Celebrating World Environment Day 2026 at Karura Forest
Today, 5th June 2026, we were delighted to celebrate World Environment Day with learners from Karura Forest Primary and Junior Secondary School, and Cheleta Primary and Junior Secondary School. The day was filled with learning, creativity, and hands-on environmental action, all centered around this year’s theme: “A Global Call for Climate Action.”
The students arrived shortly after 9:00 a.m. and, after enjoying a morning snack, gathered in the KFEET auditorium for an engaging learning session. Together, we explored the causes and impacts of climate change, discussing how changing weather patterns are affecting communities and ecosystems around the world. The learners also examined practical solutions, including the importance of transitioning to clean, renewable energy sources instead of relying on fossil fuels, which contribute to pollution and are finite in supply. Recycling was another key topic, with students learning how reducing waste can help conserve resources and protect the environment.
Following the indoor session, the learners took part in an exciting outdoor innovation challenge. Working in teams, they were tasked with creating something useful or creative from recycled materials such as plastic, paper, bottle tops, and rubber bands. Their enthusiasm and imagination were truly inspiring, and the results showcased remarkable creativity and problem-solving skills. As a reward for their efforts, each learner received a pencil made from recycled paper, a small but meaningful reminder of how everyday items can be given a second life.
After a short break, we joined teams from the Kenya Forest Service and Friends of Karura Forest for the official launch of the World Environment Day exhibition. The exhibition opens today, 5th June, and will continue through to Sunday, 7th June, offering visitors an opportunity to learn more about environmental conservation and climate action initiatives.
The day’s activities concluded with one of Karura Forest’s most popular experiences, a guided walk to the Karura River Waterfalls. Following lunch, the learners set off on their forest adventure, enjoying the beauty of nature while reinforcing many of the environmental lessons discussed earlier in the day.
It was a truly memorable World Environment Day, filled with practical, hands-on learning, creativity, and inspiration. Seeing young people engage so enthusiastically with environmental issues gives us hope for a more sustainable future.
We wish everyone a happy, innovative, and impactful World Environment Day 2026. Together, through small actions and collective commitment, we can all play a part in protecting our planet for generations to come.
In observance of World Otter Day held annually on 27th May, KFEET staff attended a lecture led by Friends of Karura Forest (FKF) Ecosystem and Biodiversity Monitoring Team lead, Peter Fundi. It was truly exciting to learn about Karura’s otters.
Deep within the flowing rivers and shaded wetlands of Karura Forest lives one of Africa’s most fascinating yet little-known mammals, the African Clawless Otter, also known as the Cape Clawless Otter (Aonyx capensis), or Fisimaji Kijivu in Kiswahili. This medium-sized semi-aquatic carnivore can grow between 1.1 and 1.6 metres long and live for up to 15 years. With a sleek elongated body, muscular rudder-like tail, and thick dark brown coat marked with pale cheeks and a whitish throat, the African Clawless Otter is perfectly adapted for life in and around water. Unlike many other otter species, its front paws are completely clawless and unwebbed, allowing it to skillfully search beneath rocks and riverbeds for food.
The African Clawless Otter feeds mainly on crabs, crayfish, frogs, insects, and small mammals, hunting mostly during the late evening, night, and early morning hours. They have a few natural predators, such as the African Rock Python. These crepuscular otters prefer habitats near rivers with rocky crags where they can rest, hide, and raise their young. Out of the 14 known otter species worldwide, Kenya is home to only two native species — the African Clawless Otter and the Spotted-necked Otter. In Karura Forest, conservationists have confirmed at least five otter families living within the five rivers that flow through the forest. Their presence is a positive sign, as otters are considered indicator species of healthy ecosystems. Because their prey depends on clean water, thriving otter populations often reflect relatively unpolluted rivers and wetlands.
Despite their playful and charming nature, otters face increasing threats across Africa. Most otter species are now considered near threatened or endangered due to habitat destruction and environmental degradation. While Karura Forest provides a relatively protected refuge, otters outside the forest continue to face dangers such as water pollution, destruction of riverbanks, drainage of wetlands for settlement, and human encroachment into natural habitats. Protecting these remarkable animals therefore requires more than safeguarding the animals themselves, it means protecting entire freshwater ecosystems.
