The government has announced plans to plant 17.24 million trees during this year’s National Mazingira Week.
Government Spokesperson Charles Owino said the trees will be planted through seven streams as part of activities leading to the National Mazingira Day celebrations on Saturday, October 10, 2026.
In a statement issued on Monday at the Kenya Forest Service Nairobi Conservancy Office, Owino said this year’s celebrations would go beyond a ceremonial tree-planting exercise and instead mobilise Kenyans to take practical 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 was aimed at restoring tree cover, cleaning up the environment and protecting water resources, while contributing to healthier soils, thriving wildlife and a sustainable future.
The national theme for this year is “Our Environment, Our Responsibility: Collective Action for Tree Growing and Environmental Stewardship.”
Owino said the theme was a call to the national and county governments, communities, development partners, private sector and civil society to take collective responsibility for growing and protecting trees as Kenya works towards its target of 15 billion trees by 2032.
Citizens have been encouraged to plant and nurture trees, protect existing forests, clean neighbourhoods and public spaces, restore degraded areas, 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.
The government has lined up six sector days during the week ahead of the national celebrations. These include Mazingira Education Institution Day on Tuesday, Mine Site Restoration Day on Wednesday, Highway Greening and Drainage Cleanup on Thursday and Mazingira Cleanup Day in all 47 counties on Friday.
National Mazingira Day will be organised under three layers, including the Presidential Green Challenge, village-level tree planting and institutional planting.
The Presidential Green Challenge will target 5.1 million trees at 79 sites across 31 counties, with 51,115 community members expected to participate.
Trans Nzoia County will host the national event, with the Kenya Forest Service and Community Forest Associations leading the tree planting.
At the village level, 77,252 village elders across 30 counties will lead the planting of 100 trees each, targeting about 7.7 million trees.
The Kenya Prisons Service will plant one million trees across 68 correctional facilities, while the National Youth Service will plant 1.5 million trees after the passing-out of its servicemen and women.
The Ministry of Defence will also mobilise military units to support tree planting around their areas of operation.
Other targets include one million trees in Technical and Vocational Education and Training institutions, 640,000 in basic education institutions and 400,000 in higher education institutions.
Owino said the government intends to continue the programme annually, stressing that environmental conservation should be treated as a responsibility shared by the government, society and individual citizens.
“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,” he said.
