Intrepid to plant 20,000 trees as part of Kenya reforestation plan

A plan to reforest 15 acres of land in Kenya with 20,000 trees has been outlined by Intrepid Travel.

The adventure operator has received a licence from the Kenya Forest Service for the planting, supporting local efforts to achieve a Kenyan government goal of adding 15 billion trees by 2032.

The Mau Forest initiative aims to help combat biodiversity loss and climate change in the region using native saplings provided by NGO Rhino Arc.

Travellers on selected Intrepid trips in East Africa will be able to visit the site to learn more about the historical context contributing to the degradation and then plant a tree or water one, helping to maintain the saplings and contribute to the ecosystem they explore on their trip. 

The Mau Forest provides water to the western part of Kenya. It is also an important contributor to the Maasai Mara Game Reserve and the Serengeti National Park because the Mara River, which flows through these wildlife reserves, arises from the forest.

Intrepid plans to plant 5,000 trees each season to reach its target of 20,000.

East Africa general manager Samuel Karani said: “Kenya’s rich biodiversity is a vital part of the African and global ecosystem.

“We can enjoy all it has to offer but we also have an obligation to protect and preserve this land.

“Our custodianship of these 15 acres is just the beginning – we have already planted over 4, 000 trees on the way to achieving our target and we hope to continue planting beyond that 20,000-tree goal.”

EMEA head of impact Rochelle Turner added: “As a purpose-led business, we see impact KPIs as being just as important as profit-related ones. And we need to protect the resources that all travel, and life, depend on. This project is the first of 10 nature-related projects in our 2030 strategy.”