Lugari lawmaker Nabii Nabwera and Deputy County Commissioner Linet Orina have encouraged residents to plant more trees in a bid to conserve the environment and mitigate climate change.
The duo made the appeal at Angayu and Mugunga Primary Schools in Chekalini and Mautuma locations, respectively, where they led environmental awareness activities and planted over 2,500 trees to mark this year’s Mazingira Day.
Nabwera encouraged parents to play an active role in greening school compounds within their localities in order to foster a cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable environment for their children.
He said under his leadership the constituency will continue to nurture a lasting legacy anchored on environmental conservation, quality education, and holistic community development.
“We ought to plant trees and take good care of them. When you cut one tree, ensure you replace it by planting two more trees. Let us also plant fruit trees in plenty. Fruits are very healthy because they provide vitamins and some, like avocados, are now used in the manufacture of oil.”
“As learners, when you go back home, tell your parents that it is high time they planted more trees in order to take care of the environment to combat challenges emanating from climate change,” he added.
Orina noted that planting more trees strengthens environmental conservation efforts and the fight against climate change, besides playing a crucial role in promoting sustainable development.
“As we plant trees today, let us embrace the culture of growing and nurturing them to maturity.
Initially, we used to merely plant trees and leave them without following up to see whether they survived or withered,” she said.
She urged the learners in the two schools to extend the exercise back to their homesteads by encouraging their parents to also plant more trees, especially fruit trees, to conserve and ensure the environment is clean.
“Since trees take care of us when we are alive and even at death, we must ensure we grow more for the sake of their numerous benefits to mankind,” she added.
The Sub-County Forester Isaac Opilo said issues pertaining to the environment affect everybody, and that is why the government saw it wise to bring on board all stakeholders to collaborate with the Kenya Forest Service to conserve it.
He said the environment is the backbone of all the other sectors in a country; hence, once destroyed, they will be in jeopardy.
“If we take care of our environment, the agriculture sector will perform optimally, and the water and health sectors will all be okay,” he said, adding that the recent challenges afflicting the agriculture sector, like global warming, are resulting from a destroyed environment.
He appealed to Lugari residents to be champions of a clean and safe environment because a destroyed environment affects everybody and not just those who destroyed it.
“If we protect our environment, it will also take care of us. If we destroy it, we should be ready to live with the consequences.”
Opilo said the government has set a target of planting 15 billion trees by 2032 in a bid to achieve 30 percent tree cover across the country, and that is achievable through concerted efforts from all stakeholders.
“The task of raising all those seedlings is quite huge for the Kenya Forest Service alone. We are therefore appealing to members of the public and schools to initiate tree nurseries and propagate more tree seedlings,” he appealed.
By Melechezedeck Ejakait
