Environmental and Energy Business Resources

"What I have learned over the years is that we must be patient, persistent, and committed. When we are planting trees sometimes people will say to me, I don't want to plant this tree, because it will not grow fast enough. I have to keep reminding them that the trees they are cutting today were not planted by them, but by those who came before. So they must plant the trees that will benefit communities in the future"

Early Life

Professor Wangari Muta Maathai was born in Nyeri, Kenya (Africa) in 1940.

She obtained a degree in Biological Sciences from Mount St. Scholastica College in Atchison, Kansas in 1964 and a Master of Science degree from the University of Pittsburgh in 1966. She pursued doctoral studies in Germany and the University of Nairobi, obtaining a Ph.D. (1971) from the University of Nairobi.

She is the first woman in East and Central Africa to earn a doctorate degree.

Professor Wangari Muta Maathai taught veterinary anatomy at the University of Nairobi, where she became chair of the Department of Veterinary Anatomy and an associate professor in 1976 and 1977 respectively.

Professor Wangari and the Environment

She was active in the National Council of Women of Kenya in 1976-87 and was its chairman in 1981-87. While serving in the National Council of Women, she introduced the idea of planting trees and continued to develop it into a broad-based, grassroots organization whose main focus is the planting of trees with women groups in order to conserve the environment and improve their quality of life.

In 1986, the tree plant movement established a Pan African Green Belt Network. The tree planting initiatives extended to several African countries including Tanzania, Uganda, Malawi, Lesotho, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, etc

In December 2002, Professor Maathai was elected to Kenya's parliament and appointed Assistant Minister for environment and natural resources.

For her efforts on environmental sustainability and others, Professor Wangari and/or Green Belt has received several awards including 2004, the Nobel Prize, UNEP's Global 500 Award, the Goldman Environment Prize and the Sophie Prize etc Some of the awards are listed below

Professor Maathai serves on the boards of several organizations including the UN Secretary General's Advisory Board on Disarmament, The Jane Goodall Institute, Women and Environment Development Organization (WEDO), World Learning for International Development, Green Cross International, Environment Liaison Center International, the Worldwide Network of Women in Environmental Work and National Council of Women of Kenya.

Some of the Awards for Professor Wangari & Green Belt

• Jawaharlal Nehru Award for International Understanding (2007) administered by Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR)
• World Citizenship Award (2006) administered by World Association Girl Guides and Girl Scouts
• The Disney Conservation Fund Award (2006)
• Paul Harris Fellowship (2005)
• The Sophie Prize (2004)
• The Petra Kelly Prize (2004)
• The Conservation Scientist Award (2004)
• The J. Sterling Morton Award (2004)
• The WANGO Environment Award (2003)The World Association of Non-Governmental Organizations
• Outstanding Vision and Commitment Award (2002) administered by Bridges to Community
• The Excellence Award (2001) administered by Kenyan Community Abroad
• The Juliet Hollister Award (2001) administered by The Temple of Understanding
• The Golden Ark Award (1994) - Now " The future for Nature Award"
• The Hunger Project's Africa Prize for Leadership (1991)
• The Goldman Environmental Prize (1991)
• Women of the World Award (1989)
• The Windstar Award for the Environment(1988)
• The Right Livelihood Award (1984)

For more detailed biography of Professor Wangari Maathai, please visit: The Green Belt Movement

Update: Professor Wangari Muta Maathai died on 25 September 2011