The team of Books for Trees consists of a core team, bachelor and master students and volunteers.
DI Bernhard Wagenknecht
Core team
Founder and association chairman
Berhard is the founder and association chairman of Books for Trees. He studied horticulture and green area design at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna and then worked in regional planning. Since 1997 he has been teaching project management, accounting, business administration and marketing at HBLFA Schönbrunn.
Milicent Atieno Bungu
Finance manager and project coordinator Ololkirikirai
Milicent coordinates the project area Ololkirikirai and is trained in various areas of permaculture and tree nursery management. She has been working at the Kenya Forest Service and is an environmental manager certified by the Kenya Wildlife Service Training Institute. Milicient has been with Books for Trees since the beginning. She set up the tree nursery in Ololkirikirai, looks after our partner schools, monitors the progress in the partner tree nurseries and gardens, gives lectures and organizes planting activities.
Dr. Richard Tarimo
Project coordination Entasekera
From 2003 to 2013 Richard headed the parish in Ololkirikirai and together with Milicent established the first tree nursery and contacted the first partner schools. He is currently in charge of the parish and the project area in Entasekera.
Evans Odula
Project coordination Rusinga Island
Evans runs Badilisha on Rusinga Island. He is trained in various areas of permaculture and has many years of practical experience. He is in charge of reforestation, monitoring of reforestation and regional development for Books for Trees on Rusinga Island.
Isabella Ostovary, MSc.
Project development and scientific support
Isabella attended HBLFA Schönbrunn and then studied revitalization and restoration ecology at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna. She works in project development and carries out the mapping that Books for Trees uses for strategic reforestation on Rusinga Island. In addition, she accompanies the implementation of master’s studies and new restoration strategies.
Dr. Stephen Mureithi
Scientific support
Stephen Mureithi studied pasture management and land resource management at Ghent University. He accompanies the scientific work in our project areas, which is essential for a knowledge based project development. He also holds workshops on soil erosion and supports Books for Trees with his practical knowledge of the restoration of pasture land.
Alice Mwangi, MSc.
Regional development
Alice studied pasture management and human ecology at the University of Brussels. She runs a permaculture garden on the outskirts of Nairobi, where she produces high quality farm products. She works for Books for Trees as a regional developer and is specialized in women groups. Together with Books for Trees, she accompanies the women groups in our project areas in finding, organizing and maintaining alternative livelihoods.
