Kenya Forest Service (KFS) on Wednesday led the country in marking the International Day for the Conservation of Mangrove Ecosystems in Mwanjeni ,Kwale County.
The celebration which is marked each year on 26th July, was graced by the Principal Secretary State Department of Forestry Gitonga Mugambi who represented the Cabinet Secretary Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry Hon. Soipan Tuya.
In his address, the PS said that the Government targets to grow over 300 million trees in the next ten years in Kwale County to contribute to the achievement of 30% tree cover by 2032.
The PS noted that the Government had made a commitment to reclaim, rehabilitate and conserve all the wetlands, water catchment areas and all other degraded forest landscapes across the country.
“Over the next ten years, we shall grow 15 billion trees and restore 10.6 million ha of our degraded forests and rangelands, including mangroves,” he said.
Mugambi added that the government shall implement the program as a whole of government, whole of society initiative.
A National Restoration Strategy had been rolled out by the government as part of the initiative to allow for all-year tree growing campaign.
“I am informed that mangroves restoration can be done throughout the year and I am inviting all of us to act accordingly,” said the PS.
The KFS Chairman on his part urged the coastal communities and stakeholders to work together in order to achieve a sustainable management of the mangrove ecosystem which he noted was a very important yet fragile resource.
He added that KFS was committed to making sure that all regraded areas in the mangrove forests were rehabilitated.
The event was attended by members of Parliament from Kwale County, KFS Board members and officers among other government agency representatives and the local community.
