The Kenya Forest Service (KFS) has allocated Sh13 billion for rehabilitation of forests in its ambition to attain 10% forest cover countrywide.
The parastatal chairman, Peter Kirigua, revealed that the money will be used to raise and plant about 650 million high-quality tree seedlings for reforestation by 2030.
Mr Kirigua spoke in Nakuru during a workshop on the preparation of county transition implementation plans for devolved strategy that brought together KFS officials from Nakuru, Baringo, Laikipia, Narok, Bomet, Kericho and Kajiado counties.
The KFS chairman said research agencies and the private sector will be encouraged to support tree improvement programmes through breeding and investment in tree biotechnology.
He said counties a year to ensure KFS is fully developed as per necessary legal notice issued by the Transition Authority on September last year.
“To attain the 10% forest cover target, counties are required to come up with policies and legal frameworks of rehabilitation and conservation of forests,” said Kirigua.
He further disclosed that counties and KFS will continue to partner in the implementation of national forest policy legislation and the rules developed under the Forest Act.
Nakuru County allocated Sh15 million in the 2014/2015 budget for climate mitigation programmes. County Executive member of environment Richard Rop, who was present at the forum, said the county is determined to ensure forests are maintained.