NGONG HILLS, Kenya – As part of their joint effort to “Give an Hour for Earth”, WWF-Kenya, NCBA Group, Sankara Nairobi, the Ngong Hills Community Forest Association (CFA), and the Kenya Forest Service (KFS) planted 1,500 native trees at the Ngong Hills Forest today, Saturday, March 28, 2026, on the eve of Earth Hour 2026.
Earth Hour, a global initiative started by WWF to raise awareness of the climate and environmental challenges and motivate people everywhere to take significant action, is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year.
Millions of individuals from all over the world have joined the world’s largest grassroots environmental campaign, which started in 2007 with 2.2 million people turning out their lights in Sydney, Australia.
In a statement, WWF-Kenya said today’s Ngong Hills restoration project illustrates how Earth Hour has changed over time, moving from symbolic switch-offs to practical action for the environment and climate.
“The program has been asking people, groups, organisations, and companies to spend 60 minutes doing something good for the environment since 2023. To restore one of Nairobi’s most significant natural environments, our partners have gone above and beyond the call of duty by donating time, energy, and resources,” the statement reads in part.
In collaboration with KFS and the Ngong Hills CFA, WWF-Kenya has adopted 25 hectares of the Ngong Hills Forest for long-term restoration. WWF-Kenya and partners have restored five hectares since October 2024, and one more will be completed the following week.
“This leaves 19 hectares to be rehabilitated—an effort that will not only enhance biodiversity and carbon storage but also strengthen the area’s role as a water catchment, recreational space and climate resilience buffer for surrounding communities,” the statement further reads.
Today’s tree planting forms a key contribution to the following:
- • WWF‑Kenya’s “Keep Kenya Breathing” campaign
- • Kenya’s National Landscape and Ecosystem Restoration Strategy, which seeks to grow 15 billion trees by 2032
“The involvement of WWF Kenya’s partners shows excellent environmental leadership and dedication to Kenya’s restoration program. The involvement of NCBA Group, Sankara Nairobi, Ngong Hills CFA, and KFS highlights how crucial community organisations and the commercial sector are to advancing climate and biodiversity action,” WWF-Kenya emphasised in the statement.
This latest development comes when forests continue to be one of the most potent natural solutions for climate change and the environment because they store carbon and regulate our climate, protect urban and agricultural water supplies, stabilise soils, lower the risk of flooding, lessen the effects of drought, and support local economies, livelihoods, and biodiversity.
As the world gets ready for Earth Hour on Saturday, March 28, WWF-Kenya is inviting all Kenyans to dedicate an hour to protecting the environment by doing small things like turning off lights that aren’t necessary, planting trees, cutting back on waste, conserving water, supporting regional conservation initiatives, or spending time learning about our surroundings.
“Our partners have made their hour count today by planting 1,500 trees. We continue to work together to create a more resilient, greener, and better future for Kenya and the world we live in,” WWF-Kenya further said.
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