Firm leads initiative to rejuvenate Kenya's forests

Kenya is losing approximately 84,716 hectares of forest and seeing an additional 14,934 hectares degraded annually, a new report by Kenya Forest Service says.

The environmental losses, driven by logging, charcoal burning, agricultural expansion, and encroachment are estimated to cost the nation Sh534 billion each year.

According to the 2024 Forest Status Report, the losses emerge from the reduced carbon storage capacity of forests and lower agricultural productivity, and decreased water resources.

To address the crisis, the private sector is coming together with local communities to replant lost forests and expand the tree cover.

Last week, an initiative led by risk advisory firm Minet planted 20,000 tree seedlings at Uplands Forest in Lari Constituency, Kiambu County.

This brought the total number of trees planted by the firm to 46,000 over the past three years, even as it plans to ramp up its annual targets further over the next five years.

Minet CEO Sammy Muthui emphasised the urgency of reversing the destruction of forests.

“The drivers of deforestation are clear, and so are its devastating impacts—from biodiversity loss and soil erosion to food insecurity and climate volatility.

“This is, therefore, not just an environmental issue, but a humanitarian one and one that requires urgent attention,” he said.

This year’s event saw collaboration with more than 100 local community members, who played a central role in preparing the land and have pledged to nurture the seedlings to maturity.

When fully grown, the newly-planted trees will produce enough oxygen for more than 10,000 people every year and absorb over 440,000 kilogrammes of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, contributing to climate change adaptation and mitigation efforts in the region and beyond.

“Sustainable solutions must be community-driven, and that is why, to us, this is a long-term partnership for change,” Muthui said.

The effort aligns with Kenya’s national targets under the Forest Ecosystem Landscape Restoration Strategy, which aims to plant 15 billion trees and restore 10.6 million hectares of degraded land by 2032.

It also supports Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 15 on protecting, restoring, and promoting sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems.

In 2023, Minet pledged to plant half a million trees by 2030, the landmark year when all SDGs should have been achieved.

The 2025 Economic Survey by the Kenyan National Bureau of Statistics reveals a remarkable surge in Kenya's reforestation efforts, with new areas planted more than doubling to 4,900 hectares in 2024 from 2,400 hectares the year before.