The realization that climate change is impacting negatively on development is a wakeup call for the individuals and organizations to start adaptation and mitigation initiatives. Sinking carbon from the atmosphere has been identified as a sure way to reduce global warming resulting from the unwanted industrial gases such as carbon and methane.
PELUM-Kenya being an advocacy network has been actively following up international discussions and agreements reached in relation to climate change. One such agreement concerns an all inclusive increase in level of carbon sink by planting trees. The Kenyan government rolled out an initiative to ensure a 10% forest cover on Kenyan lands in support of this agreement. This is in an effort to restore the forest cover that has reduced to unacceptable levels for sustaining wet lands in Kenya.
The members working with PELUM-Kenya identified need to address issues on climate change as paramount to promoting ecological land use and management. The activity on growing 1 million tree is one in many proposed to address issues of climate change by PELUM-Kenya. Note that it is not planting but growing trees.
The objective is to increase tree coverage for protection and resuscitation of wetlands and contribute in raising the water table. Through the initiative PELUM-Kenya will enhance participation in the government proposal to establish 10% forest cover in Kenya.
So far we have started awareness campaigns on the need for all members to participate in the campaign.
We have established a data base to monitor progress where members give updates on monthly basis.
We set aside small funding to support in the tree seedlings acquisition and planting during PELUM-Kenya major events and have so far planted 993,088 tree seedlings .
The major challenge has been the inadequate funding to purchase one million indigenous tree seedlings. For Ksh. 300 ($3.75) we are able to purchase 10 indigenous tree seedlings. We call upon all those interested in supporting this worthy cause to support in the purchase of seedlings to meet this 1 million tree campaign.
