Environmentalists Isaac Kalua Urges Govt to Verify Survival of Over 981M Trees
Environmentalist Dr. Isaac Kalua Green is urging the Kenyan government to verify the survival rate of trees planted under national restoration programs, arguing that planting figures alone are insufficient to measure success. This call comes amidst Kenya's ambitious 15 Billion Trees Campaign and recent record-breaking planting achievements.
Why it matters
This highlights a critical challenge in environmental conservation efforts globally: the need to measure actual impact beyond initial actions. It calls for greater accountability and effective strategies in large-scale reforestation projects, which are vital for climate change mitigation.
President William Ruto during a tree planting exercise at Kaptagat Forest in July 2024. PCS --> nvironmentalists are piling pressure on the government to establish how many trees planted under Kenya’s restoration programmes have actually survived, arguing that planting figures alone cannot show the success of the country’s tree-growing efforts.
The concern is that seedlings planted during national and community campaigns can die from drought, poor maintenance, pests and unsuitable sites, yet such losses may not be reflected in official figures.
Environmentalist Dr Isaac Kalua Green has called for the government to regularly return to planting sites and verify how many trees remain alive, saying survival should become a key measure of the country’s restoration efforts.
“For years, we have measured our progress by what we plant on the day of planting, not by what is still standing when no one is watching,” Dr Green said.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in