Nairobi:West Pokot: The county is set to plant 200,000 trees as part of the Mazingira Day celebrations, aligning with the government’s initiative to enhance tree cover and combat climate change.
According to Kenya News Agency, preparations for the event, scheduled for October 10, are in full swing. Stakeholders recently held a planning meeting to organize activities and mobilize community involvement in the tree-planting exercise.
Assistant County Commissioner Joseph Njuguna, representing County Commissioner David Saruni, emphasized the importance of tree planting for environmental conservation in the region. He urged the National Government Administration Officers and partners to actively participate in the mobilization efforts to ensure the success of Mazingira Week.
Njuguna highlighted the need for collaboration among government departments with specific roles during Mazingira Week to effectively implement the planned activities. He also noted the broader goal of planting 1.9 million trees within the financial year.
County Forest Conservator Benjamin Kore stated that the Kenya Forest Service would locally source tree seedlings to support the initiative. He expressed confidence in achieving the tree cover improvement goals, encouraging stakeholder collaboration.
The main tree-planting event will take place at Chepnyal Forest in West Pokot Sub-County, as agreed upon by stakeholders. Local communities have shown a willingness to aid in the restoration of the community forest managed by the county government.
West Pokot is one of the 32 counties participating in the national tree-planting initiative, aimed at boosting environmental conservation and increasing forest cover. Activities for Mazingira Week include environmental clean-up exercises and tree planting in schools and other selected sites throughout the county.
