Active Regeneration
3,000,000
Trees Planted
3000 Ha
Restored
Active regeneration also called active reforestation is the deliberate planting of tree seedlings or direct seeding in degraded areas where natural forest recovery is too slow or unlikely without intervention. It is the restoration approach of choice where land has been severely degraded: heavily disturbed soils, intense weed competition, loss of seed sources or long absence of tree cover. targeting areas where decades of illegal logging, charcoal burning and agricultural encroachment have removed most of the original tree cover. All planting uses 100% indigenous species, carefully selected to match the ecological zone, altitude and soil conditions of each site. . MKT’s dedicated field teams and community members, through the CFAs monitor regularly, recording tree health and growth data that feeds into adaptive management decisions and ensures we meet our 90% survival rate target.
A Model That Integrates Ecosystem Health And Livelihoods
MKT’s active regeneration work is delivered through the Tree Establishment and Livelihood Improvement Scheme (TELIS), operated in partnership with Kenya Forest Service. Under this model, Community Forest Association members are permitted to farm in certain designated forest areas in exchange for planting and stewarding indigenous trees in other areas.
This creates a direct, tangible link between community livelihoods and forest health. Farmers benefit from access to land, while the forest benefits from dedicated stewardship by the very people who know it best.
The TELIS model demonstrates that conservation and community prosperity are not in conflict — they are inseparable. It is one of the most important innovations in MKT’s 25-year history.
Species And Site Selection
Every tree MKT plants is indigenous to the Mt. Kenya Afromontane ecosystem. Indigenous species take longer to establish but produce forests that are genuinely ecologically functional to support native wildlife, stabilising soils, improving water quality and storing significantly more carbon over their lifetime. Site-specific species selection takes into account altitude, soil type, water availability and the historic vegetation of each area.
Stakeholders
