In the heart of Kenya's arid landscapes, Julius Sila, the visionary founder of the Saving-Planet Foundation, was born and raised. His early years were marked by a community deeply rooted in the belief that trees were meant to be felled to sustain their subsistence farming. Yet, Julius harbored a different dream. Armed with a Bachelor's degree in Natural Resources Management and a burning passion for environmental conservation, he found himself pondering a crucial question: how could he contribute to Kenya's ambitious goal of achieving a 10% tree cover?
Intrigued by the conservation efforts of various organizations in Kenya, Julius observed a common thread—they all worked tirelessly in large, protected forest ecosystems, garnering stories to share with generous donors. But this raised a compelling question in his mind: Could the 10% tree cover target truly be met by reforesting already forested ecosystems? Or did these ecosystems primarily require protection?
With a determined spirit, Julius embarked on a journey of exploration. He meticulously reviewed the forest cover in his home county of Machakos using the powerful tools of Google Earth Pro. It was during this virtual journey that he stumbled upon something remarkable—tiny green patches emerging amidst the concrete tuition blocks of his former primary school. These were trees, planted back in 2011, now visible on the map.
An idea began to sprout in Julius's mind: "What if every school in Kenya did this?" He put his GIS analytical skills to work, mapping out all 37,930 schools across Kenya, both primary and secondary. A realization struck him—these schools were strategically located near water sources, following river channels like the mighty River Tana and the Athi River.
The next puzzle piece fell into place as he pondered what to plant and how it would impact the environment. The concept of a one-hectare botanic garden took root in his imagination. Why botanic? Because every tree to be planted in each school would be native to the area, perfectly adapted to local climate conditions, thus ensuring their survival. Spacing them at 2.5 meters by 2.5 meters, each botanic garden could nurture a stunning 1,600 trees. In the grand success of this project, over 60 million trees would find their home in the Kenyan soil.
This visionary idea aimed to do much more than just increase Kenya's tree cover. It sought to revolutionize the educational landscape in the country, instilling a deep sense of environmental stewardship in schools across the nation. By contributing to climate change mitigation and ensuring the survival of native flora, Julius Sila's dream was nothing short of a green transformation, one tree at a time. His vision was not just a dream but a call to action, echoing through the corridors of every school and resounding through the hearts of a nation, bringing Kenya closer to its environmental aspirations.
