Kericho County targets to plant a total of 200,000 tree seedlings within one hour as part of a national drive seeking to grow six million trees simultaneously on October 10, 2026, during this year’s Mazingira Day celebrations.
Kericho County Commissioner Ali Omari said the exercise will be undertaken between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. at designated sites in the county, with Kuresoi Forest Station identified as the main planting site on a 200-acre piece of land, alongside other sites including Tendeno-Sorget in Londiani and Makutano Forest.
Omari spoke when he chaired a meeting of the County Mazingira Week Committee at his boardroom in Kericho, where stakeholders reviewed preparations for the mass tree-growing exercise and discussed measures required to ensure that the county achieves its target within the one-hour window.
The exercise is part of the Presidential Green Challenge, which will bring together about 200,000 participants across 31 counties to grow six million trees simultaneously in one hour.
The national initiative is intended to accelerate implementation of Kenya’s 15-billion-tree programme and contribute to increasing the country’s tree cover to 30 per cent by 2032.
Omari said the scale of the exercise requires meticulous planning, particularly in determining the number of participants, availability and distribution of seedlings, site preparation, transport and coordination of the various agencies involved.
“It is about breaking the world record of planting six million trees in one hour. We are expected to plant over 200,000 trees in one hour, starting from 9 to 10 on the 10th,” said Omari.
The County Commissioner added that the committee would have to establish clear responsibilities among participating agencies, identify the required manpower and work out logistics to ensure that thousands of participants are deployed efficiently to the planting sites before the exercise begins.
The committee brings together representatives from the Kenya Forest Service, security agencies, the National Government Administrative Officers (NGAO), the county government, the State Department for Forestry, Environment officials, education, youth, the National Youth Service, Scouts, the Kenya Wildlife Service, prisons, and other agencies involved in environmental conservation and community mobilisation.
Omari said preparations would also include site clearance and fitting, mobilisation of Scouts from selected schools and youth, integration of local environmental structures, and involvement of schools, community-based organisations and residents living near the identified planting and clean-up sites.
He called for mobilisation of NYOTA beneficiaries and other young people through the ministry responsible for youth affairs, saying the participation of young people would provide the manpower required for the high-volume planting exercise while giving them an opportunity to take part in environmental conservation learning.
Mazingira Week will run from October 5th to 10th, with a series of environmental activities preceding the main tree-growing exercise. National plans include school-based activities, agroforestry and restoration activities, highway greening and a National Clean-Up Day before the celebrations culminate on October 10th.
The County Commissioner said the exercise would contribute to the wider national landscape restoration and environmental conservation efforts by increasing tree cover, promoting agroforestry, improving water retention and supporting the restoration of rainfall patterns, while enhancing the county’s overall environmental resilience.
He further called for close cooperation between national and county government agencies, communities, schools, youth groups and environmental organisations.
Present at the meeting was the County Forest Conservator, Mr James Kwambai.
By Dominic Cheres
