West Pokot Residents Asked Step Up On Tree Planting

By Emmanuel Oyasi,

West Pokot County residents have been urged to make tree planting a habit in order to increase the percentage of forest coverage in the county.

Speaking at a function to commemorate the International Forest day on 21st of March 2024 held at Kaprech, Siyoi ward, West Pokot County, the African International Tree Foundation ITF program manager Wycliffe Matika stated that the tree planting is a constitutional responsibility to everyone.

“As we celebrate we are asking everybody, can we diversify our forest? Can we have institutional forests? Can we have more green spaces? And article 69 of our constitution allows citizens to have 10% of trees on our farms,” said Mr. Matika.

Meanwhile, his statements were echoed by the county forest conservator Kenya Forest Service, West Pokot county Benjamin Kore.

In his submissions, Kore noted that there are 2 million seedlings that are ready to be planted during the April rainy season, encouraging the residents to fully participate in the exercise in order to achieve the 15 million tree planting target every year.

“We have 2 million seedlings in West Pokot that are ready to be planted in the rainy season that is expected to start this April. We urge our people to plant more trees in their farms,” said Kore.

On the other hand, CECM water, environment, natural resources and climate change West Pokot county, William Petot said that the world is facing challenges caused by climate change due to human activities including destruction of natural forests.

“The world is facing many challenges due to human activities such as destruction of natural forests that lead to climate change,” said Mr. Petot.