CONFLICT WITH LEADERS
Not everyone supported the Green Belt Movement. Maathai
knew that the leaders of the Kenyan government made
money from deforestation by erecting buildings on cleared
land. They wanted her to stop planting trees and educating
people about the dangers of forest loss. Maathai refused.
She was threatened, and several times, she was arrested
and physically injured.
The Green Belt
Movement planted
trees in nurseries such
as this one before
replanting the trees all
around the country.
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