Conservation efforts focused on wetland protection, reducing pollution, and strengthening community awareness and environmental education are essential for the survival of the African Clawless Otter. By conserving rivers, wetlands, and forest habitats, we not only protect otters but also preserve the health of ecosystems that support countless other species, including humans. The continued presence of these playful swimmers in Karura Forest is a hopeful reminder that with proper conservation efforts, wildlife and people can coexist in a healthier and more sustainable environment.
Julie Kimutai
Manager, KFEET
Playful Kolb’s monkeys, also known as Sykes’ monkeys, seem to be having a “face reveal” for their newest family member. Mothers are highly protective of their young, often carrying them on their bellies and allowing them to play only when they feel the environment is safe. They feed on fruits, flowers, and leaves from trees and shrubs, as well as birds’ eggs, invertebrates, and their larvae, which they methodically pluck from loose bark.
After rain, molluscs of various species appear in large numbers amid the forest undergrowth. Most are snails or slugs that feed on the leaves, stems, soft bark, and fruits of forest plants, or on decaying vegetable matter on the forest floor.
This is the Giant African Snail, displaying its beauty at KFEET office block. Snails are prone to desiccation over dry periods therefore they spend much of their lives aestivating within their shells under leaf-falls, where they lay their eggs. Snails provide a rich food-source for many forest creatures, including predatory insects, reptiles, birds, rodents and other mammals.
Through KFEET’S education programs, we educate kids on the vital role each animal category plays in the ecosystem.
Getrude Rop,
Admin Assistant.
21st of March marks the global observance of the International Day of Forests (IDF), a day dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of forests and the vital role they play in sustaining life on Earth. Each year, a unique theme highlights a different aspect of forests and their global impact. In 2024, the theme was “Forests and Innovation,” followed by “Forests and Food” in 2025. This year, the theme is “Forests and Economies.”
In the lead-up to this year’s celebrations, Karura Forest Environmental Education Trust (KFEET) was delighted to host a group of learners from Mbagathi Road Comprehensive School on Monday, 16th March 2026. Their visit was generously sponsored by New Forests Kenya, whose support made this meaningful experience possible.
This year’s theme provided an excellent opportunity to explore the critical connection between forests and the economy. Using Karura Forest as a living classroom, the learners discovered how forests contribute to local economies through tourism, job creation, and sustainable resource management. From guides and conservation staff to community-based initiatives, forests support livelihoods while safeguarding natural heritage.
Equally important is the link between a healthy environment and a thriving economy. Forests like Karura play a crucial role in improving both physical and mental well-being. Time spent in nature has been shown to reduce stress, boost immune systems, and enhance overall health benefits, which ultimately translate into more productive and resilient communities.
Karura Forest also provides essential ecosystem services for the city of Nairobi. It acts as a natural air purifier, contributing fresh oxygen to the urban environment. The rivers that flow through the forest also benefit from natural filtration, improving water quality before continuing downstream to support communities beyond the forest.
During their visit, the learners from Mbagathi Road Comprehensive actively engaged with these concepts. They created thoughtful and inspiring posters promoting conservation and environmental stewardship. A guided forest walk allowed them to experience firsthand the beauty and biodiversity of Karura, deepening their appreciation for its rich flora and fauna.
We extend our sincere gratitude to New Forests Kenya for sponsoring this visit and for joining the learners in this early commemoration of the International Day of Forests. Together, such partnerships help nurture the next generation of environmental stewards and reinforce the message that protecting our forests is not only vital for nature, but also for our economies and our future.
Julie Kimutai
Manager, KFEET
At times, when we are hard at work, it might be easy to forget that our offices are nestled right in the heart of Karura Forest. Fortunately, the monkeys are never far away and are always ready to remind us of that delightful fact.
