Conservation groups in Kenya and beyond have marked the birthday of Kenya’s iconic environmental champion and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Prof. Wangari Maathai with renewed calls for forest conservation.

The commemoration comes as the government pushes to achieve a target of 15 billion trees by 2032, an initiative spearheaded by President William Ruto.

The groups reflected on Prof. Maathai’s enduring contribution to the protection of Karura Forest, recalling the events of January 8, 1999, when she and fellow activists were attacked by hired guards and seriously injured an incident that intensified calls to save Nairobi’s iconic green space.

“Today, we cycle its trails, go for relaxing walks or runs, hear birds, and see wildlife. For us, Wangari Maathai’s legacy lives on in every indigenous tree and in every person who chooses to stand up for Kenya’s forests,” Friends of Karura Forest said.

In 1977, Prof. Maathai founded the Green Belt Movement under the auspices of the National Council of Women of Kenya (NCWK), laying the foundation for a powerful grassroots environmental movement.

Even after her death in September 2011, the organisation continues to uphold her legacy by advocating for environmental conservation, justice, and community empowerment.

While celebrating her life and legacy, the group noted: “Through her work, she taught us that protecting nature is not just about trees, but about dignity, livelihoods, and the future we choose to build.”

Amid growing concerns from conservation groups over forest degradation, the day also serves as a moment of reflection, prompting a national question: what would Prof. Wangari Maathai do?

The Green Belt Movement added: “As we honour her today, may we each find the strength to be like the hummingbird in her story doing what we can, with what we have, where we are.”

This echoes one of her most famous quotes: “We owe it to ourselves and to the next generation to conserve the environment.”

Born on April 1, 1940, in Nyeri County, Wangari Maathai rose to become one of the first women in East Africa to earn a doctorate, receiving her PhD from the University of Nairobi in 1971.

Her contribution to sustainable development, democracy, and peace earned her global recognition as the first African woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.

Happy Birthday, Prof. Wangari Maathai.