The Nyamira County Government has initiated a tree adoption programme in all learning institutions to curb the effects of climate change, which is threatening people’s lives and their livelihoods.

The County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Environment, Mining, Natural Resources, and Climate Change, John Matiangi, told the press that in a bid to increase tree cover in the county, the county government has initiated a programme of planting trees in all learning institutions in the county to be nurtured by learners till they become stable enough to grow naturally by themselves.

‘Eucalyptus tree plantations along riparian areas in the Gusii region have totally depleted marshy swamps, turned some rivers seasonal, and dried up freshwater springs, which have endangered the lives of aquatic animals, forcing them to survive under tough, unfavourable conditions and worse, making some extinct,’ the CECM said.

‘These trees have sapped huge volumes of water from fresh springs at the highlands of Kiabonyoru in Nyamira, the main source of the River Gucha, which joins the River Migori to pour its waters into Lake Victoria,’ Matiang’i said.

He pointed out that it is these detrimental phenomena that have compelled the county government to initiate the project of planting environment-friendly trees, which, apart from contributing to the increase in the tree cover percentage in the county, will assist in reclaiming the depleted water sources and conserving them in order to regain the initial green, cool ambiance we enjoyed in the past.

‘The effects of climate change in our county are majorly caused by human action, and we must reform and take action to replenish and safeguard our own environment if at all we are to curb these multifaceted effects, which are fast becoming a real disaster,’ the CECM stated.

‘Apart from the planting of eucalyptus trees along riparian areas, brick making, leaving ballast stone excavation quarries open, wanton tree felling without replacement, and using the traditional land tilling methodologies that accelerate soil erosion and mineral depletion, these are some of the human activities by the people of Nyamira that have threatened our environment and brought about climate change effects,’ Matiang’i listed.

The officer said he wants the young generation in learning institutions to embrace environmental conservation and be included in the fight against the effects of climate change, which are real and likely to worsen by the day if not mitigated early.

‘We are collaborating with the County Forest Department, which will issue the tree seedlings for free to all learning institutions, and mandate the school administration to encourage each learner to adopt a tree by planting it and nurturing it by weeding and watering during the dry spell until it is stable enough to grow independently to reclaim our green land glory,’ said the CECM.

‘We are optimistic that by bringing the young generation to be part of the climate action team, Nyamira County will succeed in its efforts to mitigate the effects of climate change, which has become a global threat,’ Matiang’i said.

Source: Kenya News Agency