Thousands of trees reduce Kenya airports’ carbon footprint

Staff of the Kenya Airport Authority (KAA) yesterday planted over 200 tree seedlings at a select site of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi together with other organizations working

Staff of the Kenya Airport Authority (KAA) yesterday planted over 200 tree seedlings at a select site of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi together with other organizations working at the airport. The activity was co-underwritten by the Vision 2030 Secretariat.

The tree planting at JKIA follows similar tree-planting measures undertaken in the past at, among others, Eldoret International Airport where KAA has over a period of time planted over 6,000 eucalyptus trees.


The choice of trees is not entirely free of dispute as several conservationists pointed out to this correspondent: “Eucalyptus is not an indigenous tree species. It grows fast but it also absorbs a lot of water. As a forestry expert, I would have preferred to see KAA and others participating in tree planting to have used indigenous species, preferably hard-wood species. However, I cannot fault KAA for the principle of tree planting which deserves broad support from all sections of Kenya’s corporate sector and civil society,” wrote in one but preferred not to be named.

It was also learned overnight that KAA will embark on a similar tree-planting campaign at the Kitale airstrip and the new Isiolo airport which is due to become operational before the middle of the year.

Again, here too, forestry experts have suggested that the choice of trees to be planted be considered carefully and mainly be indigenous trees found in the particular area be used.

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Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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