Olkaria Givers “Green” Eburru Forest with 1,000 Indigenous Trees.
More than 60 Olkaria staff joined hands with the KenGen Foundation to plant 1,000 indigenous tree seedlings at Eburru Forest, Naivasha on 22 November as part of the on-going Employee Giver Initiative engagements in KenGen’s Corporate Social Investment activities.
Led by Olkaria’s Snr. Environmental Scientist Philip Barasa, the power plant’s Assistant HR Manager Bethwel Ogwayo, and the Foundation’s Ag. Managing Trustee Anthony Igecha, the Givers were joined by staff from the Kenya Forest Service, and the local community in the afforestation exercise.
“As a company, this is a great step in increasing the country’s forest cover even as we continue with geothermal exploration in the area”, said Philip Barasa.
“It is imperative that we safeguard our environment especially Eburru Forest as the company expands its operation in the area”, he added.
READ: Tree Planting and Grand Send Off for Retirees at Kipevu Power Plant
The Eburru Forest comprises 8,715.3 hectares of prime indigenous forest area contained within the steep hills, deep valleys and rolling foothills of Mount Eburru. It is one of the 22 gazetted forest blocks that comprise the Mau Forests Complex water tower. KenGen has a 2.5 MW geothermal power plant in the area.
Assistant HR Manager Bethwel Ogwayo proposed that the Givers adopt the forest to ensure continued monitoring and nurturing of the trees.
“An annual event to plant trees in the forest will guarantee that our efforts are sustainable in the long run”, he said.
READ MORE: Ngong Hills Environmental Cleanup Kicks Off Giving Season
The forest features a broad variety of indigenous tree species, such as African cherry and African pencil cedar, among others. The forest is recognized as a hotspot for birdlife within the greater Mau Forests Complex. It is home to over 40 species of mammals, including the critically endangered mountain bongo antelope, of which about 10% of its population known to exist in the wild, are thought to survive in the forest.
Interestingly, a lone Ogiek homestead stands close to the 15-kilometer fence put up to protect the 87-kilometre forest and its inhabitants. It is the only home given access to utilize the forest resource for subsistence use.
Ag. Managing Trustee Anthony Igecha thanked the Givers for showing up despite the short notice and assured them of continued engagement in other projects touching on the Foundation’s three pillars of Environment, Education, Water and Sanitation.
Organized by the KenGen Foundation, the Eburru Forest tree planting exercise follows an earlier afforestation done at Kipevu Power Plant and an environmental cleanup carried out at Ngong Hills Power Station.
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