Mazingira Day: Govt to deploy 15K NYS officers to boost tree planting
By David Nthua, October 10, 2025President William Ruto has reported that his government will boost tree planting countrywide through a joint effort between at least 15,000 National Youth Service officers and Kenya Forest Service officers.
Speaking during the commemoration of Mazingira Day at State House in Nairobi on Friday, October 10, 2025, Ruto said the move is part of an ambitious plan to increase tree cover and combat the effects of climate change.
Also watch: Ruto links tree planting to spiritual responsibility
The President, who was accompanied by First Lady Rachel Ruto, led the nation in tree planting to mark this year’s Mazingira Day.
He was ushered to the planting site by Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Forestry, Deborah Barasa and Chief Conservator of Forests Alex Lemarkoko.
Ruto said climate change remains a major threat that can only be tackled through proactive interventions such as forest restoration and sustainable tree growing.
He emphasised that tree conservation directly affects food production since water from forest catchments is vital for irrigation.
“To achieve our environmental goals, 15,000 NYS officers will work hand in hand with KFS officers to upscale the production of seedlings to at least two billion annually in all the 300 KFS nurseries,” the President said.
He added that 17 mega nurseries, each capable of producing 25 million seedlings, will also be established to accelerate the 15 billion tree growing campaign.
Why Kenya marked Mazingira Day
Mazingira Day is being marked countrywide under the whole government, whole society approach.
Government officials, including Cabinet Secretaries, Principal Secretaries, CEOs and other senior officers, returned to their former primary schools to spearhead the planting of fruit trees.
According to the Kenya Forest Service, the initiative also aims to involve young people in nurturing a culture of tree growing and environmental conservation.
Also watch: Kilifi County Government asks residents to plant fruit trees
Pupils from State House Primary School joined the President and First Lady in the planting exercise.
“It is expected that each school will plant at least 2,000 fruit seedlings with a target of planting over 100 million seedlings across 35,000 primary schools in the country,” KFS said in a statement.
The tree growing campaign will continue throughout the short rains season across the country, with KFS reaffirming its commitment to supporting the government’s 15 billion tree target to restore Kenya’s forest cover and secure a sustainable future.