County embarks on tree growing program dubbed Regreening schools

BY WALTER KIBET

The County government of Elgeyo Marakwet has embarked on a rapid tree growing exercise for primary schools across the county.

The program which is dubbed ‘Regreening Schools’ targets to grow trees in a bid to replace the trees that have been lost through afforestation.

Governor Wisley Rotich who led the launching of the exercise in Iten Primary School in Keiyo North Sub County says that the exercise will be in tandem with his plan to grow 60 Million trees in the next 5 years for Elgeyo Marakwet.

“We want to ensure that each and every school across the county plant and grow trees as it is a way to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change that we have felt” Governor Rotich said.

The tree growing exercise is working under the plan of President William Ruto which aims to plant 15.2 Billion trees by the year 2032, to reduce greenhouse emissions and restore 5.1 million hectares of deforested and degraded landscapes across the country.

Rotich noted that his government will set up structures that will see students and pupils in schools to be educated on the importance of tree growing to spread the message.

The Governor said that his government is going to work with the 140 Secondary Schools and 195 Primary Schools across the county to realize the plan to grow the 60 Million trees by 2027.

“We have already constituted County Environment Committees and Ward Environment Committees and are working on a plan to get to sub location level who will be in charge of running campaigns on environmental conservation” Rotich said.

The Governor encouraged schools to ensure that they take part in the exercise as they will be registered for carbon credits which will sustain the schools budget.

The Chairperson of the Board of Iten Primary Dan Rutto said that the exercise which started in the school will build a new generation which values environmental conservation.

“Sensitization and education of children at a tender age will create a ripple down effect on the parents to adopt a tree growing culture” Rutto said.

Rutto further urged parents who have children in primary and secondary schools to support children through getting them seedlings and encouraging them.