PINE TREE AS A SOURCE USED TO LIT CHARCOAL STOVES AND A RENEWABLE ENERGY FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

Pine trees are widely distributed conifers, most common in cool temperate regions. The pine tree was introduced in Kenya by foreigners. It is grown in most towns and round in most homesteads along the fences in Kenya. Pine has been discovered through innovation to be a source of energy when cut /chopped into small pieces and used to lit charcoal stoves and firewood more easily and quickly. The problem is that many people are cutting pine trees and splitting into pieces to be sold in market. As a consequence it is becoming extinct in Trans-Nzoia. The objective is to study the best strategy to be used to sensitize the people to preserve/conserve pine tree till mature stage and use it as a source of renewable energy. The research employed survey method and data collected through oral interview from 300 small scale businesspersons who sale punches of small pieces of pine in open markets in Kitale town. Sample size of 5% was drawn from the total population. The findings are: one, pine trees chopped pieces are used to lit charcoal stoves in western Kenya especially in Kitale town where it is sold; pine tree is grouped into seven clusters such as sugar pine, pitch pine, longleaf pine, ponderosa pine, lodge pole pine, Virginia pine and pinyon pine. Two, Pine tree is going to be extinct in Trans-Nzoia region if it not planted after cutting. The paper concludes that pine tree is a source of energy which can be renewed for sustainable development in urban and rural communities. It is recommended that people to be encouraged to plant more pine trees as they cut to be a source of generating income in western region.