Tree planting is increasingly being an important strategy that can significantly lead to the greening of economies, owing to their significant contribution towards the achievement of 9 out of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
In Kenya, the need to achieve the UN recommended 10% national forest cover and to secure a clean and healthy environment has well been captured in the country’s Vision 2030, the 2010 Constitution, the Government’s Medium Term III (2018-2022), the 2015 Environment Management and Coordination Act (EMCA), the 2016 Forest Conservation and Management Act, the 2016 Kenya Green Economy Strategy and Implementation Plan (GESIP), as well as numerous other existing sectoral laws and policies.
Upon his re-election in 2017, President Uhuru Kenyatta launched his 5-year development plan dubbed ‘The Big Four Agenda’, through which priority programs aimed at increasing the manufacturing sector’s share of GDP, achieving food and nutrition security for all Kenyans, achieving Universal Health Coverage for all Kenyans, and building 500,000 units of affordable housing units to improve the living conditions for citizens, will be implemented over a period of five years i.e. from 2018 to 2022.
As enablers of the Big 4 Agenda, the government called for fast-tracking of the achievement of the 10% national forest tree cover from 2030 to 2022 and launched a massive tree planting campaign across the country.
While tree planting may seem to be an easy way to addressing environmental problems and aiding economic development, scientists indicate that it is not a simple solution. Tree planting initiatives should be carefully planned and implemented in the right way in order to achieve the desired outcomes. Below are 12 tips on what to consider before embarking on a tree planting mission;
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