Marsabit chief officer urges more planting of indigenous trees

Marsabit county chief officer Muktar Intallo Guracha has urged  Kenyans to plant more trees to conserve the environment.

Speaking at his Dabel farm, the officer said planting of indigenous trees is key to environmental conservation.

"Trees are vital to our existence because they provide us with oxygen and absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere," he said.

Muktar said he took the initiative of planting more trees in his garden in Dabel to beautify the environment and demonstrate to others how important it is.

He said curbing land degradation and mitigating climate change effects can only be achieved through the planting of more trees.

"I have taught residents how to identify different species that produce the hardiest seedlings and how to plant it," he stated.

Mukatr said planting trees is not only beneficial to the environment but also improves people's physical and mental health.

"I will spare no efforts in environmental conservation in his village. I will ensure people's health is safeguarded during this extreme climate change."

While emphasizing the need to restore the ecosystem, the county chief officer promised to engage all to protect the environment.

"We need to replenish our ecosystem through the planting of more trees because we lost a lot of tree species due to deforestation," he said.

"As residents, we should embrace planting trees every day which will eventually benefit our environment and complement the countrywide massive tree planting drive."

He urged young people, individuals and organizations to cultivate the habit of planting trees in degraded areas to protect the environment.

He appealed to the forest department to train residents on the importance of planting trees in order to increase forest cover.

He said community members lack knowledge of the specific types of trees that should be planted in designated areas.

He called on residents to plant more trees in order to increase forest coverage.

He said urgent action is needed to improve the management and restoration of dry land through a comprehensive understanding of the threats to dry land and interventions needed.

The chief officer said the county government will partner with various stakeholders to ensure they fulfil the president's directive of planting millions of trees.