Kenya Forest Service Launches African Champions of Trees Awards to Spur Tree Growing and Conservation
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By James Nyaigoti,
Kenya Forest Service (KFS), in partnership with Blue Focus Africa Limited, has launched the inaugural African Champions of Trees (ACT) Awards, an initiative designed to recognize and celebrate individuals, groups, and institutions championing tree growing and forest conservation across Kenya.
The awards, unveiled today in Nairobi, will acknowledge outstanding achievements made in 2024 and will run annually until 2032, in line with Kenya’s ambitious goal of achieving 30% national tree cover. According to KFS, the awards will not only celebrate success but also generate critical data, track initiatives, and document lessons to strengthen knowledge and experience sharing in environmental management.
Speaking during the launch, officials noted that the ACT Awards will play a vital role in supporting the National Landscape and Ecosystem Restoration Strategy, which seeks to grow 15 billion trees and restore 10 million hectares of degraded land. These efforts are expected to deliver wide-ranging benefits, including biodiversity conservation, improved water security, carbon sequestration, and the provision of timber, poles, fuelwood, and non-timber products.
“These Awards are not just a celebration of tree growing; they are a powerful tool to foster environmental leadership, restore ecosystems, and build climate-resilient communities,” said a communications officer from the Kenya Forest Service.
Kenya currently has a forest cover of 8.83% and a tree cover of 12.13%. Forests contribute about 3.6% of the national GDP, directly employing up to 50,000 people and indirectly supporting as many as 600,000. More than 80% of Kenya’s energy needs are met through fuelwood, underscoring the crucial role of tree planting in sustaining livelihoods and national energy security.
So far, KFS has grown 846 million trees and fruit trees across the country, supported by over 300 nurseries producing seedlings adapted to different climatic zones. Community Forest Associations have also been instrumental, transforming their livelihoods by combining plantation establishment with food crop production.
The ACT Awards will cover eight categories, encompassing individuals, schools, communities, corporates, and other entities that have made significant contributions to tree planting and conservation. Organizers emphasized that the initiative seeks to create awareness, recognize best practices, and promote sustainable tree-growing models adaptable to diverse ecosystems, including arid and semi-arid lands.
“When we bring together all those making efforts on the ground—whether planting mangroves along the coast or trees in drylands—we not only capture valuable data but also create a platform for sharing experiences and inspiring more action,” added the KFS officer.
The initiative also aligns with Kenya’s Vision 2030, the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda, and global frameworks such as the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
KFS urged individuals, groups, and institutions to submit their entries through the official website, www.actawards.org, and called on more corporates to support the program. So far, Tek Productions Ltd., Sense of Africa Limited, and Royal Media Services have joined as partners.
The awards, officials noted, are expected to transform landscapes, strengthen climate resilience, and rally citizens behind President William Ruto’s call to plant 15 billion trees by 2032.
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