Tree Planting Day - Mombasa County

The Cabinet Secretary for Roads and Transport Hon Kipchumba Murkomen yesterday joined leaders and residents of Mombasa County to preside over the national tree planting exercise  by planting mangroves in Mikindani.
The Cabinet Secretary, together with the local leaders and area residents, planted over 30,000 mangrove trees in the Tudor Creek line with the National Tree Growing and restoration campaign's target to grow over 15 billion trees by 2032.
Mangroves are some of the best trees in combating climate change because they can remove carbon dioxide from the air and store it in the surrounding soils.
Mangroves,  with their intricate root system, also filter nitrates and phosphates, preventing pollutants from rivers and streams from reaching the sea. They also act as a natural barrier safeguarding inland waterways from encroaching sea water.
He said expanding the country's national tree cover was the best bet in mitigating the devastating effects of climate change. Trees regulate temperatures, store carbon, and maintain the ecological balance.
The CS said the tree planting initiative was a crucial step in achieving a 30 per cent national tree cover and combating climate change resonating with the National programme for Accelerated Forestry and Rangelands Restoration.
He said the Ministry of Roads had been given a target of planting 30 million trees during this financial year. He lauded the staff for having planted 431,000 trees during this financial year and urged them to take advantage of the onset of the rains to make strides to reach half of the Ministry's targeted number of tree to be planted by December 30th.
Present was the Principal Secretary for Transport Mr Mohamed Daghar, Mombasa Senator,  Mohamed Faki, and Jomvu MP Bady Twalib.