- On Friday, the Aberdare got a major boost after 5,000 indigenous tree seedlings were planted as part of governments' efforts to restore the degraded landscapes.
- The tree-planting drive was presided over by East Africa Wildlife Society and private sector partners at Kinale Forest near old Kijabe town in Kiambu county.
Image: Margaret Wanjiru
The Kenya Forest Service is seeking to introduce ecotourism within the Aberdare ecosystem as part of restoring degraded areas.
"We have several opportunities for ecotourism in the area that we will be exploring," Kinale forest station manager Simon Muema said.
On Friday, the Aberdare got a major boost after 5,000 indigenous tree seedlings were planted as part of governments' efforts to restore the degraded landscapes.
The tree planting drive was presided over by East Africa Wildlife Society and private sector partners at Kinale Forest near old Kijabe town in Kiambu county.
East Africa Wildlife Society executive director Nancy Ogonje said since 2019, her organisation has raised funds to plant 15,000 seedlings as part of the government's agenda to raise tree cover in the country.
"More than 50 corporates have since joined us as key partners in this endeavour as forest rehabilitation is expensive and everyone needs to be involved," Ogonje said.
EAWLS is a conservation organisation that prides itself as the voice of conservation in the East African region. It works through evidence-based advocacy and engages different key stakeholders to influence change.
Aberdare Forest Reserve, which is part of the Aberdare ecosystem, plays a critical role in water catchment functions for the country and is one of the five main water towers in Kenya.
Eastern of the mountain is the catchment for Tana and Athi rivers and the northeastern slopes form the catchment area for the Ewaso Nyiro River, which transverses through the dry areas of Laikipia and Isiolo and drains into the Lorian Swamp.
Malewa River on the western side of the mountain range drains into Lake Naivasha. Aberdare range supplies all the water to Nairobi through Sasumua and Ndakaini dam.
Together with Mt Kenya, the bulk of the country’s hydroelectric schemes along the Tana River relies on water from these catchments. Many small weirs have been installed in the forest to supply water to adjacent communities.
Kenya Forest Service chief conservator Julius Kamau was represented in the tree-planting drive by head of drylands forestry Clement Ngoriareng.
Ogonje said 9,000 tree seedlings have so far been planted and they have a survival rate of over 80 per cent. She said her organisation will adopt the Kinale forest where cedar tree seedlings were planted.
"Climate change has affected the country and there is a need to support the government's agenda of increasing the tree cover in the country. I encourage corporates to join us in this endeavour," she said.
Ogonje said the momentum that has gained traction from corporates will go a long way in enhancing Kenya's tree cover.
The government intends to raise the tree cover in the country from 7.2 per cent to 10 per cent by next year.
The move needs at least two billion tree seedlings to be planted at a cost of Sh48 billion.
Ogonje said her organisation and its corporate and individual partners have pooled resources to rehabilitate some of Kenya's key forest including Mau and Aberdare water towers.
This, she said, will ensure the country continues enjoying the benefits of forest ecosystems.
"Since 2018, the EAWLS-led tree planting effort has grown trees in 20 hectares of designated forest areas," Ogonje said.
She said the tree-planting exercise is part of a sustainable tree-growing initiative intended to help curb greenhouse gas emissions.
The EAWLS-led initiative is funded with proceeds from the Forest Challenge, an annual event jointly organised by EAWLS, Kenya Forest Service and Kijabe Environment Volunteers.
The challenge is scheduled for later this year.
Other key water towers in the country include Mau Forest Complex, Mt Kenya, Aberdares, Cherangany Hills, and Mt Elgon—which provide an estimated 75 per cent of the country's water resources and are central to Kenya's economic and social well-being.
Ngoriareng said the huge Kinale side of the forest was degraded and KFS cannot restore it alone.
"This is a very valuable partnership, we need more partners to restore some of the degraded areas," he said.
Ngoriareng said community forest associations have done a commendable job, complementing that of KFS.
Muema said Kinale initially had cedar trees but they were cleared as they provide durable fencing posts.
Kiambu executive for Water, Environment and Natural Resources David Kuria said the county is set to plant 42 million seedlings to boost its tree cover that is almost 18 per cent.
-Edited by SKanyara