Details of state-planned activities lined up for National Tree Growing Day

The government has outlined the various activities lined up for the National Tree Growing Day on Monday which has been gazetted as a holiday.

The Ministry of Interior and National Government has urged all Kenyans to participate in the exercise that will be led by President William Ruto.

The President is expected to launch the national exercise at Kiu Wetland in Makindu, Makueni County.

At the county level, the tree growing activities will be championed by Cabinet Secretaries in at least two counties, hosted by the respective governors and supported by Principal Secretaries, County Commissioners among other senior government and state officials.

"The National Government Administrative Officers (NGAOs) will be supporting the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry in coordinating the exercise which is part of Kenya’s Landscape and Ecosystem Restoration Programme towards the growing of 15 billion trees by 2032," the Interior Ministry said in a statement signed on Friday signed by PS Dr Raymond Omollo.

County planning teams

County Commissioners have already convened technical planning teams in their respective counties comprising representatives from the Kenya Forest Service (KFS), the National Environment Management Authority (Nema) among other government and non-government stakeholders.

Members of the public have been advised to visit their nearest Chief’s office for tree seedlings and liaise with the area Assistant County Commissioner and Deputy County Commissioner in respective counties.

The Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry has targeted at least 100 million seedlings to be planted on Monday.

The ministry said they have 150 million plantable seedlings at the Kenya Forestry Research Institute (Kefri) and Kenya Forestry Service (KFS) nurseries across the country.

"I know being a holiday, many Kenyans will take advantage of the break to attend to other private and social obligations, but for the sake of the well-being of our environment and mother nature, and as a call to national duty, I urge all of us to honour the National Tree Growing Day, Environment CS Soipan Tuya said in a statement on Friday.

The county planning teams will avail the seedlings at the designated county planting sites as below.