CANTON -- A service of remembrance for Wangari Muta Maathai, Nobel Peace Prize winner in Kenya who died September 25, will be held at St. Lawrence University's Gunnison Memorial Chapel at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 9. The service will include reflections, gospel music and a screening of the film about her life, "Taking Root."

In honor of Maathai, trees will be planted at the university's Environmentally Sustainable Landscape (ESL) property, on Friday, Nov. 11, at 2 p.m. Those interested in participating will meet at Brewer Bookstore to travel to the property together.

Students participating in St. Lawrence's program of study in Kenya recently planted a tree in Maathai's memory at the university's compound there.

A political and environmental activist, Maathai founded the Green Belt Movement, a non-governmental organization focused on planting trees, environmental conservation and women's rights. In 2004, she became the first African woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize for "her contribution to sustainable development, democracy and peace."

Several students in the University's Kenya program have participated in internships with the Green Belt Movement and many have planted indigenous trees in rural areas where they did homestays with families.

Kenya Program Administrative Director Wairimu Ndirangu said, "In the last decade, we have promoted the planting of indigenous trees as well as fruit trees in all the individual rural homes that have hosted our students in Kabondo, Nyanza; Kericho, Western Rift; and Meru, Eastern Kenya. We plan to continue with this practice of greening our environment in all the rural areas that we associate with in the future. As a result, we have delighted in witnessing the impetus that this has created with families embarked on planting more trees, making the plantings a welcome addition to the daily practice of farming and rural conservation."