The Kenya Forest Services has unveiled an afforestation campaign targeting to plant at least 10,000 indigenous trees at Kimakia Forest in Kiambu County.
In a programme christened Plantation Livelihood Improvement (PELIS), residents of Jogoo Kimakia Estate and its environs have been urged to participate in transforming the area into a green suburb by planting at least five indigenous seedlings each.
Speaking from his office on Wednesday, area Zonal Forest Manager Anthony Kinyanjui said that his team has already planted 6,000 seedlings in the area. He added that they are currently engaging members of the public to embrace the initiative.
He said that indigenous trees such as Mwarubaini and Mwiri were of medicinal value and encouraged the residents to plant the species and use it as medicine.
Kinyanjui revealed that the Kenya Forestry Services (KFS) has been creating awareness on the need to embrace tree planting as a way of wealth creation and conservation. He noted that the message was being taken positively as many people were now planting trees on all memorable family occasions.
He said that the effects of afforestation in the country were being noticed with areas that were previously suffering drought and prolonged lack of rainfall reverting to their previous weather patterns as a result of tree planting.
Kinyanjui urged members of the public to take advantage of the current rain season and plant as many trees as possible adding that the government through the KFS was issuing free seedlings.