Visit The First Canopy Walk in East Africa
CONTENTS Message From The Chairman Welcome to this first Edition of the Ngarendare Forest Annual Newsletter. I begin by thanking the many donors and individuals who have helped make the Ngare Ndare Forest one of the few indegenous forests in Kenya with an expanding canopy, a safe haven for wildlife and its habitat and forest of unique natural beauty. Having been funded generously for the past 12 years by the Ford Foundation and the Safaricom Foundation to cover our operating budget, this year we have begun an exit strategy away from reliance on donor funding towards self sufficiency. Through Eco tourism and eco system service payments we are now able to cover our core operating costs as well as funding conservation based programs within the six CBO adjacent to the forest. This has all been possible through the commitment of all the stakeholders and a close working relationship with The Kenya Forest Service. We continue to fund raise for specific conservation based projects that will directly benefit the adjoining communities. We carry out bi-annual tree planting and to date we have planted over 1.5 million trees, commercial species on the surrounding small scale farms and indegenous species within the forest. The recent connectivity with Mt. Kenya through the Elephant Corridor and our common boundaries with Lewa and Borana Conservancies merely highlights the importance of this small ecosystem Our river systems, through good management practices, remains health and water flows are not diminished, serving to provide water for human and wildlife populations to the North and East of the Forest Thank you Charlie Wheeler (Chairman Ngarendare Forest Trust)
INSIDE THIS ISSUE WHAT’S NEW........................................................................ 2 • Community Water Points • Forest Fires • The Cattle Troughs ECO-SITES............................................................................ 3 • The Waterfalls • Rock Climbing & Campsites • The Canopy Walkway & the Platform ENVIRONMENT..................................................................... 4 • Payment for Ecosystem Services • CBOs and Ecosystem Services • Ngarendare Grazing Programme TRAINING.............................................................................. 5 • Forest Ranger Training • Rock Climbing & Campsites BENEFITS OF SHARING...................................................... 6
The History Ngarendare Forest is a small indigenous forest located the northern foothills of Mt. Kenya. It is located in both Meru and Laikipia counties and measures approximately 5545 ha. It is ran jointly with KFS and the Trust, which is a community initiative started in 1989 as a forest working group and culminated in the formation and registration of a Forest Trust in the year 2004. It encompasses six community groups (CBOs), Large Scale farms and Conservancies. What Does NNFT do to Local Communities •
Empowerment of the community to protect the environment
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Initiates development programmes like roads repair, schools constructions
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Supports education programme and gives bursaries to students
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Security programmes and offers rapid response in cases of emergencies.
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Transport for communities
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Resolving human-wildlife conflicts etc
The NNFT Tree Nursery Ngarendare Forest Trust has a tree nursery where indigenous seedlings for enrichment planting and CBOs farm forestry species are grown. There is a nursery office and a worker For CBOs, the one-for-one applies. (Buy one, get one free!) Ngarendare Forest Trust
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WHAT’S NEW Community Water Points With assistance provided by Africa Digna, The Trust has established two community water points complete with ablution block, bathrooms, washing basins, cattle troughs and completely fenced off. The Manyagalo Water point is a huge relieve to the community which depended on nearby streams to bathe, wash clothes and water their livestock.
Image of Community Water Point
The Ngarendare Water point situated within Ngarendare Market is aimed at providing water for the market community in order to ensure that pollution of Ngarendare river is eradicated. The facility will be a in use immediately after the water allocated by Ngarendare Water Resource Users Association (NNWARUA) is installed.
Some of the Trust’s facilities include office blocks (above) conference rooms, Managers house, stores, 4WD vehicle, 2 motorbikes field equipment among others
The Cattle Troughs
Forest Fires
The Trust, with support from Africa Digna (Spain) has built five water troughs within the forest to enable livestock to be watered and preventing them drinking from water sources thereby allowing clean water to flow to the communities living downstream. Maintenance on these installations is shared by the livestock committees and the Trust.
Forest fires, a common phenomenon in the past has been greatly reduced by the introduction of modern bee keeping practices and training of herdsmen.
Image of forest fire
NNFT has a dedicated fire fighting unit ably supported by the surrounding communities 2
Ngarendare Forest Trust
ECO-SITES In Ngarendare Forest, there are lots of ecotourism sites and activities some of which are found nowhere else in the world. All our visitors have spoken highly of them and a
visit here is an unforgettable adventure Zip line , the only one in this region, is in its final stages of construction.
The Waterfalls There are a series of waterfalls and pools down one of the river systems that flows with crystal clear water. The beauty of these natural sites are a wonder to see and enjoy. The river banks are a delicate environment so please use with care.
Rock Climbing & Campsites
We have two campsites that are sited near flowing water where guests can enjoy camping out in the wilds of the forest, We have well trained guides who can take you on informative and fun guided walks that must be always accompanied by an armed ranger. There is always the excitement and sometimes a danger in meeting up with the big five in a forest environment. The Ngare Ndare forest has some minor grade rock climbing sites and abseiling walls for the experienced adventurer.
Canopy Walkway & the Platform A canopy walkway of 450 meters in length and 10 meters high has been constructed along a stream and ends at a wooden platform above a spring that is frequented by Elephants. Enjoy the birds eye view of the many tree canopies and enjoy the colourful and diverse birdlife. There are only two other such walkways in Africa, it is an experience not to be missed. The excitement and thrill of being 30 ft up in the air walking gently through the tree canopy is equalled by the peaceful quiet of the platform that can produce spectacular wildlife sightings if you are quiet.
