National tree planting drive on course

Members of the Kenya defence forces join locals at Matathia forest in Lari constituency to plant trees. The soldiers and the locals planted over 20,000 trees.[George Njunge, Standard]

The tree-planting campaign is on the right track with close to seven million seedlings planted so far as World Environment Day was marked.

Figures released on Monday, June 5, by the Interior ministry show Eastern region has planted 4,377,362 saplings in the last five months since the launch of the National Tree-Planting Restoration Programme that targets at least 15 billion trees by 2030. In Rift Valley, 621,805 seedlings have been planted so far.

"Kenya's commitment to reforestation has roared into life, with each of the eight regions making encouraging strides in these early stages of the national tree-planting campaign," said the ministry in a press release.

About 523,699 trees have been planted in the Central region while Coast has 514,550 seedlings, Western (278,023), Nyanza (274,669), Nairobi (77,168) and North Eastern 52,478 saplings.

"The exercise is coordinated by National Government Officers, field officers from the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry, County Governments, Public and Private partners, and community leaders," added the ministry.