First Lady Margaret Kenyatta on Saturday led a tree-planting drive in Kajiado. President Kenyatta will lead a national drive on May 12.
This comes barely a week after a task force studying the roots of forest depletion presented its report to Deputy President William Ruto.
Destruction of forests over the years has led to environmental degradation, including decline and extinction of thousands of animal and plant species.
This has also led to drying up of rivers, declining levels in reservoirs and widespread crop failure. This has threatened our food security.
This trend must stop now. That is why national tree planting should be taken seriously by the government, the private sector, all stakeholders and citizens.
Schools play an important role in inculcating the values of environmental protection, of planting and taking care of trees. Each learner should plant and adopt a tree.
This will go a long way in fulfilling plans to have at least 10 per cent forest cover by 2030 — it's only about seven per cent now. This is the time to recover what has been wiped out.
Quote of the Day: “I trust in nature for the stable laws of beauty and utility. Spring shall plant and autumn garner to the end of time.” — English poet Robert Browning (The Pied Piper of Hamelin) was born on May 7, 1812.
