The world celebrated the World Environment Day on 5th June 2021. This is a day earmarked by the United Nations to provide environmental sensitizations. This year’s theme is Ecosystem Restoration bearing the fact that time is up to heal the ailing world’s ecosystems from further plunder by humanity in what UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned that we may be reaching “the point of no return for the planet”. This being a monumental task, the day was set to provide such sensitizations about the unsustainable practices fueling planetary crises of climate change and biodiversity loss.
In Nyeri County, the event was marked on 8th June 2021 at Nairutia Youth Polytechnic, situated approximately 70 km from Nyeri along the Nyeri-Nyahururu Road. Kieni West Sub-County has suffered degradation and huge environmental impacts. The theme on ecosystem restoration was highly applicable as a call to help bring back lost biodiversity, create productive land for agriculture, provide jobs, restore nature’s buffers against zoonotic diseases, and help vulnerable communities adapt to changing climate.
This event was organized by the County Government of Nyeri and Karatina University with supports from several other partners. The chief guest was the Governor, H.E Mutahi Kahiga who helped to launch Environmental Clubs in five primary schools that had attended the function. He appreciated Karatina University for being on the forefront in environmental education to school pupils as they hold the future. The Governor also received and donated 600 university branded masks to the elderly residents of Kieni West. He lauded such efforts of the university in mitigating the ravages of COVID-19 that especially target the vulnerable residents of Nyeri County. He therefore pledged for further collaborations of his government and tasked respective departments to initiate and actualize partnership with Karatina University.
The team from the University also took the opportunity to market the quality academic programmes and other aspects of the university. It is indicative that several institutions including Nyeri Water and Sewerage Company(NYEWASCO), Dedan Kimathi Foundation, NEMA
Akorino Foundation among others inquired on partnership and collaboration with the University and this was ably guided upon. Karatina University in partnership with Kenya Forest Service and County Government of Nyeri will contribute in restoring the degraded Tanyai Forest in Kieni West. The University will also help establish a botanical garden at Nairutia Youth Polytechnic.
