91茄子

The Wangari Maathai Institute, in partnership with Hearts of Green and Kanisa Sacco, led a tree-growing drive at Kenyatta University on 4^th Sept 2025, under the Landscape Repair and Transformation (LANSRET) Project. The initiative saw the planting of 600 trees aimed at restoring degraded landscapes, promoting biodiversity, and combating climate change.

The event, symbolized not just an environmental act but a shared commitment to sustainability, collaboration, and legacy.

Speaking during the exercise, Prof. Thuita Thenya, Director of the Wangari Maathai Institute, emphasized that tree planting was more than a symbolic gesture; it was a moral duty and a lasting tribute to the legacy of the late Nobel Laureate Prof. Wangari Maathai. 鈥淧lanting trees is one of the ways we, as Africans and Kenyans, continue supporting the legacy of Wangari Maathai, the first African woman to win a Nobel Peace Prize,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e are not planting for ourselves; we are planting for the community. When people harvest fruits here years from now, we will have succeeded in making a lasting impact.鈥� Prof. Thenya noted that the WMI team and partners remain committed to ensuring the survival of trees planted, emphasizing that continuity and maintenance are what distinguish meaningful restoration from mere activity.

Representing Kenyatta University, Dr. Joseph Kurauka lauded the collaboration and highlighted the institution鈥檚 dedication to promoting both indigenous and fruit tree species. 鈥淭ree cover remains a challenge, but with the current rains, the survival rate of the trees we plant today will be very high,鈥� said Dr. Kurauka. 鈥淲e are keen to promote indigenous species and ensure at least 30 percent of the trees planted are fruit trees. That way, as we conserve our environment, we also provide food and livelihoods.鈥�

Ms. Ann Kioi, Chairperson of Kanisa Sacco, underscored that the initiative was part of an ongoing relationship between the partners, now in its third year. 鈥淭his is not a one-off partnership,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e been working with the Wangari Maathai Institute and Hearts of Green for three years now, and each time we see our efforts bear fruit. Today鈥檚 rains are a blessing鈥攁ssurance that the trees we plant will thrive.鈥�

Mr. Moses Muya, Executive Director Hearts of Green, reiterated that the group鈥檚 mission extends beyond tree planting to full-scale landscape transformation. 鈥淲e are not just planting trees, we are changing landscapes,鈥� he said. 鈥淔or two years we鈥檝e planted over 1,200 trees here at Kenyatta University. Through the LANSRET initiative, we鈥檙e transforming degraded areas into green, thriving spaces.鈥�

The event concluded with a collective call to action: to nurture the planted trees, protect them from vandalism, and ensure their growth for generations to come. As the rains continued to fall, participants left confident that their efforts would contribute meaningfully to landscape restoration and the global fight against climate change.

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