The government through the Kenya Forest Services (KFS) has urged citizens to utilise the ongoing short rains to plant trees.
This is in line with a bid to accelerate national efforts in landscape and ecosystem restoration under the National Landscape and Ecosystem Restoration (2023-2031) through the 15 billion Tree Growing Initiative.
The strategy, according to the KFS, seeks to restore degraded ecosystems and achieve a 30% national tree cover by the year 2032.
Speaking during a tree planting exercise in South Kinangop, Kwa Horio forest, within the Aberdare ranges, Francis Kariuki the Deputy Conservator of Forests in charge of conservancy coordination, lauded the Community’s Forest Association (CFA) for their efforts that had surpassed the area target of planting over 30% trees.
Kariuki noted that Nyandarua plays a great role in conservation of forests with a tree cover of 26 percent for forests and 25 percent for homes and private farms with a target of 30 percent.
He expressed optimism that Nyandarua CFAs will hit the required target in the next two years.
Kariuki said that KFS is committed to work with the community living around forests to ensure the roads are maintained and in good condition. This, he said will be enabled through the KFS road unit stationed in Nyeri and community partnerships.
The roads play a vital role in the community as they use them to transport their produce from their forest farms as they engage in participatory forest management plans and the Adopt-a-Forest initiatives.
He further urged the CFAs to look for opportunities within their forest with ecotourism being identified as another activity in the Aberdare region forests, as the area welcomes over 10000 hiking tourists every year.
This, he said, can only be actualised through writing a proposal to KFS and once approved a special use licence is issued to maximise the outputs from a forest thus ensuring the local youths get tour guiding jobs and revenue.
“Illegal activities are minimal in this area thanks to the responsible community around the forests. We as forest managers have an easier time working with responsible communities around the forest,” said Kariuki.
On his side, Regional Forest Conservator for Central Highlands George Abuto lauded the community for the support which has ensured they plant many trees in coordination with CFAs.
The chairman of South Kinangop community forest association James Karanja said they conserve the forests not because they are told but because they care about the green future.
He also lobbied for the youths that serve in the CFAs to be given a priority once the recruitment of forest rangers is announced.
Kwa Horio forest CFA was formed in 2016 with 1500 active members. Each member benefits through grazing, firewood, water abstraction, herbs, fishing and ecotourism. The ecosystem directly feeds Lake Naivasha basin ensuring it does not dry up.
By Antony Mwangi
