Kakamega County residents have lauded the government’s effort to restore Kakamega tropical rain forest.
This comes after the County Government launched an ambitious program to restore and conserve the forest.
A resident Brighton Jaoko lauded the initiative and asked the community to supplement the county government’s efforts to conserve the environment. “With our involvement and embracing the initiative, the County Government should ensure the Forest is packaged as a major tourist attraction site,” said Jaoko.
Jecintah Wanjala, a member of a tree planting self-help group in Butere asked the County Government and other partners to buy seedlings from their nursery to improve their livelihoods.
The residents were speaking to KNA yesterday in Marama Central ward, Butere Sub County.
The County Government plans to fence the 117kilometres of the Forest ecosystem by mobilizing resources and bringing other stakeholders on board to conserve the Forest.
The County has also committed Sh 100 million in phases towards fencing while more financial aid will be contributed by the County Government of Vihiga, UNDP, NetFund, Rhino Ark Kenya and the National Government through its relevant agencies among other partners.
The County Government wants to inculcate the culture of tree growing into the young generation to achieve the goal of increasing and maintaining the National Tree Cover to at least 10 per cent.
Earlier, Area Governor Fernandes Barasa regretted that the uniqueness of the Forest has neither been properly recognized nor utilized and promised to lobby for more support from the Council of Governors.
NetFund CEO Samson Toniok had earlier disclosed that they had set aside Sh 13 million on other conservation efforts targeting community development such as seedling purchase and planting.
By John Ochanda
