Mazingira Day: Interior PS Omollo leads planting of 6,000 indigenous trees in Homa Bay

At least 6,000 indigenous tree seedlings were planted at Lambwe Forest Station in Homa Bay County during this year's Mazingira Day celebrations, as the government steps up efforts to restore degraded landscapes and increase forest cover.

Internal Security and National Administration Principal Secretary Dr. Raymond Omollo, who led the exercise on Saturday, October 10, said a further 92,000 seedlings had been earmarked for planting in an identified plantation area.

The exercise was conducted under the Presidential Green Challenge, which designated Principal Secretaries to lead tree-growing and environmental clean-up activities in their respective counties.

According to the 2021 Natural Resource Assessment Report, Homa Bay County has a tree cover of 10.40 per cent and forest cover of 3.18 per cent, highlighting the need for sustained conservation and restoration efforts.

PS Omollo said Lambwe Forest Station had rehabilitated more than 1,782 hectares of land since 2023 and established over 430 hectares of plantation.

He commended village elders for mobilising communities to participate in the national tree-growing initiative, which is being implemented across 30 counties.

The initiative involves 77,252 villages, each participating in efforts to plant at least 100 trees. It is complemented by community environmental dialogues and barazas aimed at encouraging public participation in conservation.

“Heroes do not always wear capes. We must never underestimate the power of small actions repeated by millions of people,” Dr. Omollo said, urging Kenyans to take an active role in protecting and restoring the environment.

The PS also called on Kenyans to draw inspiration from environmental conservation champions, including the late Nobel laureate Wangari Maathai, footballer Lesein Mutunkei, environmental activist Truphena Muthoni and Hillary Kiplagat, who set a world record five months ago after planting more than 23,000 trees in 24 hours in Elgeyo Marakwet County.

Dr. Omollo further urged communities, particularly young people, to view environmental conservation as both a responsibility and an opportunity for economic empowerment.

“When practised responsibly and with proper planning, agroforestry can provide farmers with additional sources of income while strengthening resilience to climate change,” he said.

“Fruit trees can provide food and income, while suitable trees on farms can protect soils and improve land productivity. Sustainable forestry also creates opportunities in seedling production, tree care, processing and other green enterprises.”

The PS also called for responsible waste-management practices, including proper waste disposal, reduced use of unnecessary plastics and efforts to keep streets, rivers, drainage systems and public spaces clean.

He emphasised that sustained community participation and collective action were essential to safeguarding the country's natural resources for future generations.