TRANSMARA Sugar has donated thousands of tree seedlings in aid of World Wetlands Day.
The company was invited by the National Environment Management Authority of Kenya (NEMA) to Enkongu Enkare wetland near Narosura in Narok South Sub County.
As part of the celebrations, 6,000 tree seedlings were planted on the day, of which 3,000 were donated by Transmara.
An annual event, World Wetlands Day is celebrated on the 2nd February every year.
It aims to raise national and global awareness about wetlands in order to reverse their rapid loss and encourage actions to conserve and restore them.
This year’s theme was ‘It’s Time for Wetlands Restoration’, highlighting the urgent need to prioritise wetland restoration.
The cabinet secretary for environment, climate change and forestry, Hon. Soipan Tuya, CBS, explained more during a speech at the event.
“This theme seeks to emphasise the need to restore our wetlands for livelihood support, carbon dioxide sequestration to mitigate climate change, sustainability of ecological services such as filter of silted water and a sustained source of clean water for domestic, wildlife, agricultural and industrial use,” she said. “Therefore, there is a need for all of us to account for the actions taken in conserving and managing wetlands at global, regional, national and local levels to reverse the continued loss of wetlands.”
Ruth Ommala, who attended the event on behalf of Transmara, said it was ‘important to raise local awareness’ about the role of the wetlands.
“Wetlands are critically important ecosystems that contribute to biodiversity, climate mitigation and adaptation, freshwater availability, world economies, and more,” she said. “And planting seedlings is in line with the government agenda of planting 15 billion trees in the next 10 years.”
Transmara is committed to sustainability and environmental responsibility and has contributed to several spring protection projects in the area, including in Empurkel, Kipakeri, Enooretet, Shankoe, Mapashi and Osinoni, as well as several rainwater harvesting projects in schools within Transmara West’s sub-county, Narok County.
