Cherangani Hills Water Tower is one of Kenya’s big five water towers, It covers an area of 120,841ha, with 67 percent in Elgeyo Marakwet, 31 percent in West Pokot, and the rest in Trans-Nzoia, all being counties found in the Rift Valley region. The Cherangani Hills water tower consists of 12 protected forest blocks that include Kapolet Block in Trans-Nzoia County, Kapkanyar and Lelan blocks in West Pokot County, and Cheboyit, Chemurkoi, Embobut, Kaisunguor, Kerrer, Kipkunur, Kiptaberr, Sogotio, Toropket, Kapchemutwa, Kaptagat, and Kipkabus in Elgeyo Marakwet County The water tower hosts critical headwaters for Nzoia, Turkwel (also known as Suam) and Kerio rivers. These rivers are important as Nzoia drains to the Lake Victoria, which is the source of River Nile, while Turkwel and Kerio drain into Lake Turkana. The Kaptagat Forest Ecosystem is located within the southern parts of Elgeyo Marakwet County and constitutes five forest reserves, namely Kaptagat, Penon, Sabor, Kessup and Kipkabus, and the adjoining community landscapes covering a total forest area of 20,191.38 hectares. The ongoing initiatives in the ecosystem are as a response to the realisation of the serious threats and challenges currently facing the Cherangani Elgeyo landscapes, which culminated in the development of Cherangany-Elgeyo Hills Master Plan that was launched in 2020. The plan focuses on upscaling interventions in the larger ecosystem to mitigate challenges within gazetted forests, upland escarpments, lowland and fragile riparian areas.

The importance of Kaptagat Forest Ecosystem

The conservation and management of Kaptagat Forest Ecosystem as a critical water tower provides diverse livelihood services and goods to humanity in the region, It serves as an important catchment area with major river tributaries, such as Sosiani and Kipsalen, providing water sources for downstream communities and Eldoret and Iten towns. The opportunities for forest cultivation to the local communities is through the plantation establishment and livelihood improvement scheme (PELIS), which benefits more than 10,000 members of the CFAs in the region. Additionally, communities depend on the ecosystem for firewood from dead and fallen trees. The forest-adjacent communities have benefitted more on zoned grazing areas for their livestock as they observe the carrying capacity of the given ecosystem, and are being encouraged to practise zero grazing to avoid forest degradation. Under traditional benefits, the communities are able to utilise the special areas set aside in the forests for cultural practices like circumcision and traditional prayers. Herbalists have also not been left behind as they exploit traditional plants for medicinal purposes in a sustainable manner. The micro-climate provided by the ecosystem continues to offer a conducive environment for locals, and has become a high altitude training facility for athletics. Currently, it boasts of two training camps situated within its environs, ie, Global Village and Rosa camps, which annually attract national and international sporting personalities. The Kaptagat Annual Tree Planting Editions The restoration efforts in the Kaptagat Forest ecosystem are key in addressing the serious degradation facing the forest reserve, The event has been held annually under the patronage of Principal Secretary for the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Dr Chris Kiptoo, since 2017. The Ministry of Industrialisation, Trade and Enterprise Development, and the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, have galvanised financial support and publicity nationally to ensure the editions are successful. Locally, the event has been planned and coordinated by the Kaptagat Integrated Conservation Programme (KICP), under the leadership of Kenya Forest Service and county governments of Elgeyo Marakwet and Uasin Gishu. KICP is a community based organisation with membership derived from Kenya Forest Service (KFS), Kenya Forest Research Institute (KEFRI), National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), National Environment Trust Fund (NETFUND), Kenya Water Towers Agency (KWTA, Kenya Metrological Department, (KMD), National Irrigation Authority (NIA), and the Ministry of Interior and Coordination of National Government.

