Narok North Sub-county is targeting to plant seven million trees during this rainy season in a bid to boost tree coverage, the area Deputy County Commissioner (DCC), Mutuku Mwenga, has said.
Mwenga who spoke at the Maasai Mara University, today, during a tree planting exercise to mark the National Tree Planting Day, said they would involve the youth employed under the Kazi Mtaani, schools, churches, government institutions and individual farmers to achieve the target.
The DCC said there were three major tree planting events going on in the Sub-county at the Maasai Mara University, Olkruto Sub-county Headquarters and Olposimoru forest.
“Already we have planted 1.4 million trees and we look forward to achieving the Seven million target. This is why we have to involve every individual so that we can achieve the target,” he said.
He lauded the University for setting apart a corner for planting trees at the varsity’s botanical garden, where they will plant indigenous trees to boost the forest cover in the area.
The DCC revealed that a climax of the tree-planting event will be at Purko Trust Land, where millions of trees will be planted by various stakeholders, among them political leaders, government officials, students and locals.
“The purpose of the event is to sensitize the residents on the need to plant trees and tender them with an aim of achieving the Seven million target,” he said.
He reiterated that the flow in rivers has increased since people were evicted from the Maasai Mau Forest as the forest is slowly regenerating.
“Am aware that many organizations have blocs to plant trees in the Maasai Mau Forest and the results have already been seen because the river volume has increased,” he said.
Maasai Mara University Acting vice Chancellor, Professor Kiche Magak, stressed the need to conserve the Mau ecosystem, reiterating that it was the source of livelihood for many countries in Africa.
“There is a connection between the Mau Forest and countries like Egypt where the river Nile flows. This is why we should be very vigilant in conserving our environment here in Kenya,” he said.
Professor Magak, said the University would plant mango trees along its fence to implement the diet of the residents as well as conserving the environment.
“We have capacity of feeding all the Narok and Kajiado residents with Mangoes because one Mango tree can produce two to three sacks of mangos in one season,” he said.
Narok North Sub-county Administrator, Ms Charity Lemain, reiterated the need to plant trees, asking all residents to take advantage of the ongoing rains to plant trees in their farms.
By Ann Salaton
