KURA, Forest service, Yathrib Secondary school plant 300 tree seedlings

Garissa,

Thursday, September 14, 2023

KNA by Jacob Songok

Members of staff from the Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA) regional office together with students of Yathrib secondary school today planted over 300 tree seedlings at the school’s compound as part of the government initiative to increase its forest cover to 30 percent by 2032.

The exercise was coordinated by the Kenya Forest Services (KFS) who also donated the seedlings.

Speaking at the event, Garissa Township acting deputy county commissioner Simon Mokua said the exercise will be enhanced ahead of anticipated El-Nino rains to ensure that trees planted mature.

Mokua said that before it rains, relevant government agencies and the military will be called to supply water using their trucks to water the trees in areas that are connected to piped water.

"We will not leave the trees to die due to lack of water. That is why we shall reach out to the military and other agencies so that they can supply water using their trucks,” Mokua said.

He said the region is prone to frequent droughts but the expected Elnino rains will go a long way in supporting the trees to mature.

The acting deputy county commissioner called on area residents to plant more trees in their homes and farms to increase forest cover in the region.

Eng. Micheal Mugo, North Eastern regional deputy director KURA said the agency was committed to ensuring that tree coverage is increased in the region.

“As KURA, we are committed to ensuring that tree cover across the country and particularly North Eastern region where rains are scarce and the tree cover is low is enhanced,” Eng. Mugo said.

He said the agency was engaging the schools for the students to understand the importance of trees in the conservation of the environment.

The Garissa county forest conservator Nasib Mwamutsi said the county has four nurseries with over 27,000 seedlings that were ready for planting.

“We have an annual target of planting 55,000 hectares by the end of 2032. We have seedling production of 8.2 million annually and by the end of 2032 we should have produced 824 million,” Mwamutsi said.

“In addition, we have 19 private tree nurseries with 300,000 seedlings that are also ready for planting. We are advocating for tree growing and we are asking students to adopt a tree where they will be responsible for watering that tree,” Mwamutsi said.

The conservator called on other stakeholders to come and support the department in tree planting exercise noting that tree seedlings are offered for free at KFS nurseries across the country.

On illegal logging and charcoal burning, Mwamutsi said regular patrols are carried out to control the vice.

“We are conducting patrols but charcoal production is happening in communal and private farms. We are on our toes to ensure charcoal burning is controlled,” he said.

Nasib Mwamutsi, Garissa County Forest Conservator lauded the collaboration with KURA and the Yathrib school fraternity.

Courtesy; KNA