In a bid to attain a 10 percent forest cover by the year 2020, the Kenya Forest Service (KFS) has planted 5,000 tree seedlings at the historic Tulwap Kipsigis in Londiani in Kericho County.
The KFS National Chairman, Peter Kinyua who led the tree planting exercise on Tuesday said that Londiani forest station has three million tree seedlings which are ready for planting across the County in this planting season.
He said that thousands of hectares across the country needed to be restocked while lauding the national government and parliamentary committee on environment and natural resources for the support.
The tree seedlings in observing the covid-19 social distance were each planted by the members of the local community while observing the social distance of 1.5 meters rules.
The Kipkellion West legislator, Hilary Kosgei who is the also a member of the parliamentary committee on environment and natural resources said that the planting exercise targets to achieve a 10 percent forest cover by the year 2022.
Kosgei urged the residents of Kipkellion and Kericho in general to plant more indigenous trees alongside degraded hills and forests sides this, he said, would check the effects of environmental disasters that comes with wanton cutting of trees and thus aid in environmental conservation.
Stephen Kahunyo, the Assistant Conservator in Kericho County said that reforestation programme has been rolled out and degraded sites, forests would be replanted, urging communities living alongside the forests and degraded sites to help protect the already planted trees.
Kahunyo also appealed to the residents living near the forests sites to desist from grazing their animals in the newly planted areas. He said that Tulwap Kipsigis, the holy shrine of the Kipsigis community would receive much emphasis in reclaiming the forests at the hill.
Members of the Kipsigis Myoot Council of elders were present during the tree planting exercise.
By Dominic Cheres
