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The Brackenhurst Connection: Building on Historical Links Event

On Tuesday 20 July 2021, the School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences hosted its first public lecture in the newly opened Lyth Lecture Theatre.

    Brack history event

    The event brought together members of the Southwell community, the local Kenyan community, NTU academics, and colleagues from our partner institutions in Kenya to celebrate the historical connection between NTU’s Brackenhurst Southwell campus and Brackenhurst Limuru Kenya.

    Jono Jenkins, Project Coordinator at Brackenhurst Kenya, presented details of the forest restoration and environmental education work that was currently taking place on the site, which is historically connected to the Brackenhurst campus in Southwell. This project forms the focus of a collaborative research agenda, designed to provide scientific evidence on the ecosystem service benefits of native reforestation in Kenya, as well as documenting the potential health and nutritional benefits of native plant species. Initial student and staff mobility for this project has been provided through the award of a €136,360 Erasmus+ grant.

    This partnership offers a unique opportunity for NTU to use its expertise to contribute to the urgent task of protecting and restoring biodiversity, one of the key areas of focus of the recently announced Eastern Africa Centre. The School are now exploring opportunities for funding to support research growth, which may include the joint development of NTU research facilities on the site. This would provide ongoing research support and create additional opportunities for students to develop their capacity to work in ecological restoration and the green economy more broadly, both here and in Kenya.

    The event also included presentations on the current links between NTU, Brackenhurst Kenya, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology and Mount Kenya University, in relation to sustainability, restoration, and biodiversity conservation.

    Professor Cillian Ryan PVC International said “NTU is delighted to be working with our partners in Eastern Africa on ecological restoration and to join with them for this international virtual event. The link with Brackenhurst Kenya has captured the imagination of our academic and local community and generated a greater appreciation of the need to understand our own and Kenya’s ecology, and the impact of farming practices and population pressures on the environment.”

    To allow friends, partners and colleagues to join us from around the world, the event was live-streamed and is now available to watch here.

    Published on 4 August 2021
    • Category: Environment and sustainability; School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences
    • Location: Brackenhurst Campus