As the world marked International Day of Forests on Friday, March 21, the celebrations in Meru County were held at Mucheene forest in the upper Imenti Forest Zone, where residents, led by Kenya Forest Service (KFS) officers, National government officials, and other partners, managed to plant at least 132,000 tree seedlings.
According to Meru County Forest Conservator, Wellington Ndaka, 607,000 tree seedlings have so far been planted in the last two weeks in Meru County, and during this rainy season, they are targeting to plant about four million 4 million trees.
Ndaka said that the county has a target of planting at least 37 million trees every year to ensure the realization of President Willaim Ruto’s directive of planting 15 billion trees by 2032.
“Last year we managed to plant only 24 million trees, which left us with a deficit of 13 million. This year we are expected to plant 50 million trees as a county,” Ndaka said.
To ensure this is achievable, Eastern Regional Forest Conservator , Monicah Ndirangu , said KFS was committed to support and ensure Meru County met this year’s target
“To meet the 50 million targets, we have expanded our model nursery at Meru station to ensure it produces more than two million trees at a go,” Ndirangu said.
“We have also supported Ontulili forest station by expanding their nursery to produce a similar number of seedlings, and we are digging a borehole there to ensure sufficient supply of water,” Ndirangu said.
She said all the other nurseries in the county were expected to produce at least one million trees and that every sub county had a forest officer who ensured private nurseries worked towards achieving the 2032 target.
Meru County Commissioner, Jacob Ouma, warned those allocated parcels in the forests to plant food crops as they grow tree seedlings to avoid planting illegal plants like bhang.
Ouma warned the residents against using forest areas as dens to sell and consume illicit brew, adding that any person found doing so will face the force of the law.
Buuri Member of Parliament, Rindikiri Mugambi, urged KFS to establish a Kenya Forest Research Institute (KEFRI) within the county or send experts from the institute to find out the appropriate indigenous trees to plant in the forests.
“At the moment, the forest is full of exotic trees, and after they are harvested, we get back to the business of planting more trees. I don’t think this is the best way of meeting the set international conventional standards, which Kenya is a signatory to,” said Rindikiri.
Rindikiri called on both tiers of government to work closely to ensure forest conservation became a reality.
By Dickson Mwiti
