The 2021 Forest Challenge November 27th at Kereita Aberdare Forest.
The Forest Challenge is an initiative of the East African Wild Life Society (EAWLS) in collaboration with Kenya Forest Service (KFS) and Kijabe Environment Volunteers (KENVO) launched in 2014. It is a unique opportunity for participants to interact with nature by taking part in competitive yet fun activities in Kereita Forest, which forms part of the larger Aberdare Forest.
In 2020, a decision was made to forgo the Forest Challenge due to the restrictions imposed to curb the spread of COVID-19. The 2021 Forest Challenge will be held in strict observance of the COVID-19 measures recommended by the Government of Kenya.
Forests cover nearly a third of land globally. In Africa however, forests cover an estimated 21.4 per cent of the continent’s landmass or 16.8 per cent of the global forests. Kenya’s forest cover is estimated at 7.2 per cent of the country’s territory, which is below the recommended global minimum of 10 per cent. Out of this, Kenya’s closed-canopy forests, which are mainly montane woodlands (water towers) cover only two per cent, compared to the African average of 9.3 per cent and a world average of 21.4 per cent.
The rate of net forest loss has increased in Africa in each of the three decades since 1990 with the largest annual rate of net forest loss recorded between 2010 and 2020 estimated at 3.9 million hectares. Kenya loses approximately 5,000 hectares of forest annually, which is estimated to lead to an annual reduction of available water of approximately 62 million cubic metres. This is alarming as Kenya is already listed as a water-scarce country by the United Nations. Forest loss is largely attributed to deforestation, which is defined by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) as the conversion of forest to other land uses. Forest loss does not only contribute to a reduction of biodiversity and loss of rural livelihoods. It also exacerbates the impact of climate change on ecosystems. Worldwide, deforestation is estimated to account for about 20 per cent of the world’s annual greenhouse gas emissions.
Forests hold more than three-quarters of the world’s terrestrial plants and animals. It is estimated that more than one-quarter of modern medicines are derived from forest plants and over 40 per cent of global oxygen comes from forests. After oceans, forests are the world’s largest storehouses of carbon dioxide.
Kenya is now in the late transition, a point of inadequate forest cover, where the needs and focus shift towards options for reforestation. The Forest Challenge Rehabilitation Programme presents a unique opportunity to complement the Government of Kenya’s initiative to achieve its target of 10 forest cover in the country. It will also help the government to meet its international commitments on restoring 5.1 million hectares of degraded forests by 2030 (AFRI 100) and to reduce greenhouse gases emissions by 30 per cent by 2030 under the Nationally Determined Contribution modality. The initiative also aligns with the aspirations of the UN Decade for Ecosystem Restoration launched on June 5, 2021.
2021 FOREST CHALLENGE
This year’s theme is REFOREST TO REPLENISH OUR RIVERS
Vision: Restored key water catchments areas in Kenya that are essential to support livelihoods and the survival of wildlife ecosystems.
Objective: The Forest Challenge aims to raise funds to continue the restoration of key water towers by rehabilitating at least 600 hectares (equivalent to planting at least 600,000 indigenous tree seedlings) over a period of 10 years. This programme also aims to empower local communities by purchasing seedlings from them and creating employment for members of communities that live adjacent to woodlands under restoration.
Specific Objectives:
a) Tree growing activities for forest restoration in key water towers
b) Establishment of tree nurseries
c) Enhancing community participation in forestry activities
d) Enhancing public awareness on the importance of forests and encouraging a sense of responsibility on the management and sustainable use of forests.
e) Fostering partnerships among stakeholders in forest conservation.
Why support the event
By sponsoring the Forest Challenge, your organisation will not only be supporting the economy but also demonstrating commitment towards achieving environmental sustainability for current and future generations. It is also a demonstration of Corporate Social Responsibility/Investment. Corporate sponsors will have the benefit of having their brand visibility enhanced through free advertisement in the globally distributed Swara Magazine, a publication of the East African Wild Life Society, the Forest Challenge website, social media platforms and marketing collateral. The Challenge is designed to help strengthen team leadership, organisational and teamwork skills through team-building exercises while providing participants with the opportunity to learn about and take part in forest conservation in an adventurous, exciting and challenging way.
Forest Challenge Participation Categories
The 2021 Forest Challenge is divided into three categories:
- Category 1: Physical Participation
- Category 2: Virtual Participation
- Category 3: Participation through Donation
Participation is, however, not limited to one category.
Category 1: Physical Participation
As a participant, the Forest Challenge is designed to offer you a unique opportunity to be deep in the forest, away from the tumult of modern living, where you will find tranquillity even as you take part in physically challenging activities. The event also allows you to learn, experience and participate in forest conservation in an engaging, adventurous and exciting way in the woods giving you the opportunity to emerge as a forest conservation champion and ambassador. The top three teams will be awarded trophies. Kindly select a sponsorship package.
Sponsorship Packages
Thank you for your consideration to support the Forest Challenge event to be held on November 27, 2021 at Kereita Forest, Kiambu County. Your sponsorship contribution helps us to achieve our objective.
