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Xyxy 20 Million yxy yyxy Trees yyxy for Kenya’s yxyxy Forests Six months and 240,000 seedlings are taking root It’s been over six months since the launch of International Tree Foundation’s 20 Million Trees for Kenya’s Forests Campaign in March this year. Aiming to plant 20 Million Trees by 2024, the project will conserve Kenya’s highland forests, which are known as ‘Water Towers’ for the vital role they play in conserving the country’s rivers, lakes and drinking water. The initiative will also help combat climate change and protect forest habitats for rare birds and mammals – while improving food security for some of Africa’s most vulnerable people. Take a look at this snap shot from the survey Name Age Household size The Mount Kenya Forest Landscape Restoration Project is the first phase in the campaign, aiming to restore the forested upper slopes of Embu County, to the South-East of the Mount Kenya National Park. Communities living in the area whose main agricultural crops include tea and coffee, are keen to restore damaged parts of the forest and to plant more trees on their own land. Ms Julian Wanja, Project Manager for Mount Kenya Environmental Conservation (MKEC), who is running the project on the ground, explained their work so far. “We have identified six community groups and trained them in tree nursery establishment, seed collection and gathering wildings – wild seedlings - from the forest.” Getting in touch with the community Julian and her team undertook a household survey to better understand the needs of the local community. Based on the results, MKEC can ensure not only that the slopes of Mount Kenya are reforested, but that the families receive trees to plant on their smallholdings, increasing household income and improving soil quality and nutrition. Augustine Njiru Njue 50 2 Brigit Ciamati 64 5 Elias Ireri 50 5 Angelica Muthanje 54 9 Consolata Wambui 74 8 Gilbert Gitonga 42 5 Justa Ciamwari 70 11 Lenity Ciambaka 64 6 Lewa Njagi 85 6 M’kenya Murua 78 13 Peter Mugambi Mugo 30 1 Tree planting takes place in the rainy seasons in November and April. “So far, over 350 participants from local Self-help Groups and Community Forest Associations are involved in growing seedlings”, says Julian. “We are growing indigenous species which are very important for restoring natural ecosystems and are a link to our cultural heritage”. What do these trees do? ƄƄ Grevillea = timber, fuelwood, soil improvement, microclimate improvement = better crop yields ƄƄ Cordia, Vitex, Croton, Markhamia = fine native trees with similar uses to Grevillea 6 Autumn 2016
My 20 Trees and Me – Growing up Together Number of cattle ƄƄ Number of chickens Size of land farmed (acres) Calliandra = fodder, fuel, nitrogen fixing = soil fertility and better crop yields How many more trees do you plan to plant? ƄƄ Choice of tree to plant A Acrocarpus = very fast growing tree for fuelwood, shade, poles and soil improvement Choice of tree to plant B ƄƄ Choice of tree to plant C 0 5 1.2 10 Avocadoes Passion fruits Grafted mangoes 1 3 2.5 10 Cordia Croton Grafted mangoes 1 5 0.5 10 Avocadoes Passion fruits Grafted mangoes 1 2 0.5 15 Grevillea Calliandra Acrocarpus 1 18 1.5 100 Grevillea Calliandra Acrocarpus 1 5 0.5 30 Grevillea Acrocarpus Markhamia 2 10 3 100 Grevillea Vitex Cordia 2 7 2 20 Grevillea Avocadoes Mangoes 1 4 5 100 Grevillea Tree tomatoes Acrocarpus 5 40 2 50 Grevillea Calliandra Calliandra 2 4 0.4 20 Grevillea Croton Cordia Fruit trees for nutritious food and income from fruit sales Another part of the 20 Million Trees Campaign is My 20 Trees and Me – Growing up Together. This school greening project aims at nurturing Kenya’s tree planting and forest conservation culture, and involving young people over the duration of the 10 year campaign. The children from the first six schools selected are aged 7 or 8 this year. They will each plant 20 trees and take care of them with their class mates until they leave school. Photographs taken every year will show how the children and their trees are growing up together, and will provide an opportunity for them to tell their stories as their landscape gradually changes. Achievements so far The team have raised over 240,000 seedlings – both indigenous and agroforestry species. Six schools are participating in the ‘My 20 Trees and Me: Growing up Together’ initiative, and 350 group participants are actively involved in tending for the seedlings in nurseries. What has been hardest and how did you overcome the challenge? Julian says it’s been tricky getting to some of the remote areas due to poor roads, but thanks to some motorbikes – nothing stops them now! www.internationaltreefoundation.org 7
Page 1 and 2: International Tree Foundation Journ
Page 3 and 4: Foreword The convention in modern a
Page 5: In memory of Dorothy Freeland The l
Page 9 and 10: Global Trees Campaign Global Trees
Page 11 and 12: Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration
Page 13 and 14: A Group Photograph A Group Photogra
Page 15 and 16: Did you know? Forests across our pl
Page 17 and 18: Baker: founder Not a fantasy, but a
Page 19 and 20: of Konna and Borondougou. Furthermo
Page 21 and 22: Fruit-full Communities provides an
Page 23 and 24: Tanzania’s forests also provide o
Page 25 and 26: Tackling Food Poverty In a country
Page 28: AS WE’RE NEARING 100 YEARS OLD, I

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