Fighting for forestry resources (Kenya)

WangariMaathai (1940-2011), fought for democracy in her country and for environmental sustainability, receiving the Nobel Peace prize in 2004. Between 1990-2015 Kenya’s forest mass reduced by 6.6%, extending over only 8% of the country’s surface in 2015. The deforestation processes are the result of a rapid increase in population and of intensive human activity, like timber, oil and mining exploitation, which also reduce the availability of wood as a source of energy, and increases the time and effort needed for gathering firewood by women.

She founded the Green Belt movement in Kenya, which helped to reforest the country by planting 30 million trees.