Kenya: Kenya Forest Service Chief Conservator Alex Lemorkoko thanked the public for their support towards Kenya Forest for the entire year.
He shared his gratitude on his official Facebook account and also shared some glimpses of what the department did for the welfare of the people.
He said, “2023 has certainly been an eventful year for the Kenya Forest Service. The year began with transitions in the leadership of the Service that saw the coming in of a new Board of Directors and, later on, a new Chief Conservator of Forests.”
Furthermore, he asserted, “This is the year that saw us recruit the highest number of Forest Rangers in our over 100-year history. The recruitment, training and deployment of the Rangers was one of the biggest undertakings we had to manage. We were eventually rewarded for our efforts when we hosted the President when he presided over the first-ever pass-out parade by a sitting president in KFS.”
Moreover, he also talked about the campaign where they grew 15 billion trees and started following a Presidential directive for attaining 30% tree cover by 2032.
The campaign, which will be implemented in partnership with many stakeholders, both state and non-state, will see the country adapt better and mitigate against some of the most severe effects of climate change.
These and many other events, including some challenging ones, were the reason we gathered at the KFS Headquarters on Tuesday, led by our Chairman, Titus Korir, and other Board members, to reflect and give thanks to the Almighty God and pray for a prosperous year in 2024.
It also presented an opportune time to recognise and reward some of our most outstanding staff in different cadres.
He also praised the staff of forest management and their efforts to deliver on their mandate.
The Chairman encouraged the staff to keep up the good work, saying that their efforts will pay off through the delivery of a sustainable environment to Kenyans. He urged the staff to upload integrity in the execution of their duties. I also took the time to thank all our staff for working tirelessly in difficult circumstances to manage and protect our forests.
The CCF, Alex Lemarkoko, implored them to uphold professionalism and integrity in their duties. He also cautioned our officers, especially in the field, to be extra vigilant during the festive season and not to give room for unscrupulous people to invade our forests.