was fighting the COVID-19 pandemic and how forests and urban green spaces turned safe havens for the public to reconnect with nature and unwind to safeguard mental wellness.
Kamau also reckoned with the power/influence of the media in shaping public agenda and thus called on the fourth estate to profile tree growing to create awareness.
The media breakfast was attended by Safaricom CEO Mr Peter Ndegwa (Chairperson of the National Steering Committee on Drought Response), and Lt Col. (Rtd) Hared Adan (CEO, National Disaster Management Authority), among other committee members.
The official Twitter account of the Kenya Forest Service also stated, “The @CCF_Kenya Mr Julius Kamau has called on members of the public to rally behind tree growing, noting the benefits trees provide in the mitigation of climate change adversities such as drought, floods, and environmental degradation.”
https://twitter.com/KeForestService/status/1605170775090135040
