Kenya Maritime Authority (KMA) has committed to cover 25 acres of land along the coastline in Kilifi with mangrove trees in an effort to restore forest cover and enhance environmental conservation in the county.
KMA’s initiative comes as part of an effort to promote sustainable practices within the maritime sector and also complements the government’s efforts to preserve the environment in the country.
Speaking during a tree planting exercise on Wednesday at Kidundu-Mtongani Creek in Kilifi, KMA Director General John Omingo disclosed that out of the 25 acres, they have so far been able to cover 5 acres of land.
He added that the authority has formulated plans to ensure the 25 acres are filled with trees, including making regular visits to the area to supervise the planting exercises.
“So far, we have just done 5 acres. We will be coming here every three months to plant, to ensure the 25 acres are fully covered,” the director said.
During the planting exercise, the director said the authority had initiated the planting of 25,000 mangrove seedlings this week in collaboration with members of the community.
Omingo emphasised the importance of mangrove trees in the region, stating their effectiveness in cleaning the environment.
“Almost 70 per cent of carbon dioxide is absorbed by this particular plant. We pollute the environment, then mangroves clean it up for us so that we can have clean air to breathe,” the director noted.
He further stated that the authority would collaborate with the government and members of the community to plant and maintain the mangroves.
Kilifi North Deputy County Commissioner (DCC) Samuel Mutisya stressed the need for people to plant more trees, saying that they would help mitigate against the adverse effects of climate change like prolonged drought.
He emphasised the need for a collaborative effort between all state and non-state agencies and members of the public in planting trees to attain the country’s goal of planting 15 billion trees by the year 2032.
The DCC urged Kilifi residents to take advantage of the rainy season and plant as many seedlings as possible, while also encouraging them to nurture the seedlings to maturity.
“Let us not only do planting; let us nurture the seedlings too. We plant them and then nurture them to maturity. And even when they have reached maturity, let us not be the ones to destroy them,” he said.
He further encouraged members of the public to make tree planting a daily exercise.
By Cynthia Maseno and Jackson Msanzu
