Nandi County is making significant progress in its efforts to achieve higher tree cover and reduce carbon emissions. On Saturday, a tree-planting initiative in Kimondi Forest, Chesumei Constituency, saw the successful planting of 10,000 trees, bringing the county closer to its annual target of 18 million trees.
The initiative is part of the wider commitment made by President William Ruto to plant 15 billion trees by 2032 and reduce carbon emissions by 32% by the same year.
The tree planting event was organised by Mama Doing Good. As part of the ongoing “Mama Fruit Gardens” project, an additional 200 fruit trees were planted at Kimondi Primary School.
The First Lady of Kenya Mama Rachel Ruto, through MaMa Doing Good, aims to establish fruit gardens in every public primary school across the country, promoting not only environmental conservation but also providing a sustainable source of nutritious fruits for children.
Dr. John Chumo, the Chief Executive Officer of Mama Doing Good, encouraged women in the Kimondi Forest ecosystem to explore economic opportunities linked to environmental conservation.
He particularly urged members of the Joyful Women to consider starting commercial tree nurseries, emphasising their vital role in contributing to ongoing ecological conservation efforts.
The event saw the participation of a cycling team that covered a distance of 52 kilometers from Eldoret to Kimondi Forest. Festus Ngeno, the Principal Secretary of Environment and Climate Change, commended the team’s dedication, highlighting cycling as one of the ways Kenya aims to reduce carbon emissions by promoting bicycle use as an alternative to vehicles.
Road transport is currently the third-largest contributor to the country’s carbon emissions.
Clarifying recent directives on tree harvesting, Gitonga Mugambi, Principal Secretary of the State Department of Forestry, stated that the restrictions would apply solely to plantation forests and not indigenous trees. This measure aims to safeguard the country’s rich biodiversity and protect native tree species.
The Kenya Forest Service has also taken innovative steps to ensure the protection of forests and indigenous trees. Alex Lemarkoko, the Acting Chief Conservator, announced the deployment of drone technology for surveillance purposes.
This cutting-edge approach will enable more efficient monitoring of forests, ensuring that no illegal harvesting of indigenous trees takes place. Additionally, institutions were invited to adopt and rehabilitate degraded areas of public forests, demonstrating their support for the government’s commitment to increase forest cover.
The collective efforts of the Nandi County community, governmental bodies, and organisations like MaMa Doing Good showcase the county’s determination to fulfil its environmental obligations.
