ISSN 2073-5111(Print)
nature net naturekenya.org
March 2017
“Conservation of Yala Swamp is our collective responsibility” of the “nyatiti” – a Luo traditional responsibility while pursuing music instrument – Mr. Dan sustainable options for wetland Okumu, an officer from the National utilization. Environmental Management For the Nature Kenya Programme Authority (NEMA), delivered a in Yala Swamp – funded by the moving speech about the swamp. Darwin Initiative, USAID PREPARED He stressed that the ultimate price and Mac Arthur Foundation – the to pay for damage to “mother event provided an exceptional nature” included extreme events opportunity to rally support among such as floods and droughts, already stakeholders for the establishment being experienced. In conclusion, of sustainable management regimes the officer urged stakeholders to such as a land use plan for Yala stop blaming each other for the swamp, which recognizes both swamp’s degradation but instead development and conservation take full responsibility for their needs. actions. The WWD celebrations were Subsequent speakers echoed Mr. organized by the Yala Ecosystem Site Okumu’s message, concurring that Support Group (SSG) with support degradation of the Yala wetland was from Nature Kenya. The event was still on-going at an alarming rate presided over by a representative Community members engaged in papyrus planting on the fringes in spite of numerous conservation from the office of the Siaya County of Lake Sare in Siaya County. The activity is part of the ongoing Yala initiatives being undertaken Executive Committee Member Swamp rehabilitation program. PHOTO: E. MATECHE by various stakeholders. They for Water, Energy, Irrigation and noted that the threat was being Natural resources and attended by compounded further by the ever over 144 participants from the local By E. Mateche increasing demand for land. community, National Government A call to action was made, urging agencies, County Government and orld Wetlands Day earlier engineering schemes all stakeholders to take collective civil society. (WWD) is celebrated – has caused detrimental every year on 2 hydrological changes over a February. This day marks the wide area. Further, there is heavy adoption of the Convention on sediment load and flooding Wetlands on 2 February 1971, due to landscape degradation in the Iranian city of Ramsar on upstream on the Yala River. Other the shores of the Caspian Sea. threats include water offtake for th These celebrations are meant to irrigation up-river, intensification raise awareness about the value of fertiliser and pesticide inputs, OF THE EAST AFRICA NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY of wetlands and threats facing and unsustainable exploitation of them. papyrus. VENUE Yala Swamp – a critical Kombo beach, along the water filter for Lake Victoria – shore of Lake Kanyaboli, was the Louis Leakey Hall, Nairobi Museum is threatened by large-scale venue for World Wetlands Day DATE agricultural operations and in Siaya County. Conservation Wednesday 10th May 2017 over-exploitation of its natural of Yala swamp – Kenya’s largest TIME resources by competing local papyrus swamp and freshwater 12:00 - 2:00pm communities. Around 1,700 wetland – was the key message ha of the swamp have been for the day. This year’s WWD converted to rice fields by a theme: “Wetlands for Disaster private developer, with an Risk Reduction”, highlighted the additional 15,000 ha being vital roles healthy wetlands play proposed for further conversion. in reducing impacts of extreme The conversion work carried events such as floods, droughts out to date has not only and cyclones on communities, destroyed natural habitats and in helping to build resilience. directly, but – together with After the strumming sound
W
107 Annual General Meeting
PHOTO: J. CADDICK
IN F CUS
Yala Swamp
Home to East Africa’s Papyrus Endemics
Y
ala Swamp is Kenya’s largest papyrus swamp and freshwater wetland, covering 17,500 ha. Located in Western Kenya, the wetland covers the north-eastern shore of Lake Victoria in Siaya and Busia counties. The swamp is one of the most important riparian and floodplain wetlands around Lake Victoria. It acts as a filter for waters that flow into the lake from two major rivers – Yala and Nzoia. Yala Swamp is a natural wildlife habitat for a variety of plants and animals, some of which are of conservation significance including endemic, endangered and migratory species. BirdLife International classifies the swamp among Kenya’s 65 Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs). It is an important site for East Africa’s papyrus endemics – birds that live only in the papyrus swamp habitat. These include the Papyrus Yellow Warbler, Papyrus Gonolek (pictured above), Swamp Flycatcher, Papyrus Canary, and White-winged Swamp Warbler. The swamp is also a crucial site for the endangered Sitatunga antelope. Three smaller lakes lie within Yala Swamp: Kanyaboli, Nyamboyo and Sare. Lake Kanyaboli is an important refuge for native Lake Victoria tilapias – the Singida tilapia (Oreochromis esculentus) and the Victoria tilapia (Oreochromis variabilis) – which have virtually been eliminated from the main lake by the introduction of the predatory Nile Perch (Lates niloticus). This huge wetland ecosystem performs crucial ecological and hydrological functions as well as providing vital products and services. Yala Swamp’s large stand of papyrus reeds and other sedges collects water during the rains,
