270,000 Seedlings planted in Loita Forest, Narok County

On April 9, 2026, the Government intensified its national reforestation efforts with the planting of 270,000 seedlings in Loita Forest, marking a significant milestone in the ongoing long rains tree-growing season under the #15BillionTrees initiative.

Cabinet Secretary for Defence, Hon. Soipan Tuya, accompanied by Forestry Principal Secretary Mr. Gitonga Mugambi, led ministry staff, local leadership, partners, and the Loita community in a mass tree-growing exercise aimed at restoring one of Kenya’s most important ecosystems.

Of the total seedlings established, 20,000 were planted on-site, while an additional 250,000 were dispersed through aerial seed balling conducted by the Kenya Air Force, demonstrating the Government’s commitment to leveraging innovation in landscape restoration.

Speaking during the exercise, CS Tuya emphasized the ecological and cultural significance of Loita Forest, describing it as a vital water catchment area, a biodiversity hotspot, and a heritage landscape preserved for generations by the local community. She commended the people of Loita for their longstanding stewardship, noting that their efforts exemplify how conservation and cultural values can successfully coexist.

She underscored that the protection of Loita Forest remains a national priority, particularly amid increasing pressures on land and natural resources. She reiterated that environmental conservation is integral to national security, warning that climate change, ecosystem degradation, and water scarcity pose significant risks to livelihoods and stability.

The tree-growing exercise forms part of Kenya’s ambitious 15 Billion Trees Initiative, a flagship programme aligned with the Government’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda. The initiative seeks to restore degraded landscapes, create green jobs, and strengthen climate resilience while positioning Kenya as a global leader in nature-based solutions.

CS Tuya also highlighted the critical role of the Kenya Defence Forces under the Environmental Soldier Programme, noting that the military has planted over 132 million trees in the past three years.

The use of aerial seedballing technology, developed by the Kenya Forestry Research Institute in collaboration with partners such as Seedballs Kenya, has enabled the scaling up of restoration in hard-to-reach areas, including Loita Forest and other arid and semi-arid regions.

In his remarks, PS Mugambi rallied the Loita community and stakeholders to scale up their efforts and surpass the annual target of 50 million seedlings. He emphasized that exceeding this target would significantly contribute to the national goal of growing 15 billion trees by 2032, calling for sustained collaboration, proper tree care, and community-driven stewardship to ensure long-term success.

The event brought together a wide range of stakeholders, including officials from the Kenya Forest Service led by Board Chairman Mr. Titus Korir, the 15 Billion Trees National Secretariat Coordinator Ms. Susan Boit, Secretary for Forest Development Mr. George Tarus, as well as representatives from national and county governments, development partners, academic institutions, and civil society organizations.