The Holy Cross Church, Tembelio youth organized the KFM Foundation-sponsored forest walk to celebrate the World Nature Conservation Day on July 31, 2021. The Environment & Communication (E&C) organization Committee conducted a route cognizance tour before the hiking. The track then was muddy after heavy rains a few days before the hike. The track to Sabor Station was broken and almost impassible by car. The track was gullied by the heavy rains. At one time the wheels of our car sunk into the gullies along the slippery track. The belly of the car was caught on the ground. We couldn’t move forward. We had to reverse. Luckily we got free.

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Despite, the untidy track, we convinced the hiker to walk through into the forest. We expected them to visit a water treatment plant and a waterfall in the forest. Most of the hikers belong to small groups the came from Eldoret. It would be good for them to know where they drink from and the need to conserve the forest.

Half of the hikers were transported to Sabor Forest on a mini-bus. The other half left on foot. KFM Foundation desired to enable the hikers to witness floral beauty and fauna wonders, thus stir the love of the environment in them. The natural environment is a gift of God.  We need to conserve nature for our good and that of the generations to come. ‘The most important reason to conserve nature is to protect wildlife and promote biodiversity.

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The hikers stayed on the track throughout their 10-kilometer forest walk.  The forest was sleepy and quiet the morning. The trekking allowed the hikers to experience nature. It was the thought of the organizers that taking photos of animals and vegetation that would strike them would be an exciting experience.

The hikers avoided entering the forest.  Perhaps, the forest walk was a new experience for them. Most of them were town dwellers. The good news was that they had a little taste of the freshness of the forest away from the dusty streets. Perhaps, they avoided the forest because they were poorly equipped for the walk. They came with little or no essentials for a forest walk. The Sponsors shall help the young HCEC in the preparation of the brochures for the future next forest walk.

ESSENTIAL FOR A FOREST WALK

1. At least 1-liter water

2. Snacks

3. Camera

3. Long-sleeve shirt

4. Long rouser

5. Non-slippery boots or full shoes with comfortable socks

6. Light raincoat

7. First aid kit, personal care, and medicine.

8. Toilet paper

9. Walking stick

We didn’t get much of nature from the photos. Most of the images were about the hikers walking, or posing for photos. Be at it may, the greenery in the background is elating.  One photo captured the river seemingly rumbling through the forest; another germinating plant. I saw a forest mushroom captured by a trekker. People love the pobeek, wild mushroom.  Some of the hikers were wild mushroom hunters during their childhood, maybe.

Uasin Gishu Plateau is a tropical grassland with camouflaged termite hills. The wild mushrooms, usually, termitomyces, grow inside a termite hill and are thought to have a mutual relationship with the termites. They usually grow during the rains, which is prime mushroom season.