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Norman Kiboi Gloria Waswa Fleur Ng’weno Serah Munguti John Mwacharo Layout John Mwacharo Front banner J. Mwacharo
stabilizes the muddy soil, traps sediment and filters pollutants. These ecological services help to keep Lake Victoria waters clear, reduce soil erosion and minimize the impacts of floods. The swamp is also a major source of livelihood for neighboring communities. Nature Kenya, with funding from the Darwin Initiative, USAID PREPARED and Mac Arthur Foundation, has been implementing the “Balancing development and conservation in Kenya’s largest freshwater wetland” project at Yala Swamp. The project’s overall objective is the establishment of sustainable management regimes that are supported by stakeholders, and meet the needs of industry, local people and wildlife. The desired outcome is that key steps are taken to secure the future of Yala Swamp, recognizing both development and conservation needs. It is also expected to promote similar work in other wetlands within the Lake Victoria Basin. Yala Ecosystem is the wetland’s Site Support Group (SSG). It is a network of over 46 community based organizations (CBOs) with 1,126 members spread across Siaya and Busia Counties. With support from Nature Kenya and stakeholders such as the County Governments of Siaya and Busia, Pathfinder International, Kenya Forest Service, Kenya Wildlife Service and Water Resources Management Authority, SSG members are involved in activities such as: tree nursery establishment, tree planting, and papyrus planting; promotion of family planning; fish farming; demarcation and protection of fish breeding sites within Lake Victoria; beekeeping; ecotourism; papyrus product development; production of fireless cookers; and installation of energy saving jikos in households and schools. The Yala Ecosystem SSG also carries out activities to conserve the Yala wetland complex.
MEET THE NATURE KENYA
FIELD STAFF
Ms. Emily Mateche is the Project Officer in charge of coordinating and supervising the implementation of Nature Kenya’s site-based activities under the Yala Swamp Programme. Emily is an Environmental Impact Assessment & Audit Associate Expert and has worked with a number of organizations, providing technical expertise on projects within the Lake Victoria Basin region, arid and semi-arid lands of northern Kenya and Somalia. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Sciences from Egerton University and a Master’s Degree in Environmental Monitoring, Planning & Management from Moi University.
“It’s what we do with the little that we have that makes the big difference.” COURTESY CALL: Nature Kenya Executive Director Dr. Paul Matiku (centre) with BirdLife Africa Regional Committee members when they visited the Nature Kenya office. From left: Adeniyi Karunwi Director General, Nigeria Conservation Foundation, Idrissa Zeba - Executive Director, Naturama Burkina Faso, Julius Arinaitwe - Regional Director, BirdLife Africa and Mark Anderson - CEO, Birdlife South Africa.
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BIRD WATCHING GALORE
March Evening Skies By F. Ng’weno Look up when the sky has become dark, on an evening with few or no clouds; brilliant lights shine in the evening sky. High above, towards the south, is Sirius, the brightest star of the night sky. Canopus, the second brightest star, is lower in the south.
GOOD FRIENDS: This African Spoonbill and Reed Cormorant were spotted together at a Langata dam during a Wednesday bird walk. PHOTO: P. USHER
The brilliant planet Venus drops rapidly towards the sunset in March 2017. At mid-month, the small planet Mercury, quite bright, rises above the sunset. Venus and Mercury pass each other on March 16-17. Venus then disappears below the horizon, while Mercury rises until month’s end. The “red planet” Mars is above Mercury and very faint now. Across the sky, in the east, the bright planet Jupiter rises during the evening, and is in the sky until dawn. Spica, the bright star seen next to Jupiter since the start of the year, seems to slowly pull away during the month. The moon is near Mars on March 1st and 30th, and near Jupiter on the 14th.
WHO ARE YOU LOOKING AT? A Juvenile African Goshawk stares straight at the camera for a close up. This young goshawk and its sibbling were spotted on a tree outside the Nature Kenya office at the Nairobi National Museum. PHOTO: J. MWACHARO
RARE ENCOUNTER: The Sokoke Scops Owl is listed as Endangered because it is only found in small, severely fragmented areas within coastal forest of Kenya and Tanzania. This grey individual was spotted at the Arabuko-Sokoke Forest in Kilifi County. PHOTO: J. MWACHARO
The ancient Greeks gave names not only to the bright stars, but also to the patterns that they form in the sky, called constellations. Face south (towards Sirius) and look overhead. The constellation of Orion, the Hunter or Warrior, is striding across the sky, as the ancient Greeks saw him (see February Nature Net). The Hunter is followed by his hunting dogs: Sirius the Dog Star, and to the left (east) Procyon the little dog.
