Guardians Worldwide is a transnational alliance of territorial land defenders protecting more than 750,000 ha of the world's most endangered forests. We work with Indigenous, Quilombo and rural guardians in seven countries, supporting governance and livelihoods, capacity building and cultural heritage protection. In Kenya, we set up the Programme for the Heritage of Ogieks and Mother Earth (Pro-Home), a registered Community-based organisation based in Nakuru County, and led by Indigenous forest guardians. The programme aims to protect and restore Mau Forest, Kenya's last remaining indigenous montane rainforest, home to many endangered species including the African mountain elephant and bongo, a critically endangered mountain antelope. GWW/Pro-Home set up the Mau Tree Rescue Hub, dedicated to rescuing and growing native trees -especially dombeya- and protecting wild bee colonies. We carry out reforestation work with local schools, and also protect Ogiek cultural heritage sites.
Guardians UK is a registered charity in England and Wales based in the London Borough of Southwark and Pulborough, West Sussex, dedicated to promoting health and healthy recreation by facilitating public access to green spaces through forest-related activities and supporting protection and regeneration of native woodland in Southeast London and West Sussex. The organization operates a tree nursery containing 1,500 native trees grown from seed or rescued from nearby lands, with the aim of planting thousands of trees across dedicated reforestation and regeneration sites throughout the UK in both urban and rural settings. Their Grange Lane Tree Rescue Hub occupies 0.8 hectares between Dulwich Wood and Grange Lane Allotments, featuring community spaces, an orchard, herb garden, and other facilities to support environmental restoration work.
Project story
Mau Forest Rescue
The Ogiek people have stewarded Kenya's montane rainforest for generations. Today, less than 10% of the Mau forest complex remains—and it's disappearing fast.
This isn't just an environmental crisis. It's an existential threat to Ogiek communities and their way of life. Mau Forest is known as Kenya's “water tower”, absorbing rainfall that prevents catastrophic flooding downstream. Deforestation is already devastating millions of people with uncontrollable floods.
Set up by GWW/Pro-Home, the Mau Tree Rescue Hub is fighting back through indigenous-led conservation. Our immediate priority: plant 750 dombeya trees—native species that thrive in the rainforest and support essential pollinators—using saplings currently in our nursery that must go into the ground before the rains pass.
But we're also protecting something deeper. We're establishing a seed bank for olive (yemdit) and African cedar (tarakwet)—sacred trees central to Tororet, the Ogiek's ancient spiritual practice. This belief system, nearly lost to acculturation and land destruction, could be revived alongside the forest itself.
Your support restores the forest, protects a community, and preserves an endangered spiritual heritage.
Project updates
Team
Mau Forest Rescue
Guardians Worldwide is a transnational alliance of territorial land defenders protecting more than 750,000 ha of the world's most endangered forests. We work with Indigenous, Quilombo and rural guardians in seven countries, supporting governance and livelihoods, capacity building and cultural heritage protection. In Kenya, we set up the Programme for the Heritage of Ogieks and Mother Earth (Pro-Home), a registered Community-based organisation based in Nakuru County, and led by Indigenous forest guardians. The programme aims to protect and restore Mau Forest, Kenya's last remaining indigenous montane rainforest, home to many endangered species including the African mountain elephant and bongo, a critically endangered mountain antelope. GWW/Pro-Home set up the Mau Tree Rescue Hub, dedicated to rescuing and growing native trees -especially dombeya- and protecting wild bee colonies. We carry out reforestation work with local schools, and also protect Ogiek cultural heritage sites.
Guardians UK is a registered charity in England and Wales based in the London Borough of Southwark and Pulborough, West Sussex, dedicated to promoting health and healthy recreation by facilitating public access to green spaces through forest-related activities and supporting protection and regeneration of native woodland in Southeast London and West Sussex. The organization operates a tree nursery containing 1,500 native trees grown from seed or rescued from nearby lands, with the aim of planting thousands of trees across dedicated reforestation and regeneration sites throughout the UK in both urban and rural settings. Their Grange Lane Tree Rescue Hub occupies 0.8 hectares between Dulwich Wood and Grange Lane Allotments, featuring community spaces, an orchard, herb garden, and other facilities to support environmental restoration work.
Project story
Mau Forest Rescue
The Ogiek people have stewarded Kenya's montane rainforest for generations. Today, less than 10% of the Mau forest complex remains—and it's disappearing fast.
This isn't just an environmental crisis. It's an existential threat to Ogiek communities and their way of life. Mau Forest is known as Kenya's “water tower”, absorbing rainfall that prevents catastrophic flooding downstream. Deforestation is already devastating millions of people with uncontrollable floods.
Set up by GWW/Pro-Home, the Mau Tree Rescue Hub is fighting back through indigenous-led conservation. Our immediate priority: plant 750 dombeya trees—native species that thrive in the rainforest and support essential pollinators—using saplings currently in our nursery that must go into the ground before the rains pass.
But we're also protecting something deeper. We're establishing a seed bank for olive (yemdit) and African cedar (tarakwet)—sacred trees central to Tororet, the Ogiek's ancient spiritual practice. This belief system, nearly lost to acculturation and land destruction, could be revived alongside the forest itself.
Your support restores the forest, protects a community, and preserves an endangered spiritual heritage.
Project updates
Team
Location
Kenya
Round 3
Jul 1-21, 2026
Supporting community-led nature projects around the world.
Matching funds provided by
