Kenyans have been urged to plant trees so that they can mitigate the adverse effects of climate change.
According to Lenny Lengete, a member of the Pastoral Climate Action group, environmental destruction such as cutting down of trees has contributed to the adverse climate changes being witnessed in the country such as drought.
Lengete said the only way to reverse the effects of climate change was by restoring forests and water catchment areas.
Speaking in Moipei Primary School in Kajiado, during a tree planting exercise, Lengete said they were targeting schools, institutions, churches and homes and mobilizing residents to plant trees so as to restore tree cover.
“Felling down of trees has resulted in serious environmental degradation. We want to urge Kenyans to plant trees to restore forest cover and mitigate the adverse effects of climate change,” he said.
During the event, over 1000 trees were planted at the school compound with the head teacher Leonard Nyota promising to ensure that all the trees would be watered daily and nurtured to maturity.
Nyota revealed that each pupil would adopt a tree and rewards would be given to those who nurture their trees to maturity.
The head teacher revealed that it was important to educate learners about the importance of tree planting and environmental conservation at an early age.
He called on all schools in the area to embark on tree planting activities in their compounds to promote forest cover and contribute towards the attainment of 30 per cent tree cover by 2023.
Nelson Ouko, a Grade 6 pupil at the school vowed to take care of his tree by watering it daily so that it would grow to maturity and pupils can use it as a shade when it is hot outside.
Another pupil, Winnie Mwihaki, Grade 7 also promised to nurture her tree to maturity adding that she had learnt about the importance of trees to the environment.
Mwihaki said she would also help plant trees at her home as trees play a vital role in the ecosystem by absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and releasing oxygen.
By Rop Janet
