Reforestation is pivotal in soil health, ecosystem conservation, and combating climate change.
At Great Plains Foundation, we’ve seen firsthand how powerful it is to combine conservation with indigenous knowledge — most recently, this was evident at our Traditional Healer Seminar in the Masai Mara.
The greenheart tree (warburgia ugandensis), an evergreen tree native to East Africa, is categorised as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. It is highly valued in the Maasai community. Known for its medicinal properties, it has been used for generations to treat illnesses in people and livestock. But over time, much of the knowledge about how to harvest its medicine sustainably got lost, leading to unsustainable practices like chopping down trees to harvest their roots.
That’s where our work comes in. We’ve partnered with Maasai Traditional Healers— who carry this ancient knowledge—to help protect the greenheart tree and other indigenous plants and with them, we are finding ways to conserve these resources while ensuring the community can still benefit from their healing properties and herbal uses.
Indigenous Knowledge and Sustainability
The Traditional Healer Seminar was an enlightening occasion. Three respected healers shared their wisdom with local residents, teaching them about nine indigenous tree species, their uses, and how to use them sustainably.
Attendees learned sustainable techniques, like extracting medicinal properties from leaves instead of roots, and discovered new ways to incorporate these plants into their daily lives. Some trees can be used to make refreshing drinks or nourishing soups!
The healers emphasised the importance of preserving trees and not cutting them down. By protecting them, they will continue to give back to the community for generations.
Felix, our Community Liaison, perfectly summarised it: “This is about conservation and about keeping Maasai culture alive.”
Conservation Roots
Our work with the greenheart tree is part of our larger Conservation Roots program, coordinated by Paul. Since the program began, we’ve planted 18,000 greenheart trees (and counting!). Each seedling starts in our nursery and finds a new home through the hands of local residents, schoolchildren, and even guests at the Great Plains Conservation camps.
Tree planting helps create a deeper connection between people and the environment, where nature and culture can thrive.
We couldn’t have done this alone. The workshops were made possible by the generous funding from The Perfect World Foundation , the invaluable knowledge shared by the Traditional Healers, the attendees who were eager to learn, and our donors who continue to support this work, helping us to protect biodiversity for the benefit of all.
It was clear by the end of the day that this kind of gathering needs to happen more often. Events like these bring people together, teach the value of Indigenous species, and show us how to use what we have sustainably—for the good of the land, the community, and future generations.