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new boost to environmental conservation in kenya

waterand treesforpeace
this is a major boost to spurring interest on individual efforts done in the name of posterity and environmental conservation where one(Gallman) puts their lives on the line.
cheers

maybe could we give our conservation efforts a new look?make it enjoyable as ever while remembering the bitter message of our own undoing...............

Environmentalists win first round on ABERDARE ROAD

National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) yesterday declined to issue the government with a licence allowing construction of a Sh 2.3billion cutting through the Aberdare National Park.

The 52 kilometre road would have linked Ihithe town in Othaya constituency represented by President Kibaki and Ndunyu Njeru in Kinangop constituency represented by Sisi kwa Sisi’s David Ngugi.

The director General Dr Mwinzi Muasya in a letter to the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Roads Engineer Michael Kamau said that the road if constructed would have an enormous adverse effect on the Aberdare Eco-system since the preliminary road design indicated it would cut across 25 kilometres of forest canopy.

NEMA said the project consultants failed to provide an alternative route for the proposed tarmac road in order to mitigate on the identified adverse effect on the moorland growing on crucial water catchment areas.

“ Aberdare is a crucial water tower providing Nairobi city with water, supports the multi-billion horticultural and floricultural industry. We are of the view that the project will not enhance sustainable development and sound environmental management,” the letter said.

Kenya Wildlife Service, Kenya Forest Service, Rhino Ark, East African Wildlife Foundation, Kenya Tourism Federation and East African Wildlife Society had raised strong objections to the project saying the road would reverse gains made in conserving the eco-system.

The conservationists had argued that gains made in the past 21 years during which a 400 kilometre long perimeter fence around the 2,000kilometre ecosystem was constructed at a Sh 850million cost would be in vain.

In memoranda seen by the Daily Nation, the conservationists argued that there was conflict of interest since one local firm contracted to design the road had also been contracted to conduct an Environmental Impact Assessment study.

NEMA also said that the EIA report also failed to state what mitigative measures it planned to take to address the destruction to be caused by the road construction.

