Nethanya Fonseka

2025 Eco-Hero

SECOND PLACE

Nethanya Fonseka
Age 16
Macomb, Michigan, United States
Plant It Forward: Cultivating Climate Resilience Through Community Action & Environmental Justice

At just 16, Nethanya Fonseka is already a powerful force for environmental change, spearheading Plant It Forward (PIF), a grassroots initiative dedicated to combating climate change through active conservation, remediation, advocacy, and justice. Inspired by The Lorax at age 13, Nethanya recognized the urgent need for climate action and decided to begin in her own community.

Nethanya launched PIF as a high school freshman, focusing on planting native, keystone, and photosynthesis-enhanced trees to maximize carbon sequestration. Her vision quickly expanded beyond her hometown of Macomb Twp., now encompassing collaborations with three other Michigan cities—Warren, Sterling Heights, and Clinton Twp. Through these partnerships, she has planted approximately 860 trees so far, and secured 350 photosynthesis-enhanced seedlings from Living Carbon, a biotechnology public benefit corporation. A remarkable achievement is securing $30,000 in county funding to plant a microforest in Warren in Fall 2025 – a project that will see 6,600 native trees, shrubs, and grasses planted, transforming a degraded urban space into a thriving ecosystem.

Nethanya's commitment to environmental justice is deeply woven into PIF's fabric. The microforest in Warren, a city with significant industrial pollution, directly addresses air quality and urban heat island effects, creating vital green spaces for its residents and mitigating urban flooding. Furthermore, she champions access to clean water as Vice President of her Key Club, helping to lead club efforts that have raised $640 for The Thirst Project to dig wells in water-scarce communities in Eswatini, emphasizing a fundamental human right. Perhaps most uniquely, Nethanya proposed and gained unanimous approval from the Clinton Township’s Board of Trustees for a Native American Honor Garden at the Civic Center. This project, meticulously researched with Master Gardener Ms. Kathi Piepenbrok and Indigenous leader Dr. Kevin Leonard of Michigan State University's Native American Institute, will feature native plants of cultural and medicinal significance, ensuring that the heritage and sustainable practices of the Ojibwe, Bodewadmi, and Odawa people are preserved and honored.

Beyond large-scale plantings, Nethanya designed and created a Hummingbird/Pollinator Garden in a local park, recruiting numerous student and community volunteers, and established a Heritage Garden in Macomb Twp., which includes rare American Chestnut trees—a keystone species and ecological icon she painstakingly sourced. Nethanya reflects on her journey: "I am so happy to share with others... that persistence, patience, passion, and sincerity will get us far, further than I ever thought possible." Her ability to galvanize support from city councils, biotech firms, environmental experts, and volunteers is a testament to her persuasive advocacy and authentic passion. Her mentor, Master Gardener Kathi Piepenbrok, states, “Nethanya has galvanized city officials, courageously won over the support of difficult city councils, and earned the donations and support of many organizations."

Nethanya's work with Plant It Forward, alongside her founding of an American Sign Language (ASL) club at her school, her service on the Future Blue Youth Council, and her commitment to mentoring youth globally in sustainability, demonstrates a multifaceted approach to fostering a more inclusive and sustainable world. She is an inspirational figure, showing that young leaders can indeed drive significant, tangible change and build stronger, greener communities for generations to come. Nethanya is already planning to expand her work to Sri Lanka, her parents' home country, to lead mangrove initiatives, further extending her global impact.

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