TREES FOR LIFE

TREES for LIFE  is a really important thing, not only here on the coast. We know that trees perform a variety of tasks that are vital to us humans. Here on the south coast of Kenya the themes are “microclimate”, “stop soil erosion” and provide natural shade. It is therefore of great importance, also to compensate (at least partially) for deforestation, to re-grow trees so that interested planters can buy young plants/young trees at all. The Kenyan government has officially ordered a logging stop, every tree to be felled must be approved. It is obvious that such well-intentioned regulations are constantly being circumvented, especially here in Kenya. We are therefore of the opinion that we are doing the best if we take care of the “new breed of trees”, because in fact there are people interested in the young trees, including the government, which also buys them up and usually gives them to farmers for free. In the focus of our interest are the following tree species.

COCOSPALM: Coconuts are not only a tasty delicacy to eat but also very versatile. For example, we make native cold-pressed coconut oil and coconut fat from it. Just as important for the inhabitants here on the coast is the use of “grated” coconut pulp, which we also use to produce fresh coconut milk (e.g. for curries). Coconut palms are in demand because they grow undemanding and produce a good quantity of nuts every year. In addition, coconut palms are not in season but produce all year round. The quality and ripening time depends on the weather conditions.

CITRUS TREES: Since we already have a large number of citrus fruit trees, it is quite easy for us to produce new young plants. But you have to approach the topic of “grafting” very carefully and with expertise. It takes trained people to carry out the grafting of the mother plants (either lemon or lime). We are currently grafting grapefruit and orange trees, as there is a sustained local demand for them and it makes sense, as the trees can thrive quite well here, provided they are cared for carefully. In addition, the fruit trees can also provide the local population with an income if they plant it.

We are also planning to offer other tree species in order to promote plant and tree diversity locally.