PLANT A TREE FOR GOD'S SAKE

OUR WAY-RESTORE ANDPRESERVE FOR POSTERITY

MUSIC COURTESY OF ALLAN ARON AND DADDY OWEN,KIRIRO

trade versus life

ugly sites-death stared on my face-IMMINENT

                                  23.8.2011
Residents of Rumuruti last week embarked on an ambitious eco-tourism
programme to make jumbos which have reduced them into paupers via
frequent invasions of farms to become their new cash cows from tourism
earnings.
After a visit to Meru National Park, Rumuruti Community Forest
Association(CFA) members were awed to learn that their problematic
jumbos relocated three years ago had become a ‘magnet’ that made
tourists flock there enabling the park to earn a extra Sh 10million.
“We have identified Osama, Kamau, Mohamed and Longisa as problematic
jumbos here but we will not allow their relocation to any other park.
Our CFA jointly with other stakeholders to develop eco-lodges via a
plan that enables us to sustainably use the 6,500hectare forest that
is home to 500 jumbos,” said an official Mr John Kamau.
The sentiments were expressed when Rumuruti residents led by their two
civic leaders Mr Simon Nyuto(Melwa) and Mr Kinyua karimi signed an
agreement jointly with Kenya Forest Service committing themselves to
reverse the destruction of the forest as well as lead an intensified
assault against poachers, loggers and charcoal burners.
This would be done with a clear focus on the jumbos’ potential to earn
them an income via establishment of eco-lodges, nature trails and an
extensive beekeeping project as well as an indigenous tree nursery
project for sale to farmers.
The PFMP empowers the association to establish a seed collection team
that will source for indigenous tree seedlings and seeds collected
from the forest for trees as well as for other plants identified as
suitable and traditionally belonging to Laikipia for propagation.
“The forest is not ‘mali ya serikali’(state’s property) where we
allowed wanton destruction because it was not ours. Now we realize
that destruction of forests has brought us woes that only us can
reverse. Let us rehabilitate it by first stopping destruction from any
quarter while we seek ways to sustainably use it,” said Central
Highlands head of Conservancy Mr John Wachihi.
Mr Wachihi said projects identified as viable would be funded as a way
of reducing over-reliance on forests as a source of income among them
fish keeping, beekeeping, tree nursery  establishment and tree seed
harvesting among other ventures encompassed in the agreement.
The signing of the Rumuruti CFA-KFS Participatory Forest Management
Plan(PFMP) conducted last week empowers  residents to take stern
measures against anyone found destroying forests while giving them
full charge to spearhead rehabilitation plans.
In the past two decades, farmers have suffered immeasurable loss from
rogue jumbos residing within Rumuruti forest and others seeking
pastures that destroy crops, granaries and at times kill people due to
hunger.
Jumbos from Meru, Samburu and the larger Laikipia region make annual
pilgrimage to Laikipia West in their hundreds and in the last
parliament immediate former MP GG Kariiuki successfully moved a motion
seeking to hold liable private wildlife sanctuary owners and the
government for damage, injuries and deaths caused by jumbos.
But the bill which had been passed by parliament and forwarded to
President Kibaki suffered its final blow when he declined to assent to
it and referred it back to parliament for further scrutiny.
Laikipia Zonal Forest Manager Mr William Cheptoo said forest
destruction could become a thing of the past if duties of taking care
of forests became a communal one. He said the community would be held
liable and all its favours withdrawn if it is found they had failed to
take sufficient measures to protect it.
The signing of the PFMP agreement is the first in Laikipia’s five
forests, Rumuruti, Lariak,Mukogodo, Gitundaga, North and South
Marmanet forests with active CFAs and the fifth in the country after
South Imenti, Gathioro,Hombe and Gatharu in Nyeri county.
Mr Wachihi said rehabilitation was key to restoration of rivers and
streams that used to flow freely to Nrothern Kenya thereby providing
people, livestock and wild animals with water.
But with demise of rivers, the pastoralists continue to move upstream
with their livestock leading to overgrazing of forests and tragic
sporadic battles leading to scores of deaths as pastoralists fight for
watering points.
“Security in this area can only be guaranteed if our forests are
restored and sustainably utilised as it has happened elsewhere in the
country. Come up with tree seedlings for sale and planting within your
farms as well as in forests as rehabilitation is key to any forest
management structure,” the head of conservancy said.
Forest Conservation Committee national chairman Mr Kinyua Kibaki said
strict laws on protecting the environment and forests called for a
structured link between residents and forests as a sure way of
avoiding incarceration.
Other forests, he observed, had seen strong regeneration with farmers
also involved in tree planting via the recently introduced Plantation
Establishment and Livelihood Improvement Scheme(PELIS).
PELIS allows farmers to cultivate forestland while tending for trees
and after three years they are re-allocated other forest cover
depleted areas where a similar exercise takes place.
Only projects that are not destructive are allowed and the CFA are
empowered to manage their own activities within the forest where
anyone wishing to enter the forest must seek clearance from them.
“42 CFA-KFS agreements are ready for approval out of which 11 are from
Central highlands. The Mau conservancy bringing together Bahati,
Dundori and Eburu are also in the pipeline and will be taken to FCC
for approval. Kieni and Kamakia forest edge communities have also been
received,” said KFS assistant director Mr John Munyiri.
KFS won the hearts of Rumuruti residents after they financed jointly
with CDF led by Laikipia West MP Ndiritu Muriithi a solar powered
fence along the edge of the forest.
Mr Wachihi directed stern action be taken against farmers found to be
destroying the fence to give their livestock access to the forest
saying this had reversed gains made after erection of the fence.
ENDS

indigenous trees-a death so painful at Lariak forest, kenya

Death of Kenya’s and Africa’s first woman Nobel Laureate Professor
Wangari Maathai has awoken new zeal among Kenyans keen on keeping her
dream alive with fresh impetus in the past week.

Forest edge communities in Nyandarua and Laikipia counties, which
serve as water sources for millions of people residing in water
deficit areas entered into separate pacts with Kenya Forest Service to
safeguard Aberdare and Laikipia Ecosystemss.

KFS’s deputy direct in charge of Forest Conservation Mr Esau Omolo
presided over the signing ceremonies at Kinangop, Ndaragwa and at
Nyahururu townships where the knife edge commitment on forest
rehabilitation were signed.

And before the ink had dried, KFS launched the first onslaught on
forest destruction when it gave 1,000 families living at Kirima and
Muruai scheme a signal that there days were numbered since KFS now had
a fuilly equipped and armed wing.

“The aim of KFS is to use the power bestowed upon it by the
constitution to increase Kenya’s forest cover to over 10per cent while
ensuring the 6.5per cent forest cover is not destroyed. For
you(residents) is to be your brother’s keeper by ensuring government
officers do not destroy the forest,” he said.

The pacts seek to set a mutual stage for KFS and residents to benefit
from continued forest conservation where residents can enjoy increased
water, honey, firewood, tourism revenue generation as well as
establishment of fish ponds along rivers and dams without condoning
forest destruction.

The holistic approach to forest management saw four community forest
associations mandated to utilize Ndaragwa, Rumuruti, Shamanek, Ol
Bolosat, Aberdare and lariak forests for their own economic benefit.

“But any CFA that condones activities that destroy forests such as
logging, charcoal burning and illegal crop cultivation will have their
pacts cancelled and KFS will bar further entry of forests,” said Mr
John Munyiri deputy director in charge of Legal affairs at KFS.

Muruai and Kirima schemes, noted KFS’ Aberdare Forest Zonal Manager Mr
Benjamin Kinyili, which are located on the upper catchment area for
Central Province’s only lake Ol Bolosat continued to cause harm to
millions of people downstream.

“Their agricultural activities continue to cause silting of the lake
which is a water reservoir and as the agency mandated by law to
protect our water catchment areas, we have moved around and erected
beacons in the affected areas and we shall soon move in,”he said.

