Forestry Principal Secretary Ephantus Kimotho has rallied Kenyans to actively plant trees during the ongoing long rains.
The PS said tree growing was a divine activity.
Quoting sections of the Bible, the PS said religious teachings require human beings to take care of the environment, including restoring degraded ecosystems through tree growing.
"I thank God and the President for the opportunity to lead efforts of restoring Kenya's degraded ecosystems through tree growing. It is a divine assignment where we are called upon by God to restore his destroyed creation," Kimotho said.
The Forestry PS spoke on Tuesday during the unveiling of the 10 million trees campaign by the Presbyterian Church of East Africa (PCEA) at Ngaini Church in Mathira West, Nyeri.
He said the government's target of raising Kenya's tree cover from the current 12 to 30 per cent in 10 years was a whole-of-government and society approach and invited individuals to take up tree growing.
"We're encouraging landowners to heed this (tree growing) call and plant trees in their farms. As part of the 15 billion trees strategy, we're planning to grow over 2.8 billion trees in farmlands," Kimotho said.
The Forestry PS said the government's target was to grow 150 million trees and propagate 600 million seedlings this year.
Alongside conservation forestry, Kimotho said the government was promoting the growth of species with direct benefits to the farmer such as fruit trees as part of its broad nutrition wellness and food security agenda.
"We're looking at it as a food security issue. We want you to plant trees that are beneficial to you. Trees that give fruits that can be sold and generate income," the PS said.
The PS also spoke about the ongoing review of Kenya's climate change law saying the reform was aimed at opening the carbon credits market as an opportunity for tree farmers to earn an income from their trees.
PCEA Moderator, the Rt Rev Thegu Mutahi reiterated the church's commitment to assisting the government to attain the 15 billion tree target saying the church had set aside two acres of land in Rumuruti to set up a tree nursery.
The event was also attended by several government officials among them Mathira West deputy county commissioner Anthony Macharia.
Kenya Forestry Research Institute donated 1 million tree seeds while Kenya Forestry Service donated 1,500 seedlings. Equity Bank and Family Bank also donated hundreds of fruit tree seedlings to the church.
