University-Led Community Greening Initiatives in Arid and Semi-Arid Landscapes: Lessons from Maasai Mara University’s Green Cover Concept in Narok County, Kenya

Abstract

Deforestation, prolonged drought, and biodiversity loss present profound challenges in Kenya’s arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs), particularly in Narok County; a region characterized by complex socioecological dynamics shaped by Maasai pastoralism, expanding agriculture, and increasing climate variability. Against this backdrop, Maasai Mara University launched the Green Cover Concept (GCC), a multidimensional environmental initiative integrating institutional tree planting, school-based environmental clubs, riverine ecosystem restoration, and community engagement. This paper presents findings from the initiative’s 2024 annual cycle, including a monitoring, evaluation, and assessment (M&E) study conducted across eight participating institutions, seven primary schools and one church in Narok County. Survival rates of planted trees were assessed across 20,555 planted seedlings, yielding an overall weighted survival rate of approximately 79.4%. Top-performing sites (Kanunka Primary School, 92%; Mbitin Comprehensive School, 91%) demonstrated that access to water, active environmental clubs, and committed school management are critical determinants of tree survival in ASAL contexts. Conversely, Exodus Church recorded the lowest survival rate (35%), attributed to water scarcity, livestock intrusion, and limited community participation. Drawing comparisons with the Green Belt Movement (GBM)’s internationally recognized grassroots model, this study identifies key convergences and opportunities for institutional collaboration, particularly in embedding environmental stewardship within educational ecosystems. The findings contribute empirical evidence to the growing discourse on university-led conservation, community-based reforestation, and Kenya’s national goal of planting 15 billion trees by 2032. Keywords: arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs); community-based reforestation; environmental clubs; Green Cover Concept; Green Belt Movement; Kenya; Narok County; tree survival rates; university-community partnerships.