Mr Omollo confirmed the assertion saying the settlers would be evicted
the Mau way, where evictions take place as the governments looks for
alternative land for them.

“It is even dangerous for you to occupy such an area since water
levels keep rising and land slides are a normal occurrence. Once the
regeneration of natural forest cover reaches its peak within the
Aberdare Forest Ecosystem covering 2,000 square kilometers, water will
force you out,” he added.

Muruai and Kirima schemes have of late witnessed land slides following
heavy rains that precipitate floods across cultivate lands along
former waterways.

But the plans have been met with severe opposition from local leaders
who aver that the government should see alternative ways to address
the problem by seeking an all-inclusive mechanism where residents
could be asked to plant trees on ‘their’ farms without being necessary
being evicted.

Lake Ol Bolosat provides water to millions of Kenyans in Nyandarua,
Laikipia, Samburu, Marsabit and Garrissa counties before it crosses
over to Somalia. Along its way it provides millions of gallons ofm
water to multi-million irrigation enterprises and world famous game
sanctuaries among them Buffalo Springs, Samburu and Shaba.

The CFA agreements also seek to start tourism projects within the
forests with nature trails, hippo and elephant viewpoints erected at
strategic areas. KFS has since financed construction of an jumbo
electric fence along Rumuruti forest thereby reducing human-wildlife
conflict.

The partnership has been welcomed by conservation lobby groups world
wide that continue to provide funds for various projects such as
establishment of beekeeping ventures, indigenous tree seeds and
seedling conllection enterprises, fish farming as well as contruction
of bandas.

Rumuruti CFA chairman John Kamau summed up the gains well when he
noted that problematic jumbos translocated to Meru National Reserve
had  seen Meru residents earn millions of shillings from tourism
ventures vowing never to allow translocation again.

“This CFA pact, empowering of community members via exchange visits
and seminars has enabled us to see these elephants as our greatest
asset and not a threat. Our commitment to the world is to see that
conservation brings us money,” he said.

The CFA pacts were signed against a backdrop of the need to conserve
forests as water catchment areas and an efficient air cleaner that
could earn the two counties billions of shillings in carbon credits.

With residents joining hands with KFS to conserve forests, an improved
forest-food project has taken off in various areas where residents
grow food and plant tree seedlings at the same time.

After three years the farmers, at Ol Bolosat, Geta and Shamanek
forests will be allocated land elsewhere leaving behind the young tree
seedlings to grow. The project has been hailed as the best way to
enable residents ‘own’ the forests.

“The forests belong to the people not the government and any
destruction will adversely affect our lives negatively.Time to discard
the ‘government property’ attitude is gone and CFAs’ must educate its
members to shun such backward attitudes,” said Mr Omolo.

The CFA members and KFS staff vowed to keep Professor Maathai’s dream
alive by ensuring indigenous trees are planted in forests as well as
farms annually with tree nurseries being established as commercial
enterprises.

“We shall help you(CFA) source for funds tom purchase the tree
seedlings for onward planting in areas identified by you within
forests. River banks must never be cleared of any vegetation as this
encourages erosion,” added Mr Omolo.

Increase flow of water from Nyandarua to Laikipia and eventually to
Samburu has seen conflict among pastoralists subside with hundreds of
livestock having adequate pastures along swampy section along the
Ewaso Nyiro river.

ENDS

Involvement of media houses in tree planting has succeeded in
reigniting interest among Kenyans on the importance of restoring
forest cover.

Kenya Forest Service (KFS) Director Mr David Mbugua said the media as
disseminators of information had exposed the dangers of depletion of
forest cover where erosion, climate change and reduced food production
were now the norm.

Mr Mbugua was speaking at Marmanet forest when he presided over the
launch of the tree planting season involving local media practitioners
assisted by residents and members of various Conservation lobby
groups.

The Nation Media and Royal Media groups have been at the forefront in
mobilizing Kenyans to plant trees within Mau Forest and Marmanet
forest respectively.

Marmanet forest has since been zoned out as it is the source of water
for numerous streams that flow towards Nyandarua and Baringo counties
pouring their waters into River Ewaso Ng’iro and Lake Baringo.

Mr Mbugua blamed illegal grazers for continued depletion of grass and
bush cover in forests due to overgrazing of livestock during the dry
period.

“Self help groups are encouraged to start tree nurseries as a business
that will enable them earn handsome returns as we are committed to
restoring forest cover within forests and in private farms. The demand
for timber and firewood surparsses supply and it is upon us to grab
this opportunity to earn an honest income,” he said.

30,000 hectares at Manduguni forest in the Coast province has been
recovered from grabbers and is now being restored as a show of
commitment by KFS.

Mr Mbugua added that  illegal settlers were to blame for the continued
destruction of the forests resulting in increased soil erosion on
hilly sections thereby exposing people living downstream to the risk
of landslides.

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