By Bernard Gitau –
The country’s effort to combat the effects of climate change is gaining momentum after the government declared a public holiday for tree-growing exercises.
“In Exercise of the powers conferred by section 3 of the Public Holidays Act, the Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration declares Monday, November 13, 2023, a public holiday in which the public shall be engaged in tree growing countrywide,” the gazette notice read.
The initiative aims to plant 500 trees across 47 counties as part of the government target of 15 billion trees in 10 years.
According to the Ministry of Forestry and Environment, the 15 billion trees will help in the restoration of 5.1 million hectares of deforested and degraded landscapes through the African Landscape Restoration Initiative.
But as the country prepares for tree tree-growing frenzy, the question of the availability of seedlings arises.
According to the gazette notice, the tree-growing campaign during these short rains aims at planting 500 million seedlings.
With this ambitious figure of 500 million seedlings, the country might be facing a serious shortage of seedlings according to the Chief Conservator of Forest Alex Lemarkoko in a statement dated 10th September 2023.
“During the current rainfall season which commenced in September, Kenya Forest Service has made available a total of 18,000,403 seedlings for planting countrywide,” Lemarkoko said.
The statement added that, besides the tree seedlings available within KFS tree nurseries, there are also tree seedlings available in private tree nurseries and within nurseries operated by other institutions.
“A total of 42,393,935 seedlings are currently available for planting in the current rainy season,” Lemarkoko added.
The data from KFS indicate that the country at the moment has 60,394,338 seedlings, falling short of the targeted 500 million seedlings.
To bridge the gap, KFS intends to continue raising more high-quality tree seedlings having received 4,680 kilograms of assorted tree seeds from the Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI).
“The seeds have already been distributed to KFS tree nurseries countrywide for production of over 200 million seedlings for planting from the next tree planting season,” Lemarkoko asserted.
At present, Lemarkoko revealed that KFS operates 300 tree nurseries, and there are plans to establish a further 41 additional nurseries mostly targeting Arid and Semi-Arid counties that have the greatest restoration potential.
With the conversation changing from tree planting to tree growing, KFS has indicated its commitment to implement a comprehensive set of measures to ensure the survival of the planted trees.
“These measures include regular monitoring, proper watering, protection from pests, and community engagement to foster stewardship,” said Alex Lemarkoko.
The agency indicated that by harnessing the power of technology and innovation, the 15 Billion Trees campaign is also leveraging technological advancements such as remote sensing and the use of drones in forest monitoring.
KFS said this will ensure data-driven decision-making, and enhanced efficiency in tree planting and maintenance.
Another measure taken to promote monitoring of trees planted, KFS has participated in designing the Jaza Miti App which is a mobile application for tracking three planting progress across the country.
“The major objective of the Jaza Miti App is to provide information that enhances science-based smart greening activities by stakeholders in forest-based enterprises,” Lemarkoko explained.
As part of the KFS collaborative approach, the service is actively supporting and partnering with other institutions and organizations dedicated to environmental conservation by sharing knowledge and resources to amplify collective impact.
“In addition, under the 15 billion trees campaign, KFS through the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry is in the process of hiring 4,000 three nursery attendants for the ‘Green Army’ program,” Lemarkoko said.
The Green Army is expected to greatly contribute to the achievement of growing 1.5 billion tree seedlings per year for the next ten years.
