Kenya planted 3.3 million trees on Saturday, October 10, 2026, as the country marked Mazingira Day, with officials reporting that the figure could rise further as additional data continues to come in.
An official from the State Department for Forestry, speaking during the national celebrations in Endebess, Trans Nzoia County, said the country had recorded 4.41 million trees planted during Mazingira Week alone, crediting the progress to public awareness campaigns and collaboration between the government, communities and the private sector.
“Yes, 3.3 million, just trees planted today. And the data is still coming in, for we’ve been monitoring what has been happening for this week, for Mazingira Week. Currently it’s at 4.41, just for this week only,” the official said.
The official expressed optimism that stronger public awareness and coordinated efforts across different sectors would help accelerate the country’s tree-growing campaign.
“With enlightened publicity and a lot of efforts, a whole-of-government, whole-of-society approach, even with the private sector, we’ll be able to achieve much, much more,” the official added.
The celebrations also marked a major milestone in the government’s tree-growing initiative, with the official announcing that Kenya had reached two billion trees on its national tree-tracking dashboard.
“Congratulations. Today we’ve just hit 2 billion,” the official announced.
According to the official, the digital platform has attracted more than 84,660 active users drawn from government agencies, the private sector and local communities, reflecting participation in the country’s environmental conservation efforts.
“As you can see, we continue to engage in citizens. We have over 84,660 active users; even in the innovation, this is from the government, from the private sector, and even from the community,” the official stated.
The platform has also been expanded to include information on tree nurseries, enabling citizens to identify suitable tree species for particular locations and find sources of seedlings.
The official said the system was designed to guide users on selecting the right species for the right site while helping them locate nurseries where appropriate seedlings are available.
The latest figures come as the government intensifies efforts to encourage tree growing as part of its ambitious target of growing 15 billion trees by 2032 to combat climate change, restore degraded landscapes and improve the country’s environmental sustainability.
The initiative brings together public institutions, private-sector players and local communities in a coordinated effort to increase tree-growing activities across the country.
The government is also relying on public sensitisation and digital tools to encourage participation and help citizens make informed decisions about tree species and planting sites.
With millions of trees reportedly planted during Mazingira Week and the national tracking dashboard reaching the two-billion milestone, officials are banking on sustained public participation and collaboration to advance the country’s long-term environmental conservation goals.
