The government is targeting to mobilise 200,000 Kenyans to plant six million trees within one hour as part of this year’s Mazingira Day celebrations, in a renewed push to restore degraded landscapes and combat climate change
President William Ruto leads a tree planting exercise at Kaptagat Forest on July 13, 2024. Photo: William Ruto. Source: Facebook According to a Cabinet dispatch issued on Friday, October 9, the initiative dubbed the Green Challenge will form part of Mazingira Week activities running from October 5 to 10, culminating in the public holiday on Saturday, October 10. The ambitious exercise is expected to contribute to Kenya’s national target of growing 15 billion trees by 2032, as the government intensifies efforts to expand forest cover and rehabilitate damaged ecosystems.
President William Ruto is set to mark Mazingira Day in Endebess, Trans Nzoia County, as he begins a 10-day development tour of the North Rift region. The tour is expected to culminate in the Mashujaa Day celebrations in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County.
How will the government restore degraded landscapes? During its meeting, the Cabinet reviewed preparations for Mazingira Day and reaffirmed a whole-of-government approach to tree growing, ecosystem restoration and climate action. Beyond the mass tree-planting exercise, the government is planning to restore 462,299 hectares of degraded landscapes under Phase III of the Green Zones Development Support Project. The initiative is expected to support the rehabilitation of damaged ecosystems, complement tree-growing efforts and strengthen environmental conservation
The Cabinet also approved additional financing for the Financing Locally-Led Climate Programme, which supports community-driven investments to help communities across all 47 counties withstand climate-related shocks, including droughts and floods. What other environmental measures did Cabinet consider? The government is also considering measures to strengthen mangrove conservation and restoration along Kenya’s coastline. Mangrove ecosystems play a critical role in protecting shorelines from erosion, supporting fisheries and sustaining livelihoods for communities that depend on coastal resources. The measures form part of the government’s broader environmental conservation agenda, which combines tree growing, landscape restoration and community-led climate action.
Mazingira Day, observed annually on October 10, provides an opportunity to mobilise Kenyans to participate in environmental conservation activities as the country pursues its long-term tree-growing target.
