Busia County is yet to attain 10 per cent forest cover with environmentalists now shifting attention to planting trees on schools and public facilities in order to attain the percentage.

Linda Mazingira Initiative today led Kolanya Girls and Kolanya Boys Primary Schools pupils in Teso North sub-county to plant 4000 trees in a bid to improve tree cover in the county that currently stands at a paltry 2.1 percent.

SSS10- Environmental Wing in partnership with the County Government of Busia, donated the 4,000 assorted tree seedlings with Kolanya Girls receiving 2,500 seedlings and Kolanya Boys 1500.

Linda Mazingira Initiative Chief Executive Officer Mr. Patrick Ikwara said the exercise that started in April 2023 has so far planted 69,650 tree seedlings noting that they are targeting to plant 1million tree seedlings by 2027 with area of focus being learning institutions, churches, hilltops, wetlands and riverbanks.

‘The main challenges we are facing is the community which engages in tree planting but fails to nurture and protect them. It is essential to grow tree seedlings if we intend to achieve President William Ruto’s target of 15 billion trees by 2032,’ he said.

‘We can mitigate climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions in a variety of ways. These include promoting greater energy efficiency and use of renewable energy, as well as building more sustainable urban transport. Since land, forests, and oceans store carbon, we also need to adopt smarter ways to preserve and restore these ‘carbon sinks’,’ he said.

Ikwara lauded Deputy Governor, Mr. Arthur Odera, who is also the County Executive Committee Member for Water, Environment and Natural Resources, for planting 30,000 trees on his land saying having such projects will promote beekeeping in the county.

The CEO expressed regret that most hills in Teso North are degraded, especially Moding, Aboloi, and Rwatama, thus the need to plant indigenous trees to reverse this worrying trend to help restore the ecosystem.

‘Apart from tree protection and environment conservation, there is need to adopt a tree program where primary school pupils take care of their tree seedlings until they leave school and hand them over to the head teacher. We shall reward those who protect their trees properly,’ he said.

Kolanya Girls head teacher Ms. Miriam Osiya lauded the County Government through the Department of Water, Environment, Natural Resources and Forestry for launching the program in her school, adding that they have endeavored to conserve the environment, conserve trees and vegetation which is part of climate change mitigation measures.

‘This is a brilliant gesture toward protecting our environment and water catchment areas. I would encourage institutions to plant more trees so that they can provide a natural learning environment,’ she noted.

Source: Kenya News Agency