West Pokot County has launched a week-long environmental conservation campaign targeting to plant 1.9 million trees during the current financial year against the projected national target of over 17.2million trees.
The campaign, launched at Kapenguria Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC), will culminate in this Saturday’s Mazingira Day celebrations at Chewoyet National School in an event that will be presided over by the CS East African Community and ASALs Beatrice Askul.
West Pokot County Commissioner David Saruni said the county was adequately prepared to meet its tree-growing target while contributing to the national efforts to increase forest and tree cover.
Saruni said the county would also join other parts of the country in an attempt to set a new world record by planting 200,000 trees in an hour’s time during the Mazingira Day celebrations that puts a 6-million-trees-simultaneous national drive.
He called on residents to participate in tree-planting activities, saying environmental conservation required concerted efforts from all stakeholders.
“Environmental protection calls for concerted efforts. I urge residents to participate in tree-planting activities at their various convenient locations,” said Saruni.
The Mazingira Week activities will include tree planting in selected schools on Tuesday, led by the Ministry of Education.
The Agriculture Ministry will thereafter oversee the distribution of cash crop and fruit tree seedlings as well as fertiliser to support farmers in the county with the Mining Department also leading the planting of trees in selected areas in its reclamation drives the same day.
Tree planting along roads and at selected public grounds will be undertaken on Thursday, while Friday has been set aside for a national clean-up exercise at Makutano Shopping Centre within Kapenguria Municipality.
Kapenguria KMTC Principal Rhodah Losiamoi welcomed the decision to launch the activities at the institution, saying environmental conservation was particularly important to a health-training institution.
Losiamoi said the college would continue promoting tree planting as part of efforts to achieve the recommended 10 per cent tree cover.
“We are going to engage in tree planting in our grounds. Previous tree-planting drives are already bearing fruit, as you can witness from our attractive green environment, which is a result of the high survival rate of trees planted by our students,” she said.
She said trees provide numerous benefits, particularly in institutions with large student populations, noting that Kapenguria KMTC has about 2,000 students who require a conducive learning environment.
Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS) West Pokot County Coordinator Scholstic Jelangat said tree planting was an important disaster-risk reduction measure as it helps curb soil erosion and improve environmental conditions.
Jelangat rallied residents to take precautionary measures in preparation for the anticipated El Niño phenomenon, including clearing waterways, particularly in urban areas, to reduce the risk of flooding and disease outbreaks.
“West Pokot is known to experience landslides during heavy rains. What we need to do is take precautions to avoid any eventualities,” she appealed.
The launch was followed by a clean-up exercise that started at Kapenguria KMTC and proceeded through the county government headquarters to Bendera Market.
The exercise brought together officials and staff from the national and county governments, private-sector players and other stakeholders.
The activities are part of wider efforts to promote environmental conservation, increase tree cover and strengthen community preparedness against climate-related disasters.
by Richard Muhambe/Parklea Ivor
