The School of Pharmacy on 2nd April 2026 hosted a Tree Planting Day under the theme “Growing a Living Herbarium for Learning, Research and Environmental Stewardship.” The event brought together students, university staff, partners, and external donors and the community in Thika in a collaborative effort to promote environmental sustainability and academic innovation.
The initiative aims to establish a living herbarium that will be a sustainable resource supporting teaching, research, and the conservation of medicinal plants. The herbarium will provide students with hands-on learning opportunities while enhancing the School’s capacity for research in pharmacognosy and natural product development.
Speaking during the event, the Principal Corporate Services, Communication &Alumni Relations/ Director Linkages, Prof. Mwangi Peter Wanderi reminded everyone of the critical need to embrace vision 2030 at an individual level in order to support positive change in the country. School leadership lead by the Dean, Dr Michael Mung’oma emphasized the critical role of plants in healthcare and the need to preserve biodiversity for future generations. “This initiative bridges education and environmental responsibility, ensuring that our students appreciate the direct link between nature and medicine”. He also cited SDG 13 and 15 which requires collective combating of climate change and its action as well as promoting sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems.
The Tree Planting Day also contributes to Kenya’s national target of planting 15 billion trees by 2032, an initiative aimed at restoring degraded landscapes and increasing national tree cover to over 30%. Through this activity, the School of Pharmacy reaffirmed its commitment to supporting national and global environmental goals. The DVC APIA reinstated that growing trees is more impactful that just planting them and encouraged sustainable stewardship in conservation.
Partners and donors present at the event including AAR Healthcare, Analabs and Najimudu Empowerment Initiative commended the School for integrating sustainability into academic programs and pledged continued collaboration in similar initiatives. Students actively participated in planting and learning sessions, reinforcing their role as future healthcare professionals who are conscious of environmental stewardship.
The School of Pharmacy remains committed to advancing innovative, sustainable approaches to education, research, and community engagement.
