The surging population ,uncontrolled development,unplanned settlements,poor farming practices,Charcoal burnin
g,illegal logging /lumbering etc.All these factors lead to environmental degradation.In fact,with this comes th
e erosion of native vegetation that is by a big margin ,contributing to extinction.Some native trees in Kenya to be
specific are important to the local communities be it for medicinal,food,shelter ,wildlife/l
ivestock forage and economic value.
At the Oreteti Indigenous Tree Center ,we are taking the initiative to research ,document ,collect seeds and find a way of rescuing these tree species.It is through it that we then germinate or use other ways to get seedlings for subsequent propagation.We intend to work on 50 species of critically endangered trees in the days to come.Over the last few months ,there has been successful addition of Gardenia ternefolia (suitable for wetlands,medicinal),Acacia Senegal(source of valuable gums and resins),Acacia eliator(wetland conservation,Raphia africana(wetlands) .The tree nursery has expanded to the capacity to 15,000 seedlings, all purely indigenous.The work of producing the seedlings of trees namely :Mellia volkensii,Dombeya torrida,Acacia seyal and a number of important shrubs and plants like Grewia Villosa,Grewia bicholor,Grewia Similis etc., is ongoing. All this, is geared towards making the work of Osinoni and partners easy in efforts restoration of wetlands and rangelands .
Follow our journey as we fight extinction ,enhance restoration of indigenous trees/plants for benefit our ecosystems and communities!