Eastern region leads in reforestation with 4 million trees planted in five months
Eastern is leading the eight regions of the country in commitment to reforestation, marking an encouraging progress in the national tree planting campaign. According to statistics from the Ministry of Interior, Eastern Kenya planted 4,377,362 trees in the last five months, followed by the Rift Valley region with 621,805 seedlings. The Coast region planted 514,550 trees, while Central planted a total of 523,699 trees in five months. Western and Nyanza regions each planted a quarter of a million seedlings. The North Eastern region (52,478) and Nairobi (77,168) were well below the one hundred thousand mark. This comes as the country joins the world in celebrating World Environment Day, which will be held at Lake Nakuru National Park in Nakuru County. Environment Cabinet Secretary Soipan Tuya will lead this year's celebrations. In December last year, President William Ruto launched the National Tree Planting Restoration, the country's plan to plant at least 15 million trees by 2030. The exercise is being coordinated by the National Government Offices (NGAOs), the Ministry of Environment, and public and private partners. The campaign is one of the government's responses to the devastating effects of desertification and climate change. Dr Ruto’s effort to respond to climate change was evidenced by the establishment of the State Department for Environment and Climate Change, which underscores the government's commitment to protecting Kenya from the adverse effects of global warming. The department is under the Ministry of Environment which also houses the forestry department. Speaking at the Pan-African Parliament Summit on Climate Policy and Equity in South Africa last month, Dr Ruto said it was time for Africa to adopt a fresh, positive and solutions-oriented perspective in the climate change action plan.