Kaptagat Forest conservation week kicks off with major restoration drive

After its launch ten years ago, the Kaptagat Integrated Conservation Programme (KICP) has emerged as a national benchmark for landscape restoration, showcasing how collaboration between government, communities and other stakeholders can restore degraded forests while improving local livelihoods.

The milestone celebrations officially got underway with a tree-growing exercise and the Kaptagat Cycling Challenge in the Kaptagat Forest, bringing together conservation partners and members of the local community

The exercise marked the beginning of a week-long programme commemorating the initiative’s 10th edition and reaffirmed the partners’ shared commitment to protecting one of Kenya’s most important forest ecosystems.

Since its inception, the programme has transformed forest restoration into a community-driven initiative, with local residents playing a central role in protecting and rehabilitating the Kaptagat Forest.

The collaborative model has attracted support from multiple stakeholders, making conservation a shared responsibility while delivering long-term environmental and socio-economic benefits.

Kaptagat Forest is one of Kenya’s critical water towers, safeguarding the headwaters of rivers that support communities, agriculture and industries across the North Rift region. The forest also serves as an important wildlife habitat, promotes biodiversity conservation, enhances carbon sequestration to mitigate climate change, protects fertile soils from erosion and contributes to the country’s target of achieving 30 per cent national tree cover by 2032.

Speaking during the cycling challenge, the KICP Patron, Treasury Principal Secretary Dr. Chris Kiptoo highlighted that the programme focuses on the pillar of forest conservation.

“We have about six forest blocks covering more than 20,000 hectares that we are committed to fully restoring,” he said.

“Working closely with the Kenya Forest Service, we are ensuring that every degraded area is rehabilitated through tree planting until the entire landscape is restored,” he added.

Following the cycling challenge, the anniversary celebrations will continue throughout the week with a series of conservation, community development and environmental awareness activities designed to showcase the programme’s achievements over the last ten years.

Organisers say the events will highlight the impact of collective action in restoring the Kaptagat Forest while reinforcing a shared vision of healthy ecosystems, resilient communities and sustainable livelihoods for future generations.

The 10th anniversary not only celebrates a decade of conservation gains but also positions the Kaptagat Integrated Conservation Programme as a replicable model for landscape restoration in Kenya, demonstrating that strong partnerships and community participation remain central to achieving lasting environmental sustainability.