By Monica Nashon
Speaking during World Environment Day celebrations at Kisii Comprehensive School, engineering student Byron Odhiambo said students have taken up the responsibility of promoting environmental conservation through tree planting and awareness campaigns.
Young environmental conservationists from Kisii National Polytechnic have called for increased support to sustain tree-planting initiatives aimed at restoring and protecting the environment.
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“We are greening ambassadors, and we give back to the environment. We want to nurture our environment and keep it clean and green so that we can make it better,” he said.
Odhiambo urged members of the public to join the campaign and support efforts to protect the environment for future generations.
“We want more people to come on board and join us in this initiative,” he added.
He noted that one of the major challenges facing the programme is climate change, particularly prolonged dry spells that affect the survival of newly planted trees.
“For example, we plant trees and there is no rain for some time, so the trees end up drying up,” he explained.
The student also highlighted financial constraints, especially in the management and maintenance of tree nurseries.
“If we can get support for our nurseries and have people helping to take care of them when we are not around, it will help us continue with the programme,” he said.
His remarks were echoed by the institution’s Greening Champion, Tabitha Nchobera, who said Kisii National Polytechnic remains committed to supporting the government’s environmental conservation agenda.
She revealed that the institution has already met its annual performance contracting target of 14,900 trees and is now working towards a new target of 30,000 trees set by the Ministry of Environment.
“We have already planted 4,000 trees at Otacho Forest in Migori County, and today we have donated another 3,500 seedlings to Kisii Comprehensive School,” she said.
Nchobera noted that the college has established a tree nursery where students propagate indigenous, exotic, and fruit tree seedlings.
“We have young people who help us propagate seedlings and keep our environment green,” she said.
While acknowledging the support provided by the institution’s management, she called on partners and well-wishers to provide financial support to help scale up the initiative.
“If we get partners to support us financially, we will be able to produce more seedlings and expand our conservation efforts,” she said.
