Murang’a residents have been urged to support the government in the tree planting programme especially this time the county is experiencing heavy rains.
The county Kenya Forest Service Conservator Ms Eunice Njoroge observed that as the county they are targeting to plant more than 134 million seedlings by year 2032.
Njoroge speaking when launching a tree planting exercise during the ongoing rains at Kiambicho forest in Gaturi ward said every year, the county targets to plant 13 million tree seedlings.
The trees, Njoroge noted, will be planted at gazette forests, schools’ compounds, prisons’ land among other lands belonging to public institutions.
She called for commitment by local residents to support the programme saying KFS will be advising on suitable types of trees to be planted.
“Today we have planted over 10,000 seedlings here at Kiambicho forest which brings us to 27.8 percent tree cover, and 16.6 percent forest cover in the county,” she noted.
Njoroge continued, “We are working in partnership with various stakeholders drawn from the national and county governments, churches, non-governmental organizations and community forest associations to attain tree planting targets and in rehabilitating our forests to bring them back to how they used to be in the past.
The conservator further urged the residents to grow trees along riparian land saying cultivation at river banks has led to destruction of the ecosystem.
Speaking during the same occasion, Gaturi MCA Gathee wa Njeri asked the residents to take advantage of ongoing rains and plant trees at their farms.
Gathee noted destruction of forests has contributed to climate change saying some parts of Murang’a has in the past been experiencing drought due to destruction of the environment.
“Tree growing will help in the prevention of soil erosion and landslides as we have witnessed in the past. We should also plant fruit plants in those forests so that we can curb the invasion of monkeys to our towns and our farms.
“As the county Assembly of Murang’a under the committee of environment and energy, we are working on a policy to regulate mining in our county as the open holes left after the mining cause a lot of damages to the residents,” he stated.
Nominated MCA Diana Muthoni on her part asked the residents to make tree planting as a normal responsibility.
She argued many people plant trees when there are occasions saying if farmers plant trees in every rain season the tree cover in the county could be more than 60 percent.
“We should make it our sole responsibility to plant trees and follow up on their progress so that we can have a conducive environment. There is also a need to stop littering our towns and environment because this can be attributed to ongoing disasters as a result of poor drainage,” she added.
By Bernard Munyao