Karura Forest is home to two fascinating species of monkeys. The first of these is the Sykes monkey (Cercopithecus albogularis), also referred to as the white-throated monkey or Samango monkey. This lively and curious species can be described as quite extroverted. Native to regions stretching from Ethiopia to South Africa, including parts of the south and east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sykes monkeys are easily recognisable due to the distinctive white patch on their throat and upper chest, as well as their grizzled cap.
Sykes monkeys are active, energetic, curious and highly social, living in large troops. They can often be spotted around the KFEET Centre, particularly in the morning hours. Their diet is widely varied, including young leaves, flowers, seeds, insects, bark, gum, fungi, and occasionally small vertebrates, they are true foragers at heart!
The second monkey species found in Karura Forest is the colobus monkey, a species with a particularly interesting history here. Originally residents of the forest many years ago, this species had completely disappeared. However, thanks to a translocation effort, some families were reintroduced to Karura Forest and have been thriving ever since. Unlike the Sykes monkeys, the colobus are highly arboreal, preferring the upper forest canopy. The colobus species subsists on plant matter including leaves, seeds, fruits and flowers.
The colobus are rarely seen by visitors to the forest, but thanks to camera traps and close monitoring by the Friends of Karura Forest Science and Research department, we know that they are doing well in the deeper, quieter parts of the forest. You can therefore imagine what a pleasant surprise it was for one of our KFEET team (Getrude) to recently spot a few amazing colobus monkeys jumping majestically from tree to tree just adjacent to the KFEET Centre! A rare and beautiful sight indeed.
So, as we get engrossed in our day-to-day tasks here at KFEET, we have frequent reminders that at the heart of the forest, it’s a monkeys’ world. We’re just lucky enough to be part of it! 🐒
Julie Kimutai
Manager, KFEET
Every year on 2nd February, the world commemorates World Wetlands Day, a day set aside to raise awareness about the importance of the world’s wetlands and the vital role they play in our planet. Wetlands include areas such as marshes, swamps, bogs and mangroves and are crucial for healthy ecosystems. They play an important role in preventing flooding and also act as carbon sinks, helping to mitigate the effects of climate change. It is believed that wetlands support up to 40% of the world’s biodiversity, yet, alarmingly, the earth is losing wetlands at a much faster rate than it is losing its forests.
Karura Forest is home to diverse ecosystems including natural and exotic forest areas, grassland areas, and crucially, wetlands. There are 5 rivers that flow through Karura Forest: The Ruaka River, Gitathuru River, Karura River, Thigiri River and Mathare River. These rivers are crucial in supporting the neighbouring communities, but are also an important source of water for the flora and fauna in the forest. The areas surrounding these rivers form wetlands where a diverse range of plant species grow, and where many animals also thrive.
In view of this, the Friends of Karura Forest Research Department organised a river cleanup on Monday 2nd February to commemorate World Wetlands Day. This important exercise, organised by Peter Fundi of FKF, brought together staff from Kenya Forest Service (KFS), Friends of Karura Forest (FKF), and Karura Forest Environmental Education Trust (KFEET), who joined hands in a clean up of Ruaka River. The staff were joined by a group of 64 students from New Dawn Education Centre.
The cleanup exercise was highly successful, though the rubbish collected from within the river indicated an increase in dumping from human settlements. Debris including shoes, clothes, blankets and plastic waste was retrieved from the river. It goes without saying that such waste causes pollution and endangers the flora and fauna that rely on these rivers for their very existence.
Given the rate at which the Earth is losing its wetlands, and the devastating effects of their loss to our environment, it is becoming increasingly clear that heightened sensitisation is needed to ensure that all communities living along the river courses are aware of the importance of these rivers. Communities outside the forest also need to organise cleanups upstream and downstream to help mitigate the problem of dumping from settlements.
Well done to all the staff of Karura Forest, and to the wonderful, inspirational students from New Dawn Education Centre, for joining hands for this important initiative. Together, let us speak up for our wetlands!
Julie Kimutai
Manager, KFEET
Today, 26 January, we mark International Environmental Education Day. As we do so, we reflect on some of the accomplishments of the past year while also looking ahead to new goals for this year (2026). At KFEET, we remain firmly committed to advancing environmental education through our diverse programmes, which aim to inspire awareness, responsibility, and action among learners of all ages.
