The past quarter, we continued to implement our TerraFund for the AFR100 project. The project’s story has been one of growth. Growth of partnerships, of seedlings, and community resolve to restore Laikipia’s landscapes.
In April, the “Shika Adabu” area in Nanyuki (part of Nanyuki’s riparian) saw over 10,000 tree seedlings planted through a joint effort by the Laikipia Wildlife Forum (LWF), the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF), local administrators, and community members. Working through the Plantation Establishment and Livelihoods Improvement Scheme (PELIS), LWF has been fostering a shared sense of ownership among community members and institutional partners. The result is not just trees in the ground, but a growing local movement committed to stewarding Laikipia’s forest ecosystems.
Team LWF and members of the Kenya Defence Forces plant a seedling at the Shika Adabu site in Nanyuki Riparian, a strong display of partnership in action under the TerraFund for AFR100 project
Also along the Nanyuki River, LWF partnered with the Nanyuki Green Champions and Ng’arisha Mtaa for a series of restoration activities. These included planting 3,000 indigenous seedlings and 800 bamboo seedlings over four weeks. Bamboo, particularly Giant Bamboo, plays a vital role in water purification and bank stabilisation, critical to the health of the river and its downstream users.
At the Likii River riparian area, another 10,000 seedlings were planted in April. This activity, carried out in collaboration with KDF, Kariki Farm, County government, and community groups, builds on previous restoration efforts at the site. Notably, 200 avocado seedlings were also planted as part of a broader effort to integrate livelihoods into restoration.
This quarter, the majority of seedlings planted across all sites came from community-run nurseries supported by LWF. The availability of high-quality seedlings, timed with the March–April rains, was a quiet but crucial success that underpinned the season’s tree growing efforts.
Beyond the numbers, this marks a shift: restoration is increasingly being powered by the community, for the community. Groups including Nanyuki Green Champions have taken ownership using simple innovations such as “vesting” to protect young trees from livestock. The result is higher survival rates and stronger local buy-in.
In June, LWF hosted a team from the World Resources Institute (WRI) as part of a project monitoring visit. The visit focused on validating implementation progress, engaging directly with community members, and gathering insights to inform future restoration efforts. Their feedback reaffirmed the importance of LWF’s community-driven approach.
Looking forward, LWF plans to complete the planting in the upcoming rainy season. Work is also underway to register our tree nurseries with the Kenya Forest Service (KFS), ensuring institutional support for long-term impact.
Whether through planting, monitoring, or training, this quarter has demonstrated that restoration in Laikipia is not the work of any one actor. It’s a collective effort, built on partnerships and driven by local champions.
