Msitu Classroom

A 400 sq m pocket forest is being planted at the University of Nairobi’s Faculty of Business and Management Sciences. With over 1,200 native trees of more than 50 species, the forest will act as a living seed bank, helping to preserve biodiversity in a city where green cover is rapidly shrinking. The university students will be hands-on in its creation, gaining real-world training in urban forestry, ecological restoration, and sustainable land management. More than 2,000 learners are expected to benefit from this open-air classroom — a rare opportunity in an increasingly urbanized Nairobi.

The forest also carries symbolic weight. Just 30 minutes away lies Thogoto Forest, an ecologically and culturally important area that serves as a place of worship and community gathering for ceremonies and spiritual rituals. Once cut in two by the Southern Bypass, parts of Thogoto have been overtaken by housing developments and are now under pressure from logging and urban expansion. Meanwhile, Karura Forest’s Sigiria section, just 20 minutes from campus, stands as a nearby example of successful urban conservation.