A tree planting campaign has been launched in Kajiado County as part of efforts to restore the eco-system and mitigate the effects of climate change.

The campaign spearheaded by PontyPridd Holdings, a non-governmental organization, seeks to plant over 400,000 trees on a 100-acre piece of land in Orgulului village, Kajiado West.

Speaking during the tree planting exercise, PontyPridd Holdings Managing Director Antony Wainaina said trees play a crucial role in reducing carbon emissions and addressing adverse climate change impacts such as drought.

Wainaina revealed that the prolonged drought recently witnessed in the country was a result of climate change, caused by environmental degradation, and added that there was a need to embark on environmental conservation to prevent a repeat occurrence of the same.

‘Our organization is key in supporting communities, institutions, and individuals that are concerned with environmental conservation. We promote such activities to reduce carbon emissions and restore the ecosystem,’ he said.

Transport PS Mohammed Daghar, who attended the occasion, said that in line with President William Ruto’s directive that seeks to plant 15 billion trees by the year 2032, the government was supporting initiatives and partnering with stakeholders in environmental conservation.

‘We support efforts by stakeholders in environmental conservation to realize the President’s directive of planting 15 billion trees in Kenya by 2032 in a bid to mitigate climate change,’ Daghar said.

While noting that the President set a new target of 30 per cent tree cover by 2032, up from the current 12.13 per cent, Daghar called on all Kenyans to plant trees in their homes, work places, schools, and institutions and nurture them to maturity to promote forest cover.

‘I urge all Kenyans to plant trees in their homes, work places, and institutions. For Kenya to attain 30 per cent forest cover, each Kenyan needs to plant 30 trees every year; this translates to 300 trees in 10 years,’ said Daghar.

According to a 2016 United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) report, Kenya loses 70,000 hectares of forest each year to illegal logging.

Source: Kenya News Agency