• The Kenya Forest Service has 40 million tree seedlings in its nurseries.
• The CCF said KFS alone cannot plant, protect and conserve trees saying it is a collective responsibility.
The Kenya Forest Service has appealed to Kenyans to take advantage of heavy rains pounding various parts of the country and grow trees.
Chief Conservator Julius Kamau said on Friday that increasing the tree cover from the current 7.2 percent to at least 10 percent by 2022 needs partnerships.
"We are currently experiencing long rains in different regions of the country and it is important to take advantage and the leadership that has been shown by the ministry through KFS and all partners. Citizens of this country should join in our efforts," Kamau said.
Kamau continued; "During this time, do not allow any raindrop to go to waste. As you plant your maize and beans in your farm, plant a tree and nurture it because we need it for a good environment and livelihoods."
The CCF said KFS alone cannot plant, protect and conserve trees saying it is a collective responsibility.
"Tree growing is shared responsibility," he said.
The CCF spoke when he presided over a tree growing event at the General Service Unit camp in Ruiru where 10,000 indigenous tree seedlings were grown as part of greening the country.
GSU Commandant Douglas Kanja was present during the tree-planting drive.
For the country to achieve 10 percent tree cover, some two billion trees need to be planted and nurtured between now and 2022.
The venture needs at least Sh 48 billion.
Kamau said trees are very important as they speak to us individually by creating a healthy environment.
"We are in the covid-19 pandemic and we need green spaces and the foundation is actually protecting and growing trees in public, community forests under counties, farmlands, and any other land available in ministries and government agencies," he said.
The government has been keen to tap the potential of forestry in private and community land as it seeks to increase forest cover.
Under a draft forest policy 2020, the government says it cannot achieve 10 percent cover by only focusing on gazetted forests on public land managed by Kenya Forest Service.
"To get to the 10% forest cover, public land is not sufficient. This calls for incentive measures to get private and community landowners to establish forests on their land," the policy reads.
The CCF made the rallying call even as lockdown in some of the counties complicates KFS's plans to roll out tree planting during the rainy season.
On March 26, President Uhuru Kenyatta declared a cessation of movement in five counties.
This includes; Nairobi, Kajiado, Machakos, Kiambu, and Nakuru counties.
The counties were put under the cessation of movement indefinitely.
The counties were declared a disease-infected area.
This put some of the activities such as tree planting in limbo.
Kamau said the partnership exhibited by KFS and GSU showed that good things can happen when agencies come together for a noble cause.
He said the ministry has in place tree planting programmes and campaigns.
Kamau said KFS has 40 million tree seedlings in its 300 nurseries that are ready to be planted.
He said there are more seedlings in private nurseries, a clear demonstration of the power of the private sector in seed generation.
Kamau however urged private nurseries to register with KFS for them to be certified.
A website for that purpose has already been set up, he said.
Kamau said such private nurseries will be key suppliers of tree seedlings where government and its partners can buy them.
He urged Kenyans to ensure that they nurture trees to maturity saying planting a tree is one thing and ensuring they grow is the other.
Kamau said KFS has employed a multi-agency approach in its bid to increase the tree cover.
He cited the National Police Service among others as having a huge piece of land that can be utilised to increase the tree cover.
Commandant Kanja on his part said National Police Service was also championing the environment even as it engages in security matters.
"Our environment is about our health. I encourage all the officers wherever they are to plant trees during this rainy season. They should also encourage their families and children as well as neighbors because, at the end of the day, this is a collective responsibility. It is about our country and our environment," Kanja said.
Kanja said multi-agency spirit works well.