DAVID MATHENGE
Project Officer for the Green Belt Movement
David Mathenge is a Project Officer for the Green Belt Movement–an organization whose founder, the late Wangari Maathai–received a Nobel Peace Prize in 2004 for their tree planting and activism in Kenya.
David has significant experience in Community-Based Natural Resource Management and landscape restoration interventions. This includes community training and mobilization for participation in environmental conservation and sustainable management and utilization of their natural resources.
He provides expertise in national and regional forums on climate change theory, practice, and policies. David has spearheaded interventions for climate mitigation and adaptation among communities and groups spread across the five major water towers of Kenya, namely Mt. Kenya, Mt. Elgon, the Aberdares ranges, Cherangany, and the Mau Escarpment.
As a trained forester, David has participated in catchment restoration through afforestation and reforestation of fragile and degraded landscapes in state, community, and individual forests in Kenya. Many of the Green Belt Movement’s projects promote livelihoods and food security through sustainable land management, and promote nature-based enterprises to increase household disposable incomes.
David advises on improved climate change governance in Kenya with the objective of catalyzing and facilitating civil society, counties, academia, community groups–including marginalized and indigenous groups, youth, and women–for participation in the management of their natural resources, as outlined in the Kenyan Constitution.
David holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Forestry from Moi University and he has completed a certificate course in Integrated Watershed Management, Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+), Communication for Advocacy, and Project Management, Monitoring, and Evaluation. He is a member of the Kenya CSO Platform on Climate Governance and Kenya Forests Working Group.