News: ASSETS Beneficiaries Giving Back to Nature

Around 65 volunteers gathered at the Arabuko-Sokoke Forest for a tree planting event being staged by the ASSETS programme in conjunction with several local organisations.

The event was attended by A Rocha Kenya staff and volunteers, students from Mijomboni Primary School, several Kenya Wild life Service rangers, a group of Community Scouts, Kenya Forest Research Institute representatives, the head forester and a number of ASSETS parents. Indigenous tree seedlings, such as Afzelia Quanzensis (Mahogany Bean, Mbambakofi - Swahili) and Manilkara Zanzibarensis were selected for planting. These slow-growing species will replace those trees that have been cleared from the forest. Many ASSETS families have successfully established wood lots with fast-growing exotic tree species. By encouraging local communities to plant exotic trees in their own farms to use as timber and fuel-wood rather than cutting down the indigenous trees in the forest, they can help to conserve the forest.

The tree planting began with 500 seedlings. As the volunteers made their way into the forest from the Arabuko-Sokoke Swamp, the trees were planted along the trail and in the clearings. Before long, the supply of seedlings was exhausted but the truck soon returned with 250 more, as well as fresh recruits to help plant them. Several large clearings were found and the planting got under way once again.

With a total of 750 tree seedlings planted and speeches given from representatives of each of the volunteer groups present, the morning drew to a close. On the way back, a stop-off was made at the ASSETS tree platform for a birds-eye view over the swamp from the top of the large baobab tree.

By Sarah Young, A Rocha Kenya Volunteer