Meru: As the world marked International Day of Forests on Friday, March 21, the celebrations in Meru County were held at Mucheene forest in the upper Imenti Forest Zone, where residents, led by Kenya Forest Service (KFS) officers, National government officials, and other partners, managed to plant at least 132,000 tree seedlings.

According to Kenya News Agency, Meru County Forest Conservator Wellington Ndaka reported that 607,000 tree seedlings have been planted in the last two weeks in Meru County. During the rainy season, they aim to plant about four million trees. Ndaka highlighted the county's annual target of planting 37 million trees to fulfill President William Ruto's directive of planting 15 billion trees by 2032.

Last year, Meru County planted 24 million trees, leaving a shortfall of 13 million. This year, the county is expected to plant 50 million trees. Eastern Regional Forest Conservator Monicah Ndirangu emphasized KFS's commitment to supporting Meru County in achieving this goal. Ndirangu mentioned the expansion of the model nursery at Meru station to produce over two million trees at a time and similar efforts at Ontulili forest station, including digging a borehole for water supply.

All nurseries in the county are expected to produce at least one million trees, with each sub-county having a forest officer ensuring private nurseries contribute to the 2032 target. Meru County Commissioner Jacob Ouma cautioned residents allocated forest parcels to plant food crops alongside tree seedlings to prevent illegal activities like growing bhang. Ouma also warned against using forest areas for illicit activities.

Buuri Member of Parliament Rindikiri Mugambi urged KFS to establish a Kenya Forest Research Institute (KEFRI) in the county or deploy experts to identify suitable indigenous trees for planting. He expressed concerns about the prevalence of exotic trees and advocated for aligning practices with international standards. Rindikiri called for collaboration between government levels to ensure effective forest conservation.