Each team will consist of four (4) members. A Covid-19 negative test certificate is mandatory for all team members.
SPONSORSHIP PACKAGES
Level 1
PLATINUM SPONSOR
KEY SPONSOR
CONTRIBUTION OF KSHS. 1,000,000
- Company logo on all promotional materials and media placements
- Company logo features in the Forest Challenge website and social media platforms
- Company offered a free full-page advertisement in Swara magazine
- Company’s stage mention as a Platinum sponsor to the participants
- Issued with a Platinum Certificate in recognition of Environmental Stewardship
- Branding at the event with 10 teardrop banners
- Booth for exhibition at a prime location at the Challenge Expo village
This sponsorship level gives you an opportunity to sponsor 15 teams and 3,500 trees sponsored.
Level 2
GOLD SPONSOR
CONTRIBUTION OF KSHS. 500,000
- Company logo on all promotional posters materials
- Company logo featured in the Forest Challenge website and social media platforms
- Company offered a free third-page advertisement in Swara magazine
- Company’s stage mention as a Gold sponsor to the participants
- Issued with a Gold Certificate on recognition for Environmental Stewardship
- Branding at the event with 5 teardrop banners
- Booth for exhibition at a prime location at the Challenge Expo village
This sponsorship level gives you an opportunity to sponsor 10 teams and 1,500 trees.
Level 3
SILVER SPONSOR
CONTRIBUTION OF KSHS. 300,000
- Company logo on all promotional posters and information pack
- Company logo featured in the Forest Challenge website and social media platforms
- Company offered a free quarter-page advertisement in Swara magazine
- Company’s stage mention as a Silver Sponsor to the participants
- Issued with a Silver Certificate in recognition of Environmental Stewardship
- Branding at the event with 2 teardrop banners
This sponsorship level gives you an opportunity to sponsor 5 teams and 1,000 trees sponsored
Level 4
BRONZE SPONSOR
CONTRIBUTION OF KSHS. 200,000
- Company logo on all promotional posters and information pack
- Company logo featured in the Forest Challenge website and social media platforms
- Company offered a free quarter-page advertisement in the Swara magazine
- Company’s stage mention as a Bronze Sponsor to the participants
- Issued with a Bronze Certificate on recognition for Environmental Stewardship
- Branding at the event with 1 teardrop banner
This sponsorship level gives you an opportunity to sponsor 3 teams and 600 trees.
Participation Package
The participation package goes for Ksh. 5,000/- per individual including transport which guarantees a sponsorship of 10 trees.
Spectator Package
For those who wish to participate as spectators of the event, you will be charged Kshs. 1,000/- each which guarantees a sponsorship of 5 trees per person plus a nature walk.
Student Package
Ksh. 3,000/- excluding transport to the venue
Category 2: Virtual Participation
The Forest Challenge will have a virtual participation category.
Virtual Participation is categorized into:
- Corporate Tree Challenge
Snap. Share & Win(already took place)
Visit the Forest Challenge website to register on: www.forestchallenge.com
Corporate Tree Challenge
This category gives partner organisations an opportunity to rehabilitate our degraded forests and create awareness about the importance of forest conservation while raising the organisation’s profile. The corporate tree challenge aims at reaching an audience of 500,000 people worldwide, as you rally your followers to support your tree pledges by urging them to like, comment, and share their campaign poster on social media.
Why you should join the campaign
- You will reduce forest degradation by the number of trees pledged, planted and grown
- You will demonstrate your leadership in forest conservation by creating awareness to a much wider audience about the importance of forest rehabilitation
- Your company will get global brand visibility
- You and your followers can track your tree planting progress on the live tree meter
- You will receive a certificate of recognition for your efforts in forest conservation through the Forest Challenge 2021 Virtual Edition
- You get an opportunity for corporate branding on The Forest Challenge Tree planting day scheduled for November 27, 2021.
- Your logo will feature in all promotional materials for the Forest Challenge, including the Forest Challenge website and Swara magazine.
How to participate in the corporate tree challenge
Step 1
To enter the corporate tree challenge, you will select your preferred pre-designed campaign poster from the Forest Challenge website www.forestchallenge.com and pledge to contribute a selected number of trees.
Step 2
We will include your logo and the number of trees pledged on the poster for you to tag as many people as you can on your social media platforms and urge them to like your poster.
Step 3
Using the hashtags #ForestChallenge2021 #LikeForNature, simply upload the poster and tag our official handles @forestchallengeEA @eawildlife @KeForestService @KenyaKenvo so we can follow your progress.
Step 4
A virtual race day will be set where you will be required to share your poster on your Facebook page. The more likes you get on this particular day, the higher your chances of winning the Forest Challenge 2021 Virtual Champions Award.
Step 5
Every tree pledged contributes to your corporate live tree meter in the Forest Challenge Website www.forestchallenge.com which indicates the number of trees you have contributed through the Forest Challenge. The more trees you pledge the higher your chances of winning the Forest Challenge 2021 Forest Conservation Award (Virtual Edition).
