Nyamira County Commissioner (CC), Amos Mariba, has encouraged the removal of eucalyptus trees planted along the riverbanks and to replace them with environmentally friendly indigenous ones to conserve the environment.
Mariba was speaking in Etono Primary School in North Mugirango Constituency, where he led other government officials in marking the National Tree Planting Day.
He advised that environment friendly trees were the only solution in solving the water shortage crisis which normally hits the region during dry spell.
Mariba hinted that some traditional trees which are eco-friendly are a very good source of medicine, food and also supplement firewood and timber.
“Let’s discourage fellow residents from planting water sucking trees like eucalyptus from the rivers and instead plant the water friendly ones which can be a source of medicine and food. We can plant eucalyptus trees on hill tops where they will not tamper with the environment,” advised the Commissioner.
Mariba further urged residents to utilize the rains pounding the area to plant more trees and increase forest cover to the required 10 per cent.
“We are having rains in our region and this should be the right time to increase the forest cover, let’s utilize the rains to make our environment greener,” he appealed.
According to Nyamira County Ecosystem Conservator, George MacOoko, they were targeting to plant at least 5,000 seedlings each tree-planting season.
He said that Nyamira had surpassed the target in the launch yesterday and called upon the local community to come forward and partner in planting the trees during this rain season.
MacOoko said that Nyamira County has achieved 7 per cent tree cover according to the national tree cover statistics and was working towards achieving the internationally recommended 10 per cent cover.
By Deborah Bochere and Dan Nyamanga
