The National Government Administrative Officers (NGAOs) working in Murang’a will actively take part in local tree planting activities, the county commissioner Joshua Nkanatha has said. Nkanatha on Wednesday said they have partnered with Kenya Forest Service (KFS) to have a tree planting day every month saying the focus will be on degraded parts of the local government forests.
The commissioner who spoke after he led about 400 administration officers to plant more than 4, 000 bamboo seedlings at Gatare forest noted that they have already been allocated 10 hectares by the KFS to plant trees. He said the engagement of administration officers in the exercise will help in attaining the county’s target of planting 134 million seedlings by 2032.
“We have commenced the exercise of tree planting here in Gatare which is part of the larger Aberdare Forest and we will be doing this once per month. Am in plans to bring in other heads of national government departments working in the county,” said the commissioner.
Nkanatha noted that since the time the government issued the directive on tree planting, more than six million seedlings have been planted in Murang’a County. “To achieve the county tree planting target, there is a need for concerted efforts by both the national and county government departments. So far, KFS has been issuing us with seedlings but unfortunately ready seedlings for planting have been exhausted, so we have a challenge of seedlings.
Murang’a County Commissioner Joshua Nkanatha leads other national government administration officers to plant trees at Gatare forest in Aberdares
Local residents on the other hand want to plant trees like macadamia, avocado and mango among others. The fruit tree seedlings mostly are found at private tree nurseries. We appeal for organizations and individuals who can support us to access the seedlings so as to distribute to our farmers,” Nkanatha stated.
The administrator further said he has directed all local chiefs and their assistants to have tree nurseries within their areas of jurisdiction saying officers from KFS will train them on how to establish the nurseries.
“I have requested our chiefs to assist and have tree nurseries in their areas. Officers from KFS will advise them and train them on the seedlings to be grown and how to nurture the nurseries. This will ensure in the near future they will not lack seedlings,” he added.
Currently tree cover at Murang’a County stands at 27.8 percent with the ongoing tree planting geared towards 30 percent by end of this year.