Through our Outreach Programme, generously supported by Friends of Karura Forest, we have been able to bring learners from under-resourced schools to Karura Forest to experience nature firsthand, learn about the environment, and understand the importance of conservation. In 2025 alone, we were able to host 2,611 learners from 30 schools through this programme. We look forward to hosting more learners in 2026.
In addition to our outreach efforts, we were delighted to welcome learners from private and international schools who visited the forest and the education centre to meet environmental education objectives aligned with their respective curricula. We were also especially encouraged by a noticeable increase in visits to the KFEET Centre from tertiary institutions, including universities and colleges, reflecting a growing interest in experiential and field-based environmental learning.
In 2025, the KFEET Centre received a total of 12,822 students from primary, secondary, and tertiary institutions, and interacting with each of them was a genuine joy and a rewarding experience!
Last year, we also launched the KFEET Club, an initiative aimed at encouraging schools and pupils to establish micro-forests within their own school compounds. Through this programme, learners experience the joy of planting trees, caring for them, and watching them grow, while knowing they are playing an active role in greening their environment. The initiative was launched in two pilot schools, and we look forward to expanding it to more schools in 2026. We are excited to see how the programme will grow and develop in the year ahead.
As we mark this important day, we celebrate the vital role of environmental education in shaping informed, responsible stewards of our natural world.
Happy International Environmental Education Day!
Julie Kimutai
At Karura Forest, we kicked off the year the best way we know how, by rolling up our sleeves and caring for nature. On the morning of Thursday, 8th January 2026, our staff came together for a river clean-up exercise, reaffirming our commitment to protecting the lifelines that keep this forest alive.
Did you know that five rivers flow through Karura Forest? These are Karura River, Ruaka River, Gitathuru River, Thigiri River and Mathare River.
The Karura River begins its journey in Limuru and flows through the forest, giving us the much-loved Karura Falls along the way. The Ruaka River, which originates from the Ruaka area, also boasts a beautiful waterfall. Gitathuru River forms the southern boundary of the Sigiria section of the forest, while Thigiri River marks the northern boundary on the same side. The Mathare (Mathari) River flows south of Muthaiga Road before eventually joining the Nairobi River at Dandora.
These rivers are far more than just flowing water, they are places of calm beauty, beacons for many visitors who attest that standing by the rivers or waterfalls is one of the most peaceful experiences in the forest.
They support the forest’s plants and wildlife, provide habitats for water birds, amphibians, insects, and countless other organisms, helping to maintain the delicate balance of Karura’s ecosystems. The discovery of a few families of the African Clawless Otter has been a very exciting development for us at Karura. This species is the largest freshwater otter species in the world, and their presence in Karura’s rivers is a good indicator that the rivers are in recovery and have a good diversity of aquatic fauna to support this otter species. In Kenya, the African Clawless Otter can also be found in areas such as Laikipia, Masai Mara and Meru.
As the rivers travel beyond their sources, they pass through areas of human settlement. Sadly, this often means that wastewater, plastics, and other litter are dumped into the rivers. Over time, rubbish builds up in slower-moving sections, blocking natural flow and threatening the plants and animals that depend on clean water to survive.
That’s why, about twice a year, the Karura Forest family, staff, partners, and passionate environmental champions, come together to clean up the rivers and reduce this damage. This year’s clean-up was organised by the Friends of Karura (FKF) Research Department who coordinated all Karura staff, including teams from Friends of Karura (FKF), the Kenya Forest Service (KFS), and the Karura Forest Environmental Education Trust (KFEET), all working side by side for a healthier forest. This initiative focused mainly on clean-up of Mathare River.
Well done, and many thanks to Peter Fundi of FKF for organising and leading this very important exercise. Protecting Karura’s rivers is a shared responsibility, and everyone is invited to be part of the solution. We look forward to having many more volunteers join us for the next clean-up, and to help us to amplify conservation advocacy by sensitizing everyone on the importance of reducing plastic use in our daily lives, disposing of waste responsibly, and speaking up for our rivers wherever we live. Every small action counts today, and for future generations.
