As the government clarion call for the growing of trees gains momentum countrywide, an elderly man from Chepngetuny village in Belgut Sub-County, Kericho County has heeded the call by transforming part of his three-acre land into a forest garden, a deliberate effort to grow and protect trees through sustainable forest practices.
Mr. Jeremiah Arap Chesobo, a passionate environmentalist intimated to KNA that this year, he has been able to plant a total of 200 tree seedlings in his compound which he hopes will significantly contribute to increasing tree cover which will also aid in averting the negative effects of climate change.
His passion for growing trees dates back to the early 1980s when he started planting Indigenous trees that are now fully grown and host various birds and Apes that have found a safe sanctuary to habitat.
Arap Chesobo, further said, that with time he has diversified the trees he grows in his forest garden, increasing the number of fruit trees which he says has provided nutritional value and financial stability to his family and neighbors.
The 76-year-old man has created a verdant paradise where soothing sounds of nature and exotic birds chirp inside the greenery which has turned into an orchard with fully grown fruits such as Avocados, mangoes, bananas, guavas, passion, custard apples, Tamarillo also known as tree tomato among others.
“These indigenous trees with fruits are ideal for bird nesting and sites and the flowers attract butterflies which makes the environment. I hope the Kenya Wildlife will visit this haven to see and advise me on how I even attract tourists,” said Arap Chesobo
The elderly man said he was an inspiration to his neighbors who have also started following his steps of creating garden forests by planting trees within their home compounds.
“I also have tree nurseries within my compound where various tree species are raised to desirable size for planting in the field, and so, I always encourage my neighbors to come for tree seedlings to plant in their compounds” added Chesobo.
He said the government’s National Tree Growing and Restoration Campaign which targets planting 15 billion trees by 2032, should be undertaken seriously by all Kenyans not only to attain the set targets but also, for posterity stressing that the negative effects of Climate Change were caused by reduced forest cover in the country.
According to the Kericho County Forest Conservator, John Chepkwony, if Kericho manages to plant a total of 16,000 tree seedlings every year for the next 10 years, to cover 110,000 hectares, the county tree cover will be raised from the current 23.23 percent to 42 percent in the year 2032.
He explained that the more the tree cover, the less carbon will be in the air since the trees store carbon.
On the other hand, he said, deforestation speeds up climate change by halting photosynthesis since the trees cannot take in the carbon, which is the main cause of global warming.
Mr. Chepkwony however disclosed that deforestation by Illegal logging in Forests within Kericho County had drastically reduced by 80 percent, following the ImarishaMisitu initiative, which ensured removal of all livestock and human presence in the forests.
The government’s ambitious goal to restore and conserve 10.6 million hectares of degraded ecosystems seeks to achieve 30% forest cover to enhance biodiversity conservation, environmental sustainability, sustainable livelihoods, climate resilience, and social-economic development.
By Kibe Mburu
