remembering wangari

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The first question asked by the world's media at the celebration of the life of Wangari Maathai, the first African Nobel peace prize winner and leader of the grassroots Green Belt movement was

"What has planting trees got to do with peace?"


 The answer came from her daughter, Wanjira Maathai:
When she started the Green Belt movement in 1977 very few people realised how radical it was.  Rural women were  disenfranchised. The simple act of planting trees challenged the status quo. Women had no land rights. [By planting trees], Wangari was challenging land grabbing and linking peace and democracy and the environment.

"I was deeply influenced by her. I came to the issue of climate change not as a scientist or environmentalist, but from a human rights and justice perspective. I realised that severe weather shocks were already undermining poor livelihoods in vulnerable countries, and were negatively affecting rights to food, safe water and health. I concluded that this posed one of the greatest human rights threats, had a huge injustice dimension, and needed to be highlighted by taking a climate justice approach. To me a climate justice approach had to be a values-led, people-centred approach, which highlighted the injustice of climate change but which had to be practical about solutions – as Wangari had been."
Mary Robinson
Find out more Mary Robinson Foundation – Climate Justice


President Obama made his only contribution to the global climate talks in Durban in 2011 by urging countries to preserve their forests and follow the example of Nobel peace prize winner and Kenyan environmentalist, Wangari Maathai. He said "Wangari's work stands as a testament to the power of a single person's idea that the simple act of planting a tree can be a profound statement of dignity and hope first in one village, then in one nation, and now across Africa".

Archbishop Desmond Tutu praised Professor Maathai as a true "visionary African woman" and called her a "leading voice on the continent."  He said:
"Professor Maathai introduced the idea of women planting trees in Kenya to reduce poverty and conserve the environment. At last count, the Green Belt Movement she helped to found had assisted women to plant more than 40 million trees. She understood and acted on the inextricable links between poverty, rights and environmental sustainability. One can but marvel at her foresight and the scope of her success. She was a true African heroine,"


Ann Pettifor especially remembered the privilege of working closely with Wangari on the Jubilee 2000 campaign. Earlier today she said:
“Wangaari stands shoulder to shoulder with Nelson Mandela and Julius Nyerere as one of Africa’s – and the world’s – wisest and most effective leaders.  I was privileged to know her as a friend; and as a colleague. But above all I was privileged to work closely with her during the Jubilee 2000 campaign. Not only was she Jubilee 2000′s representative in Kenya, but she helped lead the Jubilee 2000 Africa campaign. May she rest in peace; and may her leadership of that and many other campaigns to protect Africa’s environment, grow in the world’s memory; just as the many trees she planted and helped propagate across Kenya – continue to grow and thrive.  The finest memorial a world leader could leave as a legacy.”

“In remembrance of Wangari Maathai, #mylittlething is educating girls to become leaders in their families, in their communities and in our world.”
Oprah Winfrey

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In Tottenham seven trees were planted in a ring over 400 years ago for reasons lost in time; the Seven Sisters area and the underground station are named after them. The seven trees have been replanted a number of times, always by seven sisters. 

The Tottenham Trees logo, shown on the right, is a silhouette of the Bruce Castle Oak with the logo of the Charter for Trees, Woods and People launched in November 2017, on the 800th anniversary of the Royal Charter of the Forest.

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  • Tottenham Trees
    • #HaringeyFavouriteTrees 2022
    • #HaringeyFavouriteTrees 2021
    • Special trees in Tottenham >
      • Bruce Castle Oak >
        • Arboricultural survey
        • Reminiscences of the Bruce Castle Oak
        • Calling Tree >
          • Calling Tree: gallery
      • Mulberry tree
      • Seven Sisters
    • Trees in Tottenham (Galleries) >
      • Tottenham trees (A-D common name)
      • Tottenham Trees (E-K common name)
      • Tottenham Trees (L-R common name)
      • Tottenham Trees (S-Z common name)
    • Trees in Art from Tottenham
    • Trees in Words from Tottenham >
      • Epping
      • It's a Word Thing!
      • Message on leaves
      • Ode from the Oak
      • Of this tree
      • The Elder
    • Tottenham parks >
      • St Ann's Redevelopment
    • Tottenham Tree Trails
    • Who we are >
      • Postcards and Bags
  • Charter for Trees
    • Charter history
    • Charter Principles
    • Independent Panel on Forestry
  • About Trees
    • Latest news on Trees 2021 >
      • Tree articles 2020
      • Tree articles 2019
      • Tree articles 2018
      • Tree articles 2017
      • Tree articles 2016
      • Tree articles 2015
    • Threats to our trees
    • Tree Identification
    • Tree Quizzes >
      • Celebrating Trees Quiz 2019 >
        • Answers: Celebrating Trees 2019
      • Celebrating Trees 2018 >
        • Answers: Celebrating Trees
      • Lazy Sunday Tree Quiz >
        • Answers: Lazy Sunday
    • Global Tree Calendar
  • Urban Trees
    • Growing trees from seed
    • iTree surveying
    • Street Trees for Living
    • Tree care
    • Tree packs for free
    • Tree planting
    • Trees in the Townscape
  • Inspirations
    • Wangari Maathai >
      • Green Belt Movement
      • Institute and Foundation
      • First Seven Trees
      • Remembering Wangari
      • Kenya
    • Felix Finkbeiner
    • Chico Mendes
    • Chipko Movement
    • Plant for the Planet >
      • 3 Point Plan
    • Inspiring stories from around the world
  • Tree Events
    • Tree Charter Day 2019 >
      • Legacy Oak Ale
    • Urban Tree Festival 2019
    • Wassail 2019
    • Tree Charter Day 2018
    • Tree Charter Day 2017
    • 800 year Charter anniversary
    • Poetry Sunday @ Bruce Castle
    • Poetry @ The Room
    • Calling Tree: Tottenham
    • London National Park City 2018
    • London Tree Week 2017
    • London Tree Week 2016
    • Other Tottenham tree events
  • Green Spaces
    • Other Haringey Green Spaces
    • London Friends of Green Spaces
    • London National Park City
    • Parks cafe trail
    • The Conservation Volunteers
    • Future Forest