Family Group Foundation donates Sh5m for tree planting in Ngong Forest

The Family Group Foundation has donated Sh5 million for planting trees on 10 acres of the Ngong Hills Forest as part of efforts to combat the effects of climate change.

The foundation, an arm of Family Bank, will work with the Green Blue Foundation Africa, which was allocated 7,000 acres by the government in the forest to restore its tree cover.

The allocation was under the “adopt a forest” concept of the Environmental Soldier Programme, which encourages the private sector and individuals to support rehabilitation and conservation of public and community forests.

The Ministry of Environment and Forestry estimates that the Ngong Hills forest requires about one million trees to restore its cover.

The forest is a key water catchment area for major rivers in Kajiado County, including Mbagathi and the Kiserian stream.

Family Bank chairman Dr Wilfred Kiboro said urgent action is needed to combat the effects of climate change, which are already being felt across the world especially through extreme weather events.

Speaking at the signing of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Family Group Foundation and Green Blue Foundation Africa on Friday, Dr Kiboro outlined that the four basics – food, water, suitable shelter and clean air – threaten to get scarcer or be destroyed should urgent action not be taken to fight climate change.

“Climate change is already here and we’re all witnesses to the destruction and other emergencies that have followed. We’ve witnessed extreme weathers, floods, landslides, rising lake and sea levels, drought, drying of rivers and lakes, forest fires, declining rainfalls and unpredictable weather patterns, extreme heat waves and cold, melting of the glaciers on mountain tops and in the Arctics to mention just a few,” Dr Kiboro said.

He added: “But we cannot continue to complain about this unfortunate and unjust situation. Let’s do our part by example by taking actions that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and absorbing carbon dioxide from the air through partnerships such as this. No one including governments can do this alone.”

Forest cover

Green Blue Foundation Africa president Bedan Mbugua said the funding is key to the expansion of the project, identified among key pillars in plans to restore Kenya’s forest cover to at least 10 per cent.

“We have created and adopted the square metre restoration model that allows partners and individuals to adopt several square metres of the forest ecosystem for as little as Sh300 or $3 to go towards the rehabilitation of one square metre of forest land in tandem with the President’s directive to accelerate attainment of 10 per cent national tree cover by 2022,” he said.

In Kenya, a severe drought in the north that followed failed rains saw President Uhuru Kenyatta declare the dry spell a national disaster in September so as to mobilise funds for response measures.

“We are already experiencing adverse effects of climate change evidenced by erratic weather patterns and severe natural disasters that have adversely affected the national economy,” Mr Mbugua said.

“At a time when the world is focused on the COP26 agenda, to restore stability, we must protect and restore our habitats. This begins when we support tree growing and restoration of forest landscapes to allow us to curb the effects of carbon emissions.”

The tree-planting drive will also provide jobs to hundreds of young people.

“We all have a part to play in sustainable living and supporting the ecosystem on which man heavily relies. The Kenyan economy is dependent on climate-sensitive sectors, such as agriculture, water, energy, tourism, wildlife, and health, whose vulnerability is increased by climate change,” said Dr Francis Muraya, Family Group Foundation chairman.

“For us to combat climate change, we must first restore the degraded areas of the forest ecosystem and promote afforestation and reforestation.”

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