Egerton University partners with the National Environment Complaints Committee and Hindu Religious & Service Centre in tree planting

The National Environment Complaints Committee (NECC) Chairman DrJustryNyaberi, Committee Secretary, Dr John Chumo, and members of the Hindu Religious & Service Centre (HRSC) Mr Jayaram Ankala, Mr Nitin Shah and Ms Diva Shah on 14 October held a meeting with Vice-Chancellor Professor Isaac Kibwage.

During the meeting held at Main Campus in Njoro, the Director Marketing and Resource Mobilization Prof. Paul Kimurto, Director, International Linkages and Career Services and Njoro River Rehabilitation Project Coordinator Prof. Charles M’Erimba, and the Dean Faculty of Environment and Resources Prof. Wilkister Moturi.

The meeting was the first meeting held with Egerton University, and its agenda was to seek ways of partnering in environmental conservation, as embedded in our core values “Passion for environmental conservation.”

The Vice-Chancellor Prof. Isaac Kibwage (fifth from left) poses for a group photo with Egerton University staff members, members from the National Environmental Complaints Committee (NECC) and the Hindu Religious & Service Centre (HRSC) after a meeting on environmental conservation held at Main Campus. From the left are Dr John Chuma Secretary (NECC) Prof. Paul Kimurto, Director Marketing & Resource Mobilization, Dr Justry Nyaberi, Chairman (NECC), Prof. Charles M’Erimba, Director International Linkages & Career Services and Coordinator, Njoro River Rehabilitation Project, the Vice-Chancellor Prof Isaac Kibwage, Ms Divya Shah (HRSC) Prof. Wilkister Moturi, Dean Environment and Resources Development, Mr Mr Jayaram Ankala, and Mr Nitin Shah from HRSC.

“Over the years, we have engaged with local communities in conserving the Mau Ecosystem and rehabilitation of Njoro River. Within our Main Campus, we have two tree nurseries nurtured by our staff members, and we are also at the forefront in ensuring high tree coverage in our campus,” said the Vice-Chancellor.

“As part of our performance contract with the government, we have included the aspect of environmental conservation as part of our deliverables,” added Prof. Kibwage.

Dr Nyaberi, the Chairman of NECC said that the Ministry of Environment tasked his organization to contribute to the country’s target of 10% forest cover by partnering with other organizations in tree planting activities.

“We have so far partnered with the National Environmental Management Authority and others. We have also partnered with three institutions in Nakuru County. These are Kabarak University, Kenya Prisons Service-Nakuru and now Egerton University,” said Dr Nyaberi.

We planted 10,000 tree seedlings each with Kabarak University and the Kenya Prisons Service-Nakuru, and now with Egerton University, we plan on growing the same amount of tree seedlings in November,” added the Chairman of NECC.

Dr John Chumo, the Secretary to NECC, called for more collaboration in sharing research findings from the University in areas such as water quality of specified water bodies.

Mr Jayaram Ankala from the HRSC said that his organization had planted over 50,000 trees in Nandi and Nakuru Counties in the last three months. He welcomed the partnership with Egerton University and called for every staff and student to plant at least one tree seedling every year.

The Director of International Linkages and Career Services, Prof. Charles M’Erimba, said that through the Njoro River Rehabilitation Project, the University had planted over 20,000 tree seedlings at Entiyani in Narok and along the banks of the Njoro River.

The Dean Environment and Resources Development Prof. Wilkister Moturi welcomed the partnership, adding that there was already a well-established culture of planting trees and participating in environmental conservation efforts in her faculty.

The Director, Marketing and Resource Mobilization, Prof. Paul Kimurto,who organized the meeting between the three institutions, said that the University will mobilize resources to ensure that the target set for November tree planting will be met.

“ Theorganizers of the tree planting session in November will buy 10,000 seedlings from the University’s nursery at the cost of Ksh. 20 per seedling earning the Faculty of Environment and Resources Development Ksh. 200,000. Through the Chief Conservator of Forests, we will get an additional supply on indigenous tree seedlings,” said Prof. Kimurto.