News

Social distancing tree planting on Mount Kenya

06.05.2020

The Mount Kenya Trust (MKT) is still planting trees on Mount Kenya despite the global pandemic. The organization worked with the Kenya Forest Service (KFS) to obtain approval to keep planting while following the social distancing rules.

It is important that the MKT continues their work for Mount Kenya even during these challenging circumstances. Mount Kenya’s forests have suffered considerably in the past decades, as large areas of forests were cleared to provide timber and land for rapid population growth and urbanization. The MKT works with the KFS and the Community Forest Associations to recover indigenous forests in areas that have been degraded in the past.

The MKT is currently conducting tree planting at several sites. On 14 April, the MKT began clearing brush from the Lower Imenti forest station on Mount Kenya. Community members came together to make space for the new trees and they are working hard to plant as many trees as possible before the end of the rainy season.

At the Kabaru forest station, nearly 9 000 trees were planted by community members under the supervision of the KFS while following the recommended precautionary measures.

At the Onutilili forest station, tree planting at the Kanyongo and Karuri sites is ongoing. The MKT has been transporting tree seedlings to the sites and the community members have been planting the trees. So far, a total of 27 771 trees have been transported for planting at Karuri and 10 340 trees have been transported for tree planting at Kanyongo.

At the Marania forest station this month, plentiful rains allowed the MKT to plant many trees; so far, 20 200 trees have been planted, and community members are continuing with the clearing of more land.

Over the past decade, the MKT has successfully planted more than one million trees at several tree planting sites, with new sites opening every year. These efforts continue to progress while responsibly adhering to our new reality.

Read more about the MKT's tree planting efforts

Photos depicted are before and after shots at a Karuri tree planting site

News and photos from Becky Summers – Mount Kenya Trust