Turn around to look north. Below Procyon in the northeast is the constellation Leo the Lion. Imagine the bright star Regulus as the lion’s heart; and the crescent-shaped line of stars next to it as the lion’s head and mane. The constellation Gemini – two sets of two stars – is high in the north. The cone-shaped Hyades cluster, with the reddish star Aldebaran at one end, is high in the northwest. Further north is the pentagonshaped constellation Auriga, with the bright star Capella. The moon is near Aldebaran on March 4 & 5 and April 1; near Alhena, one of the four bright stars of Gemini, on March 6 & 7; and near Regulus in Leo on the 10th. Moon Mar 2017 March 5 – first quarter; ‘half’ moon overhead at sunset. March 12 – full moon, rising in the east. March 20 – last quarter; ‘half’ moon overhead at dawn. March 28 – new moon; look for the crescent moon near Mercury on the 29th. Morning Sky After Orion has set in the west, the Scorpion rises in the southeast. The planet Saturn is next to it this month. Alpha centauri, third brightest star at night, is in the southwest. Mar sun March 20 is the equinox – when day and night are of equal length, all over the world. The Sunday after the full moon after the equinox – April 16 this year – is Easter Sunday.
WELCOME ON BOARD
MARCH AT A GLIMPSE Mar 1st Morning Bird Walk Mar 4th FoCP Nature Walk Mar 8th Morning Bird Walk Mar 11th FoNA Guided Tree Walk Mar 15th Morning Bird Walk Mar 18th Members’ Trip - Mt. Ol Doinyo Orok Mar 19th Sunday Bird Watch Mar 22nd Morning Bird Walk Mar 23rd FoNA Public Lecture Mar 27th FoNA Guided Tree Walk Mar 29th Morning Bird Walk Mar 30th FoNA Public Lecture
Nature Kenya (the EANHS) would like to welcome the following members to the East Africa Natural History Society: CORPORATE MEMBERS Mpala Research Centre Privatization Commission INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERS Riverside School The Nairobi Primary School Vendramini Education Centre (VEC)
Bird ringing every Tuesday morning (check with Ornithology section, National Museums). Birders Please Note! The Wednesday Morning Birdwalks meet at 8:30 am at the Nairobi National Museum. The walks will leave the museum by 8:45 am. The group meets in the courtyard of the Nairobi National Museum, past the entrance to the galleries. We normally return at about 12:30 pm. The Sunday Birdwatch on the THIRD Sunday of each month now also meets at 8:30 am, at the same location. It is a day trip; please bring water and lunch. Mombasa Birdwalks On the 3rd Saturday of each month. For meeting time and place, please contact Taibali Hamzali <thamzali@gmail. com> / 0733-980540; or Doris Schaule <dorischaule@gmail.com> / 0722-277752. Or check Facebook page: <https://www.facebook. com/groups/FFJmombasa/>
FAMILY MEMBERS Lars Engmark Andrew Mara Nilesh Shah Inaki Gutierrez Catherine Mayer Frances Ndungu INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS Carol Fugagli Ole Brauer Wambui Muya George Nderitu Loise Wamaitha Ng’ang’a Ephrance Dishon Jackson Maina
Julie Aguko Gunnar Borjesson Leif Alpsjoe Elizabeth Borjesson Bo lowenhamn Per-Erile Peisson Jan-olof Ahrberg Faith Chepng’eno Kirui Gordon Juma Opany Joseph Wabacha Kadagare Austin Wambui Alex Mwangi Irungu STUDENT MEMBERS Felistar Nyawira Agnes Murage Musa Odhiambo Burhanudin Mohamud Abdi Fredrick Mwaniki Gichuhi Valentine Mwongeli Geraldine Mburu Sarah Namegabe Simon Gachibi
Ol Doinyo Orok Mountain Cost 3,000/- per person
Contact the office for information on other birdwalks in Kakamega, Kisumu, and other sites
Cost covers:
Ngong Forest walks - 1st and 3rd Saturday at 9.00 am. Contact Simon 0729-840715
Transport in a Safari Vehicle Guide fees 1 ltr bottle drinking water Conservancy fee
For more info contact Norman Kiboi on news@naturekenya.org 0739200216
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membership MEMBERSHIP TYPES
Ksh Per Year
Full 2,000 Sponsor 6,000 Family 2,800 Student 1,200 Schools, Clubs 1,500 Corporates 20,000 - 30,000
JOIN/RENEW MEMBERSHIP Select ‘Lipa na Mpesa’ Select ‘Pay Bill’ Enter business number 100300 Enter account number (put your lapsed membership number or write new member) Enter the amount, enter your PIN Con�irm details & press OK
For details on associated groups such as Youth Committee, Succulenta, and Friends of Nairobi Arboretum, City Park or Arabuko-Sokoke Forest, contact office@naturekenya.org