NAIROBI, Kenya — The government has announced plans to plant 17.24 million trees during this year’s National Mazingira Week as Kenya intensifies efforts to restore forest cover and protect the environment.
Government Spokesperson Charles Owino said the target will be achieved through seven streams of tree-growing activities ahead of the national Mazingira Day celebrations on Saturday, October 10, 2026.
Speaking at the Kenya Forest Service Nairobi Conservancy Office on Monday, Owino said this year’s celebrations would move beyond ceremonial tree planting and encourage Kenyans to take practical environmental action in their homes, institutions, workplaces and communities.
“This year’s Mazingira Day is not simply a day on the calendar; it is a national call to action for environmental conservation,” Owino said.
He said the campaign would focus on restoring tree cover, cleaning up the environment and protecting water resources while improving soil health, supporting wildlife and promoting a sustainable future.
The national theme for this year’s celebrations is “Our Environment, Our Responsibility: Collective Action for Tree Growing and Environmental Stewardship.”
Owino said the theme calls on national and county governments, communities, development partners, the private sector and civil society to work together in growing and protecting trees.
The initiative forms part of Kenya’s wider target of planting 15 billion trees by 2032.
Citizens have also been encouraged to plant and nurture trees, protect existing forests, clean neighbourhoods and public spaces, restore degraded land, protect rivers and wetlands, dispose of waste responsibly and reduce pollution.
“Kenyans, don’t just talk about the environment; do something for it!” Owino said.
Six Sector Days Planned
The government has lined up six sector-focused activities during the week preceding the national celebrations.
They include Mazingira Education Institution Day on Tuesday, Mine Site Restoration Day on Wednesday, Highway Greening and Drainage Cleanup on Thursday and Mazingira Cleanup Day across all 47 counties on Friday.
National Mazingira Day activities will be implemented through three main layers: the Presidential Green Challenge, village-level tree planting and institutional planting.
Trans Nzoia To Host National Event
Trans Nzoia County will host this year’s national Mazingira Day celebrations, with the Kenya Forest Service and Community Forest Associations leading tree-planting activities.
The Presidential Green Challenge will target 5.1 million trees at 79 sites across 31 counties, with an estimated 51,115 community members expected to participate.
At village level, 77,252 village elders across 30 counties will lead the planting of 100 trees each, targeting approximately 7.7 million trees.
The Kenya Prisons Service will plant one million trees across 68 correctional facilities, while the National Youth Service will target 1.5 million trees following the passing-out of its servicemen and women.
The Ministry of Defence will also mobilise military units to support tree-growing activities around their areas of operation.
Schools, Colleges Included
Educational institutions will also form a significant part of the tree-growing campaign.
The government has set a target of one million trees in Technical and Vocational Education and Training institutions, 640,000 trees in basic education institutions and 400,000 trees in higher education institutions.
Owino said the government intends to make the tree-growing programme an annual exercise, stressing that environmental conservation requires sustained participation beyond a single national event.
He said the government wants to see forests restored, rivers and water towers protected and landscapes made more productive for future generations.
“We must ensure that our forests are restored, our rivers and water towers are protected, our landscapes are productive, and our children inherit a healthy, productive environment,” Owino said.
