By Eddah Waithaka
The Kenya Forest Service (KFS) and Blue Focus Africa Limited today launched the inaugural African Champions of Trees (ACT) Awards, a major new initiative designed to recognize and accelerate the country’s ambitious drive to plant 15 billion trees.
Chief Conservator of Forests, Mr. Alex Lemarkoko, EBS, ‘NDC’ (K), unveiled the annual awards program in a ceremony at the KFS Headquarters in Karura.
He stated the awards will directly support President William Ruto’s national goal of achieving 30% tree cover by 2032.“The ACT Awards are not just a celebration of tree growing,” Lemarkoko declared.
“They are a powerful tool to foster environmental leadership, restore ecosystems, and build climate-resilient communities.”
The awards will formally honor individuals, communities, schools, and corporations for their outstanding achievements in tree growing, forest conservation, and protection during the 2024 calendar year.
The program will run annually through 2032, aligning with the national restoration strategy.Mr. Lemarkoko highlighted the critical role forests play in Kenya’s economy and environment.
He noted that the current forest cover stands at 8.83%, with a total tree cover of 12.13%. The sector contributes 3.6% to GDP and provides direct employment for up to 50,000 people.
“Forests and trees in Kenya constitute a major carbon sink, playing a monumental role in climate adaptation and mitigation,” he said.
The Chief Conservator explained that the awards will serve a dual purpose: celebrating success and generating valuable data to track initiatives and document lessons learned.
This platform for knowledge sharing is seen as vital for tackling the challenges of planting in diverse ecosystems, from mangroves to arid northern lands.
“The awards will spur increased tree growing on public, community, and private lands,” Lemarkoko said. “This will boost benefits for the Kenyan public by conserving biodiversity, improving water resources, and providing timber and non-timber products.”
The KFS has already grown over 846 million trees and fruit trees across the country through its network of 300 nurseries. The ACT Awards aim to significantly amplify these efforts by motivating broader public participation.
The ceremony concluded with a call to action. Mr. Lemarkoko urged all eligible entities to submit their entries through the official ACT Awards Kenya Launches African Champions of Trees Awards to Spur National Greening Effort
He also thanked corporate partners Tek Productions Ltd., Sense of Africa Limited, and the Royal Media Services Group for their support and encouraged more organizations to join the initiative.
