Why we need to plant trees
Why we need to plant trees
Trees sustain life on earth and provide a direct source of food, water, employment and environment protection. They provide unquantifiable benefits such as improving the climate, regulating stream and river flows, conserving and protecting the soil mantle; and providing stable habitats for wildlife. The latter, together with wilderness values, are the foundation of Kenya’s important tourist industry.
Kenya has a small area of reserved forest estate (about 7%). The bulk of the forest estate (200 million ha) support the indigenous forests which provide protective functions as well as yielding wood of high commercial value.
Plantations forests (about 0.15 million ha) provide the bulk of wood demand for domestic and commercial needs.
The objectives of the tree planting :
- Restore biodiversity
- Improve water quality and quantity
- Improve livelihoods through sustainable resource management
- Supplemental tree planting and good governance practices
- Reduce drought and increase in temperatures
- Reduce soil erosion
- Increase food security
The choice of species for planting depends on:
- The purpose of planting – Species selected must be able to fulfill the objective for planting them – e.g. soil and water conservation – in catchment areas, improvement of soil fertility (supply of mulching material, green manure), animal fodder, shade, and saleable products such as fruits, fire wood and charcoal, timber for construction, craft materials, etc.
- The environment e.g. climatic conditions, soil type and altitude
- The ability of the species to establish and provide a wide range of utility, preferable for more than one purpose and a high degree of profitability.
So let’ plant trees to #ChangeTheStory