The Kenya Forest Service has disbursed 2,000 seedlings to Boment County residents to plant commemorating the International Day of Forests.

 During the distribution exercise at Mulot Secondary School, the community was sensitized on the importance of forest conservation by planting more trees to achieve 30 per cent tree cover by 2032.

 County Forest Conservator Mr Dennis Kerengo stated that protecting forests is one of the most effective ways to address the vagaries of climate change and conserve our environment.

He called upon the residents to unite and join the journey of realizing 15 billion trees by 2032.

“Forests are crucial for the ecosystem and our daily survival, they regulate not only the climate, but also ensure fresh air,” he added.

On the other hand, the Bomet East Deputy County Commissioner Mr Joash Abongo affirmed to the members of the public the need to conserve forests for their environmental, social and economic value.

He urged the residents to reserve portions of their land for artificial forests so as to boost the total tree cover in the County.

“We are here to commemorate a day that was set aside by the United Nations General Assembly through the efforts of the United Nations Forum on Forest and the Members of the Collaborative Partnership on Forests,” he added.

The goal of the annual International Day of Forests is to increase public awareness of the value of all sorts of forests, trees, and woods as precious resources.

According to the deputy county commissioner, the tree represents the entirety of the universe and is a sign of life, thus we should work to preserve the environment.

With KFS's environmental conservation programmes, Bomet County has increased its forest cover from around 7% to 18% during the past eight years.