Photo/MKU students pose for a photo during the tree planting day organised by the School of Pharmacy. Photo; Courtesy
By James Wakahiu
Mount Kenya University (MKU), through an initiative of the School of Pharmacy Alumni Network (MKU-SPAN) and the Pharmacy Students Association (MKUPSA) has hosted a Tree Planting Day.
Held under the theme “Growing a Living Herbarium for Learning, Research and Environmental Stewardship, the event brought together students, staff, partners, donors and the wider Thika community in a collaborative effort to promote environmental sustainability and academic innovation.
The forum aimed to establish a living herbarium that will be a sustainable resource, supporting teaching, research and the conservation of medicinal plants. A living herbarium, often exemplified by botanical gardens or specialized plant collections, is a curated, scientifically managed collection of living plants grown for study, education and conservation
The herbal garden will provide students with hands-on learning opportunities while enhancing the school’s capacity for research in pharmacognosy and natural product development.
Speaking during the event, the Principal Corporate Services, Communication &Alumni Relations, who is also MKU’s Director of Linkages, Prof. Mwangi Peter Wanderi reminded everyone of the critical need to embrace vision 2030 at an individual level in order to support positive change in the country.
The school’s leadership, lead by the Dean, Dr Michael Mung’oma emphasized the critical role of plants in healthcare and the need to preserve biodiversity for future generations. “This initiative bridges education and environmental responsibility, ensuring that our students appreciate the direct link between nature and medicine,” he said.
Photo/MKU students, staff and Thika community members during the tree planting day organised by the MKU School of Pharmacy. Photo; Courtesy.
The dean also cited the UN’s SDG (Sustainable Development Goals) 13 and 15, which requires collective combating of climate change and its action as well as promoting sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems. Through this activity, the School of Pharmacy reaffirmed its commitment to supporting national and global environmental goals.
The day also contributes to Kenya’s national target of planting 15 billion trees by 2032, an initiative aimed at restoring degraded landscapes and increasing national tree cover to over 30 per cent. Initiated in 2023, national tree planting days are official public holidays focused on nation-wide planting efforts, with over 150 million seedlings often planted in one day.
Kenya’s national forest cover is estimated at 9pc (roughly 5.2 million hectares), with a total tree cover of 12pc. While this is a significant increase, it remains below the 10pc constitutional target. To bridge to gap, a country-wide initiative is led by the Kenya Forest Service (KFS) in collaboration with the government, NGOs, and community groups, often targeting degraded landscapes.
According to Prof Peter Kirira, Deputy Vice-Chancellor in charge of Administration, Planning and Institutional Advancement (APIA) at MKU reinstated that growing trees is more impactful that just planting them and encouraged sustainable stewardship in conservation.
Photo/ A facilitator explains the uses of a herbal tree to MKU students, staff and Thika community members during the tree planting day organised by the MKU School of Pharmacy. Photo; Courtesy.
Partners and donors present at the event including AAR Healthcare, Analabs and Najimudu Empowerment Initiative commended the university for integrating sustainability into academic programmes and pledged continued collaboration in similar initiatives. The students also actively participated in planting and learning sessions, reinforcing their role as future healthcare professionals who are conscious of environmental stewardship.
The School of Pharmacy remains committed to advancing innovative, sustainable approaches to education, research, and community engagement.
