38 million trees planted as Meru races to restore degraded forests

Over 38.1 million trees have been planted in Meru’s nine forest blocks since the launch of the 15 billion tree cover initiative programme in December 2022.

Occupying close to 100,000 hectares, the Meru forested landscape experienced degradation, including illegal logging, invasive species, and human activities.

Meru County Chief Forest Conservator Wellington Ndaka said the Kenya Forest Service, Community Forest Associations (CFAs) and other partners were restoring the forest. 

“Tree planting progress documented on Jaza Miti is 38,113,048 trees grown. This season we will do 20m more,” Mr Ndaka said.

Ndaka said the tree cover in Meru stands at 29 per cent, and the forest cover is 13 per cent, better than the national average.

He said about 15 per cent of the total forest area had been occupied by destructive species, but the KFS, working with the community, uprooted huge parts and rehabilitated them.

Areas most affected by invasive plants that stifled the growth of trees and other plants were parts of Meru station, lower Imenti, Ontulili and Ruthumbi forests.

Forestry Principal Secretary Gitonga Mugambi lauded the KFS’s intensified tree planting. 

Mr Mugambi and Chief Conservator of Forests Alex Lemarkoko have visited Meru several times to inspect projects being implemented to achieve the 15b tree cover initiative and other conservation targets.

At Ruthumbi Forest, PS Mugambi said all forest-adjacent communities will benefit from the revived shamba system to boost forest security and increase forest cover in the country. 

He said the programme being implemented in Nyandarua, Nakuru, and Kericho will expand to 138 forests in the country. 

The PS said that those allocated plots inside the forests must ensure the trees under their care survive, or they would be driven out of the forests. 

“The farmers who will not ensure that 80 percent of trees planted survive will be driven out. They will also be blacklisted not to benefit in future allocations,” he said. 

“This campaign is not just in Meru. It is for the 138 forests we have in this country, and we have implemented the same in other parts of the country,” he said. 

“We will reach every part of the country to ensure that forests remain forests, and we will conserve them,” he said. 

He said that as part of Ruto’s agenda to have 15 billion trees planted by 2032, Meru County had an annual target of 37 million trees. 

He said, “Last year we planted 24m. We had a gap. We have agreed with communities to meet and surpass this (37m) target.”

Just like the Imenti Forest, the Ngaya Forest near Meru National Park is one of the most beautiful places in the region.