The Community Forest Associations (CFAs) Kessup, Sabor, Kaptagat, Penon and Kipkabus – have brought on board all communities living adjacent to the ecosystem to participate and collaborate with the other stakeholders. The event has also organised sporting activities ranging from marathons to football tournaments and cycling, as a way of enabling sportsmen and women to upscale conservation efforts. The Kaptagat Annual Tree Planting Event has now expanded into all forest reserves covers in the southern parts of Elgeyo. The main drive has been to undertake restoration of degraded forest areas and riparian areas within the ecosystem and the adjoining community areas; sensitise and raise public awareness about tree growing within and beyond the landscape; enhance governance of Community Forest Associations (CFAs) to be actively involved in management and conservation of forests; mobilise stakeholders and resources towards tree growing campaigns; and upscaling conservation and management of Kaptagat forest ecosystem as a critical water tower providing diverse livelihood services and goods to humanity in the region through a multi-agency approach. The Inaugural Kaptagat Tree Planting was launched on June 27, 2017, at Chepkosom Primary School in Sabor Forest Station, Elgeyo Marakwet. It was graced by the Principal Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Ms Margaret Mwakima, as the chief guest. The edition-achieved rehabilitation of 50 hectares in Bombo area of Sabor Forest. The area was planted with 50,000 assorted indigenous seedlings.

The Second Edition undertaken in Kipsalen block of Sabor Forest rehabilitated 15 hectares. To crown the event, KICP organised a football tournament in collaboration with Zonal Football League Association. The Third Edition was celebrated at Chepkosom Primary school on July 20, 2019. It achieved a total of 40ha, and featured 8, 6, 4.5 and 2km junior marathon races organised by the Kenya Athletics Association (KAA), for students in primary and secondary schools within the locality. The event also saw the distribution of 10,000 avocado fruit tree seedlings to select farmers affiliated to cooperative societies in Uasin Gishu and Elgeyo Marakwet. The fruits are now due for first harvest this year. The Fourth Edition (4th) was celebrated at Kittany Vocational Institute on June 26, 2020, and was graced by the Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Forestry, Hon Keriako Tobiko. This time, the event extended to other stations within the ecosystem, namely Kaptagat, Penon, and Kessup forest stations bordering Sabor Forest. A total of 105 hectares was planted with over 120,000 assorted indigenous tree seedlings contributed by various sponsors and stakeholders. The Elgeyo Marakwet County also launched the Sustainable Forest Management and Tree Growing Policy 2020, developed with the technical and financial support of UNDP Kenya Office through the Forest Partnership Carbon Facility (FCPF) Project for REDD+ Readiness Project in Kenya. The Fifth Edition of Kaptagat Tree Planting rehabilitated 185.4ha in Kessup, Kaptagat, Penon, Kipkabus and Sabor forest stations through collaboration with CFAs, who contributed labour in kind, equivalent to Ksh5 million. A total of 250,000 assorted seedlings were donated by various sponsors and stakeholders. The Ministry of Environment and Forestry also launched the Integrated Master Plan for Cherangany-Elgeyo Hills Ecosystem, developed through a participatory process and with financial support from WWF(K). The Principal Secretary, Dr Chris Kiptoo, launched the first Kaptagat cycling. road race at Bombo Junction, which was organised by KICP in collaboration with the Cycling Association of Kenya. The event was aimed at encouraging healthy living through sporting activities, The Sixth Edition of Kaptagat Annual Tree Planting focused on Kaptagat Forest at the Dr Eliud Kipchoge-adopted site covering an area of 50.8ha. A Forest Adoption Framework for Collaboration (FFC) between Kenya Forest Service and Eliud Kipchonge Foundation had been signed in 2019. This edition oversaw rehabilitation of 502 hectares, 257 hectares on promotion of commercial tree-growing within the farmland, and establishment of 100 hectares of avocado fruit tree planting within the Kaptagat landscape, which will culminate in the uptake of over a million assorted indigenous, exotic, and fruit tree seedlings. The Kaptagat forest ecosystem rehabilitated 420ha under the Kaptagat Integrated Conservation Programme in the first five editions, with the Sixth Edition rehabilitating more through the Kaptagat greening project and the FLARAK project. The Kenya Forest Service appreciates the enormous support and contributions towards enhancing forest management and conservation, and that communities within the ecosystem continue to enjoy improved livelihoods into the future.