My Unbreakable Bond with Nature

~ EVELYN KIMATHI~

I definitely love nature. I listen to birds chirping happily in the woods and that melts my heart. Their melodies sooth my being and forests attract me with their ambience.

My connection with the forests and trees traces back to freedom struggle era. From my mother and ex-freedom fighters’ vivid narrations of the shield the forests and trees offered our forest fighters, my desire to grow more trees sprouted as a give back mission. Also the wild animals lived harmoniously with our guerrilla fighters. No fighter was killed by an animal. They were all determined to bring to an end the brutal colonial regime.

At the mention of Aberdares, my mind quickly shifts to it as a home of the national liberators including the unfortunate Field Marshal Dedan Kimathi who paid the ultimate prize for our independence. The most frequent question that lingers in my mind the entire time is, “What if we had no forests or trees?” and then my mind wanders in the possibilities of our patriotic fighters being wiped off by the British without breaking a sweat.

From them, our fighters, I got a mission. A highly demanding responsibility to protect what made their fight earn our freedom. Recreating Aberdares in our homes and public spaces. This time not to house forest fighters but to give us a habitable environment for our survival by mitigating climate change negative effects.

It is the little thing I can do for myself, our heroes, the current and future generations. It is what I can do to show my patriotism to our nation. Growing trees! I am always challenged, ‘If I do not stand out to count in the fight against climate change, who will do?’

With renewed energy everyday, I gather my environment conservation team of volunteers and challenge them to brace for the task at hand. In high spirits, the team remains instrumental in our contribution to the 30% national forest and tree cover as the president has directed.

Conducting back to back climate change sensitization events, growing trees voluntarily and mentoring beneficiaries on proper aftercare.

Kenya Forest Service (KFS), Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI), Equity Bank, Kenya Defence Forces, National Government Administration Officers, National Youth Service, CKL Africa Ltd, our partnering schools and public spaces among others have made an enormous contribution in our conservation journey.

Collaboration with tertiary students and youth groups has empowered our climate change sensitization campaigns awakening the youth to rise to the occasion.

I remain steadfast in this noble course.