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In the mid-1970s, Wangari Maathai (Figure 9-1) took a hard Something inside her told Maathai that she had to do

look at environmental conditions in her native African country something about this environmental degradation. Starting with of Kenya. Tree-lined streams she had known as a child had dried a small tree nursery in her backyard in 1977, she founded the

up. Farms and plantations had displaced vast areas of forest and Green Belt Movement, which continues today. The main goal

were draining the watersheds and degrading the soil.

of this highly regarded women’s self-help group is to organize

poor women in rural Kenya to plant and protect millions of trees in order to combat deforestation and provide fuelwood. Since

1977, the 50,000 members of this grassroots group has estab-

lished 6,000 village nurseries and planted and protected more

than 30 million trees.

The women are paid a small amount for each seedling they

plant that survives. This gives them an income to help them

break out of the cycle of poverty. The trees provide fruits, build-

ing materials, and fodder for livestock. They also provide more

fuelwood, so that women and children do not have to walk so

far to find fuel for cooking and heating. And the trees improve

the environment by reducing soil erosion, providing shade and

beauty, and helping to slow projected climate change by remov-

ing CO2 from the atmosphere.

The success of the Green Belt Movement has sparked

GOOD the creation of similar programs in more than 30 other

NEWS

African countries. In 2004, Maathai became the first African

woman and the first environmentalist to be awarded the Nobel

Peace Prize for her lifelong efforts. Within an hour of learning

that she had won the prize (Figure 9-1), Maathai planted a tree, United Nations Environment Programme

telling onlookers it was “the best way to celebrate.” She urged

everyone in the world to plant a tree as a symbol of commitment and hope. Wangari tells her story in her book, The Green Belt

Movement: Sharing the Approach and the Experience, published by Lantern Books in 2003.

Since 1980, biodiversity (Figure 4-2, p. 61) has emerged as

one of the most important integrative principles of biology, and

it is the focus of one of the three principles of sustain-

ability (see back cover). Biologists warn that human

population growth, economic development, and poverty

are exerting increasing pressure on terrestrial and aquatic ecosys- tems and the services they provide that sustain biodiversity. This

chapter is devoted to helping us understand the threats to the

earth’s forests, grasslands, coral reefs, oceans, and other store-

houses of terrestrial and aquatic biodiversity, and to seeking ways to help sustain these vital ecosystems.

Figure 9-1 Wangari Maathai was the first Kenyan woman to earn a Ph.D. and to head an academic department at the University of Nairobi. In 1977, she organized the internation- ally acclaimed Green Belt Movement to plant millions of trees throughout Kenya. For her work in protecting the environment, she has received many honors, including 13 honorary doctor- ate degrees, the Goldman Environmental Prize, the U.N. Africa Prize for Leadership, induction into the International Womens’ Hall of Fame, and the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize. This photo shows her receiving news of her Nobel Peace Prize award. After years of being harassed, beaten, and jailed for opposing government policies, she was elected to Kenya’s parliament as a member of the Green Party in 2002 and still serves in this position.