- The interventions for the 15 billion trees, she said, has been divided into both ecosystem and intervention areas.
- Tuya stated that the short rains plan will cover all parts of the country and takes a whole government and societal approach.
The government has set a national target of planting 500 million trees across the country by December 25.
Environment Cabinet Secretary Soipan Tuya announced Thursday that this will be achieved through the National Landscape and Ecosystem Restoration Programme (NLERP) aimed at realising 15 billion trees by 2032.
“We are hoping that the short rains will come in a consistent version as we go towards realising this target,” Tuya said in a press briefing.
The interventions for the 15 billion trees, she said, has been divided into both ecosystem and intervention areas.
She said green spaces and urban areas which include Karura, City Park and Arboretum in Nairobi are some of the intervention areas targeted “because of the way they help to deal with pollution in our City”.
Tuya stated that the short rains plan will cover all parts of the country and takes a whole government and societal approach.
In a bid to achieve this, the CS said the new forest rangers will be deployed to all counties to help in the project.
"They are coming in very handy to help in enforcement activities and protect us from all illegal activities that have become rampant,” she noted.
Tuya at the same time assured the forest rangers of government’s commitment to improve their welfare, highlighting their role in combating illegal activities in Kenya’s forests.
She admitted that houses are still a challenge but assured the enforcers that the government has plans to address that.
"As we take stern action on one hand to condemn any illegal actions in the forests, we are going to use the same effort to improve on the welfare needs of our staff particularly those in the enforcement units…we are also ensuring there are good road networks within the forest to facilitate their movement and actions,” she added.
During the event, Tuya affirmed that the 23 forest officers that were found to be in gross misconduct by abetting and conniving with criminals in destruction of forests have been dismissed.
This happened as she revealed that there are some other several cases which are under investigations.
“The chief conservator of forests has effected the immediate dismissal of the 23 forest officer,” Tuya remarked.
On Wednesday, President William Ruto ordered the immediate dismissal of forest managers and the rangers found to have engaged in criminal activities that led to destruction of forests.
The President spoke during the forest rangers pass-out parade in Gilgil, Nakuru.