GARISSA county commissioner Mohamed Mwabudzo has warned against charcoal burning and the illegal tree logging in the county, noting that action will be taken against the perpetrators.
Mwabudzo, who spoke during the celebrations of the International Day of Forestry at County High School, said the government will not relent on charcoal burning and logging until the forest cover is improved to mitigate the effects of climate change in the area.
“Charcoal burning and tree logging is banned as far as we are concerned. We have a challenge with enforcement but we will discuss in detail the techniques that would ensure that these activities do not thrive or continue,” Mwabudzo said.
“I am also encouraging the deputy county commissioners across the county to ensure that there is no charcoal burning in their respective sub counties and that a tough action will be taken against anyone found burning or transporting charcoal in this county,” he added.
The county commissioner further led different stage agencies including the county government officials, the Kenya Defence Forces, Kenya Forest Service, Nema and a host of non-governmental organisations in planting over 2000 tree seedlings in line with President William Ruto’s directive to plant 15 billion trees by 2032.
He further noted that the county had initiated different programmes, including the Chiefs Climate Action held monthly, aiming to increase forest cover and harmonise agricultural practices with forest conservation by integrating trees into farming systems.
This year’s International Day of Forestry is themed, “Forests and Food” and serves as a clarion call for collective action to encourage practices that allow for the collection of forest products without compromising ecosystem health and raise awareness about the importance of forests in our food systems and the need for their preservation.
The country needs to plant 1.5 billion trees each year to meet the 15 billion target in 10 years. Statistics from the state show that the forest cover increased from 5.9 per cent in 2018 to 8.83 per cent in 2021.
