The Kenya Tea Development Agency has developed a project of renewable energy that will end the use of logs to process tea in their factories.
The agency and the community forest association around the Imenti Forest have embarked on planting indigenous trees.
KTDA Foundation representative Sheila Ruto said cutting trees in the region was rampant and urged people to rehabilitate the forest and plant trees in their farms.
“We are trying to find alternative renewable energy across the KTDA tea growing zones so that we can shift from cutting of trees. We have 12 factories which are piloting the project. Once it is successful, it will be rolled out to all the 72 factories in tea growing areas to stop tree harvesting,” Ruto said.
She spoke during a tree-planting exercise in Imenti Forest.
Sussie Weeks of Mt Kenya Trust Fund said rehabilitation will help change the climate and enhance rain patterns.
Muriungi Francis chairman of Meru CFA said they aim to cut invasive species and plant 1,000 hectares within the forest.
He lauded the Mount Kenya Trust and KTDA for provision of free indigenous seedlings for planting.
“There were forests but residents cut them down for other purposes such as agriculture, charcoal burning, timber among others. Tree cutting has devastating effects on the climate,” Muriungi said.
Kenya Forests Conservator Benard Wahome said the Lantana Kamara species acts as a weak link for growth of indigenous trees in the forests they invade.
Edited by Henry Makori