The government and the Ministry of Environment is urging Kenyans all over the country to take advantage of the ongoing rains to plant trees. Be it a fruit tree or fonder, the government is encouraging the public as well as organization to take part in the realization of the goal for 500 Million trees in the on-going short rains.

In line to this goal, Secretary for Administration in the State Department for Forestry Mr. Evans Mutari on Saturday joined officials and staff of Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) and Kenya Forest Service (KFS) in a day-long mangrove seedlings growing activity at Tudor Creek in Mombasa County.

The mangrove tree growing exercise was organized to commemorate KPC’s 50th anniversary. Community Forest Associations (CFAs) and Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) personnel also participated in the activity that was held as part of the 15bn national tree growing program.

A total of 61,500 mangrove trees were planted over the past week within Tudor Creek in collaboration with five Community Forest Associations, who provided seedlings and labor.

Mangroves provide natural infrastructure to help protect nearby populated areas by reducing erosion and absorbing storm surge impacts during extreme weather events such as hurricanes. They are also important to the ecosystem too. Their dense roots help bind and build soils.

The KPC/KFS tree growing partnership has been in place for the past three years during which 500,000 trees have been grown.