The second Mt Elgon Day took place at Kaberwa Forest Station in Bungoma County.
The government plans to restore degraded forest and farmland, improve land management and support 60,000 people across the Mt Elgon ecosystem.
The government has committed to a Mt Elgon restoration programme targeting 10,000 hectares of degraded forest and farmland. The 10-year initiative also aims to improve land management across 50,000 hectares and directly benefit 60,000 people.
The Mt Elgon Integrated Conservation and Livelihood Improvement Programme (ICLIP) combines environmental protection with support for community livelihoods. It forms part of wider government efforts to promote sustainable forest management around the ecosystem.
Officials highlighted the commitment during the second Mt Elgon Day at Kaberwa Forest Station in Bungoma County. Secretary for Administration Patrick Meso presided over the celebrations, representing Environment, Climate Change and Forestry Cabinet Secretary Deborah Barasa.
Mt Elgon restoration links conservation and livelihoods
The State Department for Forestry said the programme rests on four pillars. These cover environmental restoration, sustainable livelihoods, knowledge and learning, and protection of indigenous knowledge and cultural heritage.
The FAO-GEF-7 Integrated Landscape Management Project supports the initiative, which also seeks to improve livelihoods around the ecosystem. This links sustainable forest management with the economic needs of neighbouring communities.
Meanwhile, the commemorations focused on Mt Elgon’s ecological, cultural and economic importance under a theme of heritage and shared responsibility. The Forestry Department identified the mountain as one of Kenya’s five water towers, supporting millions of people.
Its water catchments, biodiversity and extensive river systems underpin that importance, the department said. These rivers include the Nzoia, Malakisi, Kuywa and Suam.
Bungoma records 20.6 million trees since 2022
The government also highlighted progress towards its national goal of achieving 30 per cent tree cover by 2032. Bungoma County has recorded approximately 20.6 million trees since 2022, against a 10-year target of about 193.8 million.
Alongside those targets, the Forestry Department urged communities and Community Forest Associations to help protect and restore Mt Elgon. It also called for participation from county governments, development partners, women and young people.
Officials encouraged stakeholders to include restoration priorities in county development plans and invest in nature-based enterprises. They also urged support for sustainable livelihoods that contribute to conservation.
The government said stronger community participation and sustainable economic activities would help safeguard Mt Elgon’s natural heritage for future generations.