2. Snap. Share & Win (already took places see details below)
Snap. Share and Win already took place and was a virtual forest restoration awareness campaign, which presented the participant with an opportunity to win exciting prizes. Participants had to submit their best and creative photos on the website.
The best 30 photos were posted on all the Forest Challenge social media platforms (Facebook – @forestchallengeEA, and Instagram – @forestchallengeEA) which the participants were requested to rally for likes on their respective photos. Winners will be announced on the 10th of November 2021. The top ten photos with the most likes will be awarded
Competition awards will include the following:
- Win an amazing prize if your picture is voted most popular by having the highest number of likes
- Plant a ceremonial tree during Forest Challenge 2021 if your picture emerges top 10 best photos
- All the top 10 photos will be featured on the Forest Challenge website and Swara magazine.
All registered participants are to receive a certificate of participation. Entries were free of charge!
Category 3: Participation by donation
This category is divided into two:
- Direct donation
- In-kind donation
Direct Donation
The contributed funds are used exclusively for acquiring and nurturing tree seedlings. The more seedlings you nurture the more chances you have of winning the Forest Challenge Outstanding Tree Seedling Nurture Award 2021.
This initiative supports the production of indigenous tree seedlings for growing trees in degraded forests of key water towers in Kenya. We work closely with Community Forest Associations (CFAs) to nurture the tree seedlings in their tree nurseries. Every indigenous tree is planted in its local environment. Certificates of recognition will be awarded to all donors.
To participate visit the Forest Challenge Website www.forestchallenge.com
In-Kind donation
All in-kind donations will go towards the planning of the Forest Challenge. You will get brand visibility during the event and through the Forest Challenge website and social media platforms.
FOREST CHALLENGE ACHIEVEMENTS
2017 – To date
The Forest Challenge has so far led to the procurement of 20,000 tree seedlings which is the equivalent of rehabilitating 20 hectares of forest.
2017
Installed a 10,000-litre water tank at Munyaka Primary School adjacent to Kereita Forest that supplies 267 pupils and 10 teachers with clean water. 100 trees were planted in Kereita Forest.
2018
Empowered 2 Community Forest Associations (Eburru Rafiki and KENVO) through the purchase of tree seedlings from their indigenous tree nurseries and engaging them in aftercare programmes to ensure high success rates. 4,500 tree seedlings were purchased from Eburru and 100 from KENVO.
2019
15,000 tree seedlings were procured. So far 5,500 trees have been planted in Mau Forest and 9,500 trees in Aberdare Forest. 5,000 tree seedlings are yet to be planted during the next rainy season.
Sustainability of the Forest Challenge Rehabilitation Programme
The Forest Challenge Rehabilitation Programme is a three-year project jointly implemented by the three organisers (EAWLS, KFS and KENVO).
The Kenya Forest Service (KFS) gives advice on forest sites that require restoration and the appropriate tree species to be planted.
The Forest Challenge partners also work with local Community Forest Associations (CFAs), which provide seedlings and ensure that the saplings take root and grow. The CFAs also ensure that seedlings that fail to take root are replaced. To make sure that there is an ample supply of seedlings, the forest rehabilitation programme incentivizes the relevant CFAs or other locally-established tree nurseries by buying seedlings from them.
Registration link:
- Physical participation: CLICK HERE
- Virtual participation: CLICK HERE
- Donations: CLICK HERE
For More Information on the Forest Challenge Call: +254 722 202 473 or +254 734 600 632
Contact person: Gideon Bett on +254 720 369 432 or Email: gideon.bett@eawildlife.org
THE ORGANIZERS
The East African Wild Life Society (EAWLS) EAWLS is a membership-based, not-for-profit conservation organization based in Kenya. Formed in 1961 through a merger of Kenyan and Tanzanian Wild Life Societies as well as wildlife enthusiasts from Uganda, EAWLS envisions a world in which nature and people co-exist in mutual benefit. EAWLS is the voice of environmental conservation in East Africa. EAWLS carries out its mandate through advocacy and by encouraging governments and non-state actors to promote the sustainable use of natural resources and environmental goods and services.
Kenya Forest Service (KFS) KFS is a state corporation established under the Kenya Forest Conservation and Management Act No. 34 of 2016. It is tasked with the responsibility of ensuring sustainable management of forest resources for the socio-economic development of the country. Key functions of KFS include conserving, protecting and managing all public forests; assisting county governments in building capacity in forestry and forest management; managing water catchment areas in relation to soil and water conservation, carbon sequestration and other environmental services in collaboration with relevant stakeholders.
Kijabe Environment Volunteers (KENVO) KENVO is a community-based organisation engaged in developing sustainable nature conservation programmes in the Kikuyu Escarpment Forest. KENVO was formed in 1994 and officially registered in 1996. The major goal of KENVO is to promote the conservation of the Kikuyu Escarpment ecosystems while supporting community livelihoods.
For More Information on the Forest Challenge Call: +254 722 202 473 or +254 734 600 632
Contact person: Gideon Bett on +254 720 369 432 or Email: gideon.bett@eawildlife.org
