71 trees for Prof. Maathai

The Minister of Forestry and Wildlife Hon. Dr. Noah Wekesa speaks at Kiptenden Secondary School in Chepsiro - Transzoia County during the Wangari Maathai memorial tree planting ceremony on 17th September 2011

The KFS Chairman Prof. Richard Musangi plants one of the 71 trees planted in honour of Prof. Wangare Maathai at the same venue

It might just be a coincidence that the Late Nobel Peace Laureate Prof. Wangari Maathai passed on at the age of 71 and that Kenya Forest Service (KFS) which has 71 Forest Zones has planted 71 trees in each Zone in honour of the environmental champion. 

In continuing activities to honour Prof. Maathai, the Minister of Forestry and Wildlife Hon. Dr. Noah Wekesa recently presided over a tree planting ceremony at Kiptenden Secondary School in Chepsire Trans Nzoia. 

In his remarks the Minister urged the local community to take up a tree planting culture as this will benefit the area residents in the future. He further added that tree planting can be for commercial purposes and asked the local community not to listen to propaganda whenever they see trees being felled. “Trees like Cypress, Pine and Eucalyptus must be harvested once they reach a mature age of about 30 years, otherwise they just go to waste!” he said.  

Speaking at the same event, the KFS Director Mr. David Mbugua urged the local community to embrace tree planting as it is a vital contributor to the country’s economy.  He also added that KFS would partner with Green Africa Foundation in starting a tree planting programme in learning institutions in honour of the late Hon. Prof. Wangari Maathai with a view of at least planting 5.6 million trees in the republic. 

5000 seedlings were later distributed to the members of Chepsiro area to be planted on their farms. 

Article and pictures by Maureen Amenya