Julie Kimutai
Manager, KFEET
On Thursday, 13th November 2025, the KFEET team had the privilege of visiting the Momo Pencils factory for a hands-on learning experience in recycled pencil production. As educators who regularly teach recycling as a key method of environmental conservation, we were excited to witness the full process in action, and Momo Pencils did not disappoint. From the moment we arrived, the team welcomed us warmly and took us through every stage of transforming old newspapers into vibrant, classroom-ready pencils.
The process was fascinating. We watched as newspapers were carefully cut to size and wrapped tightly around graphite inserts. The rolled strips were compacted, cut, and sealed, gradually taking on the unmistakable shape of a pencil. We then learned how each pencil is polished, covered with a protective film, and even customised for clients as required. By the end, what began as discarded newspapers had become a high-quality writing tool. The finished products were impressive, showcasing a wide range of bright, colourful pencils.
What most impressed us was not just the craftsmanship, but the heart behind the work. Momo Pencils is doing phenomenal work in recycling and repurposing paper waste into something practical and beautiful. Beyond pencil production, their commitment to environmental conservation extends even further, including donations of fruit tree seedlings to schools as part of their ongoing support for tree planting initiatives. Their efforts are a powerful reminder that sustainability can be approached creatively and practically.
We left the factory feeling both inspired and encouraged. It was a joy meeting with a like-minded team so committed to environmental protection, and this helped reaffirm the importance of what we teach. As we concluded our visit, the team at Momo Pencils generously presented us with a donation of several pencils, which we will proudly share with our outreach pupils when schools resume in January 2026.
Our visit was an educational and energizing reminder that recycling is not just a concept, but is a real, tangible process that ordinary people can carry out to make an extraordinary difference. As we continue our mission to inspire the next generation of environmental stewards, experiences like this empower us to teach from a place of deeper knowledge, passion, and authenticity.
By Julie Kimutai,
Manager, KFEET
On Tuesday 4th November 2025, the KFEET staff honoured to join the Kenya Forest Service (KFS) and Friends of Karura Forest (FKF) for a tree-growing ceremony marking the launch of the short rains tree growing season – Karura Edition 2025.
The exercise was presided over by Joyce Nthuku, the Nairobi Regional Forest Conservator (KFS), who commended the team for their continued dedication to environmental protection. She noted that the restoration efforts are part of the government’s directive to achieve 15 billion tree cover by 2032.
Karura Forest, being the fourth largest within her region, showcases the beauty and value of well-managed urban forests. She reiterated that tree planting is only the beginning, emphasizing that care, monitoring, and protection are among the eleven key concepts guiding sustainable tree-growing practices.
The joint team planted 1,000 tree seedlings as part of ongoing efforts to restore and conserve the forest ecosystem. Mrs. Nthuku encouraged forest stations to include fruit tree seedlings in their nurseries, noting the growing public interest in them.
Elly Kogei, FKF Restoration Officer, shared that the 1,000 seedlings planted were scientifically selected from 76 native species, with 45 species chosen to best suit the selected ecosystem. The FKF Research Team Lead Peter Fundi highlighted the significance of the exercise in supporting the Black-and-White Colobus Monkeys, whose feeding behavior and family patterns are closely monitored within the forest.
Overall incharge of Karura forest ecotourism Mr. Edward Munene, added that the seedlings are available from FKF, KFS, and NCBA nurseries for upcoming planting activities in the Sigiria Block, targeting an additional 4,000 seedlings.
Among the attendees were FKF Board Members led by Prof. Karanja Njoroge, Chantal Mariotte,Sanzi Dietz, community members, forest scouts, Karura Station Manager, and Mrs. Kenya Forest 2025, among others.
By Getrude Rop,
Admin Assistant, KFEET.
The Karura Forest Environmental Education Trust — KFEET — was established in 2010 to promote environmental education and provide a centre for learning about forest ecosystems.
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