Elgeyo marakwet: A total of 40,000 tree seedlings have been planted in the Elgeyo Marakwet Forest Block, following a large-scale afforestation exercise led by Keiyo North Member of Parliament Adams Kipsanai. The initiative aims to restore degraded forest areas within the Elgeyo Marakwet escarpment.
According to Kenya News Agency, this effort was a collaborative undertaking involving the Keiyo North NG-CDF team, Kenya Forest Service (KFS) personnel, and Community Forest Association (CFA) members from Kamoi Location. The afforestation exercise is part of a broader ecosystem restoration programme targeting degraded forest areas, with goals to enhance forest cover, boost carbon sequestration, and mitigate the impacts of climate variability and change. It also aims to promote sustainable environmental management practices.
MP Adams Kipsanai, who actively participated in the exercise, highlighted the significance of a multi-stakeholder approach in achieving environmental conservation goals. During the event, he handed over a tree seedling to a resident of Kamoi Location in Keiyo North and reiterated that the initiative aligns with the national afforestation and reforestation agenda. This agenda is under the Presidential directive to grow 15 billion trees across the country by 2032. The exercise contributes directly to the national target and supports efforts to rehabilitate degraded landscapes, improve biodiversity, and strengthen watershed protection.
Technical officers from the Kenya Forest Service emphasized that the exercise adhered to recommended silvicultural practices to ensure sustainability and long-term ecological benefits. These included careful species selection, appropriate spacing, and the prioritisation of indigenous tree varieties suited to the local ecosystem, promoting ecological resilience and ensuring high survival rates.
Kipsanai reiterated his commitment to promoting climate-smart development initiatives within the Constituency, emphasizing the need to balance environmental conservation with the socio-economic needs of communities living near forest areas. The afforestation exercise is expected to enhance key ecosystem services such as soil stabilisation, improved water catchment, and increased carbon storage capacity within the forest block.
Stakeholders highlighted the importance of post-planting management practices like regular monitoring, maintenance, and protection of seedlings to ensure their survival and long-term impact. Kipsanai noted that such initiatives reflect a growing emphasis on decentralised climate action, with Sub-county level institutions playing a critical role in achieving both national and global environmental sustainability targets. He urged residents to take an active role in protecting the newly planted trees and to embrace environmental conservation as a shared responsibility.
The exercise brought together local residents, environmental stakeholders, and government agencies, underscoring the importance of collective action in addressing climate change and restoring degraded ecosystems.