Ngarendare Forest Trust
Prior bookings to all the Eco-sites is necessary to avoid running into other revelers . This can be arranged through our office contacts on: 0700 412 532; 0722 886 456 or E-mail info@ngarendare.org. 3
THE ENVIRONMENT Payment for Ecosystem Services Mankind benefits from a multitude of resources supplied by natural eco systems, these benefits to mankind are known collectively as eco system services, they include drinking water and fuel. Payment for these services to enable continued long term protection of the eco system providing these benefits is a relatively new concept to Kenya although practiced very successfully in countries in central and south America. The Ngare Ndare Forest Trust and all its stakeholders are pioneering this concept in Kenya. We would like to thank Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, Timaflor ltd, Kisima Farm, Borana Conservancy, Oldonyo Farm, and members of the six Community Based Organisations adjoining
the forest for their support in initiating this far reaching and innovative approach to forest conservation. Thanks also to the Northern Rangelands Trust and the Nature Conservancy for providing professional advice and guidance on this idea.
CBOs and Ecosystem Services Ngarendare Grazing Programme One of the six user groups of Ngarendare Forest Trust is the Grazers group. It is led by a committee selected from the CBOs grazing committees. The Grazers Committee coordinates grazing in the entire forest and meets twice a month. Of late grazing has had problems where grazers often violated borders set by the committee. In June 2012 the Committee then deliberated on an acceptable plan to guide grazing in the forest. A Grazing Plan was then drawn which would guide grazing for the next three months.
Although the concept of eco system service payments has been received in principal and in some cases fully, by the surrounding stakeholders, the challenge remains
The committee, with help of the Forest Rangers and KFS started implementing the grazing plan by first sensitizing the grazers on the paddocks to be grazed in rotation up to September. This has helped so much to reduce overgrazing and degradation in certain areas of the forest. Foreign livestock are not Allowed in the forest.
to persuade the small holding farmers, who have always benefited and only recently paid for this resource use. To pay towards protecting the eco system that provides the resource as well as paying for the ever inflating cost of living in Rural Kenya is a concept that will take careful planning and a broad sensitisation program.
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Ngarendare Forest Trust
FOREST RANGER TRAINING
Ngarendare Forest Trust took nine of its 13 Forest Rangers for a three months training at the KWS Law Enforcement School at Manyani from January to April 13, 2012. The training was facilitated by the Northern Rangelands Trust. The Trust took the opportunity to take the balance of its rangers for the crucial training having already trained 4 of its rangers at the KWS School earlier. During the Rangers Pass out Parade on 13th April, The Trust Sponsored fifteen of the Rangers friends, staff and community leaders to attend the colorful parade at Manyani. The three months training programme was sponsored by The Northern Rangelands Trust (NRT). The pass out parade was attended by among others NRT CEO and many Government officials‌.
Friends of Ngarendare
have continued to support our effort to conserve and protect the forest:
Thank You So Much!!!
Please renew your annual subscription. www.Ngarendare.Org. www.facebook.com/ngarendare Ngarendare Forest Trust
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BENEFITS SHARING The Ngarendare Forest Trust would sincerely like to thank the following Supporters
This was a season of happiness to all the six Ngarendare Trust CBOs as they received Ksh 50,000 each for their projects. All of them identified which projects were urgent. Mbuju CBO urgently need a generator for the Karimba Borehole water project, which has got a membership of over 400. The funds were drawn from the Ecotourism activities whose income is shared between the Trust’s running cost and community development projects. Thirty percent of 2012 income was shared.
1. Friends of Ngarendare Forest Alan Dixon Delulu Upson Dr. & Mrs Jonathan Moss Susana Denison Rouse Harrison John Michael Somerset Martin dyer Samuel James Taylor John Harris and Family Robert Bernie Sam Denis
Bryn Llewelyn and Family Michael Dyer Ann Elizabeth Powys John David Beak Maria Epson Mr. & Mrs. Peter Moss Susana Fusco Carolyn Thouless Peter Viljoen
2. Corporate Supporters Borana Ranch Ltd Northern Frontier Ventures Timaflor Ltd Lobelia Farms Cape Chestnut
Kisima Farm Ltd Uhuru Flowers Lolomarik Farm Ol Donyo Farm
3. Stake Holders Lewa Wildlife Conservancy Northern Frontier Ventures
SUBSCRIPTION How You Can Support Ngarendare Forest Trust Annual Subscription Rates
Booking Rates
Founder Member............................................. Ksh15,000 Friends Of NNFT.............................................. Ksh10,000 Corporate Supporters..................................... Ksh 25,000 Ecosystem Services....................................... Ksh 100,000
Resident................................................................... $ 20 Non Residents.......................................................... $ 30 Groups....................................................................$ 100 Researchers............................................................$ 100 Students..................................................................$ 100 NNFT CBOs............................................................... $ 50 Video Filming......................................................... $ 500 Bicycle Race............................................................. $ 30 Bird Shooting........................................................... $ 50
Tree Seedlings Sales Indigenous Sp....................................................... Ksh 20 Exotics Sp.............................................................. Ksh 10 Communities.................................................One For One
Eco Sites
• Canopy Walkway • Platform 6
• Water Falls • Forest Walks
• Rock Climbing • Hiking/Forest Walk
• Camp Sites • Zip Line
• Bird Watching Ngarendare Forest Trust
Ngarendare Forest Trust P.O. Box 1704 - 60200, Meru E-mail:info@ngarendare.org
www.ngarendare.org www.facebook.com/ngarendare