International Day of Forests 2026: ASREP Marks 'Forests & Economies' at Oldonyiro
ASREP Africa marked the International Day of Forests 2026 at Raap Primary School in Oldonyiro, Isiolo County, under the theme 'Forests & Economies' — advancing the #WasoEcoChampsProject and its target of 200,000 trees by mid-2026 in support of Kenya's 15 Billion Trees directive.
ASREP Africa joined communities in Oldonyiro, Isiolo County, to mark the International Day of Forests 2026, held at Raap Primary School under the global theme **"Forests & Economies."** The commemoration brought pupils, community members, and partners together around a simple but urgent idea: healthy forests are not only ecological assets, they are the foundation of resilient local economies in Kenya's arid and semi-arid lands.
Forests as Economies
The "Forests & Economies" theme speaks directly to ASREP's approach in the drylands, where ecological restoration and livelihoods are inseparable. Trees in the ASALs are more than cover — they anchor soils, sustain grazing systems, and hold the potential for enterprise. Marking the day at a primary school placed the next generation at the centre of that message, connecting classroom learning to the landscapes their futures depend on.
Advancing the #WasoEcoChampsProject
The event advanced ASREP's flagship **#WasoEcoChampsProject**, which is working towards **200,000 trees by mid-2026**. The project pairs large-scale planting with the infrastructure to sustain it, including the **Kichaka Seedling Marketplace** and partnerships with community conservancies that keep restoration community-owned and economically productive rather than a one-off exercise.
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Subscribe to updates →By linking seedling supply, community stewardship, and local enterprise, the initiative is designed so that every tree established serves both ecological restoration and tangible community benefit.
Supporting Kenya's 15 Billion Trees Directive
ASREP's Oldonyiro commemoration contributes to Kenya's national **15 Billion Trees** directive, translating a country-wide ambition into locally-led action in one of Kenya's most climate-vulnerable regions. It reflects the organisation's conviction that national restoration targets are met community by community — through the participation, knowledge, and stewardship of the people who live closest to the land.
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