Environment, Climate Change mitigation and Forestry Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale on Thursday November 7, 2024 launched a Project that aims to restore the eco-system of Mount Elgon.
The CS who was accompanied by Bungoma Governor Ken Lusaka, said the Project will go long way in ensuring conservation and restoration of the same.
The Project is dubbed ‘The integrated landscape management Project.’
Under it, The Kaberwa Tree Nursery in Kapsokwony, Bungoma County, will undergo expansion.
The 620M project will see the Kaberwa Tree Nursery increase its size from the current 1 acre to a substantial 2 acres, facilitating a more efficient and effective production process.
“This strategic growth is part of a broader effort to restore and rehabilitate the degraded areas of the Mt. Elgon Forest, reinforcing the government’s commitment to the 15 Billion National Tree Growing Programme,” stated Duale.
The nursery is expected to grow its production capacity from an annual 500,000 seedlings to a remarkable 1 million seedlings.
The project is a collaborative effort spearheaded by the Kenya Forest Service (KFS) in partnership with the Kaberwa Community Forest Association (CFA).
Through the Integrated Landscape Management for Conservation and Restoration of the Mt. Elgon Forest Ecosystem Project, the expansion will also stimulate local economies by creating new employment opportunities in tree nursery operations, conservation activities, and related sectors.
The CS reiterated that the ban on all forms of cultivation in natural forests is still in place.
“To promote conservation, I implemented a complete ban on all forms of cultivation in natural forests,” Duale stated.
