The Kenya Forest Service (KFS) is partnering with the State Department of Energy and Community Forest Associations (CFAs) in a major reforestation exercise around the Mount Kenya and Aberdare Forest circuit. Nyeri County Forest Conservator Esther Mugo says they are replenishing the degraded areas with both indigenous and fast maturing exotic trees as part of KFS efforts of increasing forest cover around the expansive forest circuit. Ms Mugo says through the partnership, KFS has managed to distribute close to 1 million tree seedlings within the county with more than 800,000 seedlings having been planted in Kieni East and Kieni West areas. She says they are calling upon members of the public to incorporate both exotic trees and fruit bearing trees in their farms during the ongoing heavy rains.
The efforts are part of the Government goal of increasing the country's forest cover to 30 per cent by 2032 by planting 15 billion seedlings. "We have about 320 hectares that we are establishing under a plantation.
We also have an area under rehabilitation for degraded forest areas which is totaling to about 100 hectares.
We are also partnering with the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum where we have planted a total of 840,000 seedlings in Kieni West and Kieni East.
