what we do
Highland & Catchment Forest Restoration
Twende Green Planet is expanding beyond the coast: in partnership with the Kenya Forest Service (KFS) and local Community Forest Associations, we are gearing towards adopting a section of degraded highland or water-tower catchment forest under Kenya’s national Adopt-a-Forest model, the same government-backed programme that has already restored over 44,000 hectares nationwide through 90+ partner organisations, at roughly 80% survival to maturity.
We work with KFS to identify a degraded forest reserve or water-tower catchment in need of restoration, and sign a formal Memorandum of Understanding setting out the site, species and reporting commitments.
- Site selection with KFS, in degraded reserves and water-tower catchments
- Formal MoU between Twende Green Planet, KFS and the local Community Forest Association
- Species selection matched to the site, typically cedar, cypress and indigenous olive
- Community Forest Association engagement and training
Once a site and MoU are confirmed, planting is delivered through community-run nurseries and coordinated with Kenya’s planting seasons, the same on-the-ground delivery model behind our blue carbon restoration work.
- Community-run tree nurseries for seedling production
- Site clearing and pit preparation
- Coordinated planting timed to the long and short rains
- Electric fencing and water access where the site requires it
- Baseline site mapping and photographic record
Kenya Forest Service considers three years of funded aftercare the point at which young trees are established enough to survive without intensive support, and it is the single biggest reason the Adopt-a-Forest model outperforms less structured planting efforts.
- Minimum three-year funded care commitment
- Routine weeding, replacement planting and fire-break maintenance
- Survival monitoring against KFS’s benchmark of roughly 80% survival to maturity
- Transparent reporting on hectares, tree counts and survival rate
- Site visits open to funders and partners
The model is designed so the community benefits from the forest while it grows, not only once it matures, which is what makes local stewardship durable.
- Income from seedling sales into the programme
- Permitted intercropping of food crops (excluding maize) between young trees
- Limited, replanting-linked firewood and timber harvesting once trees mature
- Local employment in nurseries and planting seasons
- Skills training in nursery management and forest stewardship
What a Forest Adoption Includes
From Seedling to Standing Forest
A full adoption commitment, delivered with KFS and the local Community Forest Association, includes:
Clearing and maintaining fire breaks that protect young stands through Kenya’s dry seasons.
Season-by-season survival counts against KFS’s benchmark of roughly 80% of trees reaching maturity.
Community-run nurseries producing indigenous and commercial seedlings: cedar, cypress and native olive.
Planting timed to the long and short rains, on sites selected jointly with KFS and the local Community Forest Association.
Why This Works
Built on Kenya’s Own Adopt-a-Forest Model
We are not proposing something new. We are adopting a proven, government-backed model that has already restored over 44,000 hectares nationwide through more than 90 partner organisations.
- Government-backed: delivered in formal partnership with Kenya Forest Service
- Community-owned: local Community Forest Associations lead implementation and share in the benefits
- Verified: roughly 80% survival to maturity, against under 50% for less structured planting
- Transparent: site data, tree counts and survival rates reported to every partner and funder
Why This Works
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a KFS Adopt-a-Forest partnership commit us to?
A minimum three-year funding commitment for site preparation, planting and aftercare: the point at which Kenya Forest Service considers young trees established enough to survive without intensive support.
Who selects the site, and who owns the land?
Kenya Forest Service selects the site, typically a degraded forest reserve or water-tower catchment, and works with the local Community Forest Association throughout. The land remains public forest estate; Twende Green Planet funds and coordinates restoration, we don’t acquire land.
How much does it cost to adopt a section of forest?
Kenya’s Adopt-a-Forest programme costs roughly USD 0.15 per tree, covering seedlings, community-run nurseries, electric fencing and water access. We are scoping a starter commitment with KFS and will publish an exact costed proposal, including target acreage, once a site is confirmed.
What species get planted?
KFS identifies species suited to each site, commonly cedar, cypress and indigenous olive in highland catchments, chosen for both survival and long-term ecological and community value.
How do we know the trees actually survive?
KFS reports roughly 80% of trees planted under the Adopt-a-Forest model reach maturity, against under 50% for less structured planting efforts. We report survival data transparently to funders and partners, the same standard we hold our blue carbon restoration sites to.
How does this connect to Twende Green Planet’s blue carbon work?
This is a deliberate expansion beyond the coast: mangroves and seagrass sequester carbon fastest, but Kenya’s highland and catchment forests protect the water towers feeding the rivers that reach the Indian Ocean. It restores both ends of the same system, and gives partners a second, well-established restoration model alongside blue carbon.
