Laikipia Wildlife Forum, P.O. Box 764, Nanyuki, Kenya .. Telephone / fax: 020 2166626 .. Mobile: 0726 500260 .. Email: info@laikipia.org
© 2002-2007 Laikipia Wildlife Forum. All rights reserved
Design
LWF is replacing its vehicles and the 2 existing Landover TDI's are up for sale:
The LWF was delighted to welcome Nina Maritz from Nambia - an architect with experience on environmental sustainability and community projects - to Laikipia. Thanks to Chris Thouless for putting LWF in touch with Nina. She is assisting in the development of Yaaku Museum for the benefit of Kuri Kuri group ranch members. Following meetings with the community to gain an insight into their vision for the project, the site was assessed and building plans are now underway.
Giles Davies introduced members of the LWF tourism committee to a model that strives to develop a stronger practical link between the business of tourism and the work of conservation. The idea is for Laikipia's tourism to take a lead in developing standards that recognise and encourage active contribution towards conservation.
Modsan Hardware in Nanyuki town has taken a pioneering move in linking business with conservation, by contributing 1% of revenue generated through purchases made by Laikipia's tourism operations, towards conservation. This link is a first for Laikipia, and we very much hope that other businesses will also adopt the same idea.
The LWF hosted a team from 'Facing Mt Kenya' during their fact-finding tour of the Laikipia and Mt. Kenya region, to help with their domestic tourism campaign. A cocktail launch for "Facing Mount Kenya" will be held in March, and invitations to tourism stakeholders will be circulated.
LWF ED participated in a workshop at KWS Nairobi, where key stakeholders met to begin the process of developing a national strategy for cheetah and wilddog. The workshop was coordinated by the Laikipia/Samburu Wild Dog Project and Cheetah Conservation Fund.
Coordinated by the Uaso Narok CLO, 340 community members in 3 localities in the area were shown a Laikipia Predator Project film on the co-existence of humans with wildlife. It covers the cultural value of predators, why they should be conserved, and simple methods for minimising livestock losses to carnivores. Filmed in Laikipia and Kajiado by Richard Jones and Jenny Sharman, the film is shown in Maa for the benefit of all pastoralists in Kenya and Tanzania.
The LWF hosted 40 members of SORALO (South Rift Association of Land Owners) who represent the group ranches between Maasai Mara and Amboseli. They visited LWF to learn about the Forum and also visited Kijabe group ranch and The Sanctuary at Ol Lentille.
Job title for Josephat Musyima has been changed to Community Conservation Programme Manager (CCPM), as his role has expanded to include all FORREMS funded activities.
The LWF CCPM facilitated workshops between Nature Kenya and Burguret River Users Water Association (BRUWA) to help develop a joint proposal for CEF to promote the conservation and sustainable management of Mt. Kenya forest ecosystem and Burguret river catchment through community, government and private sector partnerships.
In an effort to improve water management in and around the Rumuruti swamp, the Unit CLO met with 81 community members and successfully marked 8 zones along the Ewaso Narok river, each zone having 3 representatives. Plans are in place to revive the Ewaso Narok River Water Users Association and a new chairman - Barney Gaston - has been elected.
With FORREMS support LWF delivered wheelbarrows, spades and water storage jerry cans to aloe growers in Rumuruti. Members of 2 aloe growing groups (16 women and 5 men) benefited from training in aloe processing, and were introduced to the making of 8 products including body products, soaps and detergents. The training was conducted by Kwale Herbal Products and supported by LWF through FORREMS. Products are already being sold in Rumuruti town, and a trademark is being developed.
16 members of Lekuruki group ranch benefited from an exposure tour to Sarara, Namunyak to gain an insight into partnership agreements. The community is negotiating with Charlie Wheeler of Northern Frontier Ventures regarding the possibility of developing a partnership for Tassia lodge.
30 members from four group ranches around the Mukogodo forest gathered in Nanyuki for grazing management discussions, to help formulate management plans. The meeting, facilitated by LWF with FORREMS support, provided an opportunity for pastoralists to share their challenges and experiences in the recently ended drought and enable them to come up with drought preparedness mechanisms for the future.
With 2 eco-tourism projects on the horizon, Oreteti Nature Study Centre and Yaaku museum, LWF through FORREMS, facilitated 2 capacity building workshops for Mukurian and Kuri Kuri group ranch members. The 67 participants benefited from training on the formation of business plans and partnership agreements, basic management structures and benefit sharing mechanisms.
Makurian group ranch members have set aside 300ha of land for conservation and are applying the techniques successfully implemented in their 40ha rangeland rehabilitation plot. The LWF CCPM visited 'Oloruko' conservation area, where the community has agreed to keep cattle off until the grass, planted with help from KEFRI, have dispersed the seeds.
In North Western unit the CLO has been assisting 3 tree nursery groups to further develop their sites, including expansion, shed construction and seed transfer to beds, in preparation for the next rains.
Since its implementation in 2004, the LWF's Environmental Education Program (EEP) continues to target all schools in the region - a total of 340 primary and secondary schools. Whilst many schools have taken multiple trips with the education bus, 120 schools have not yet made use of the EEP. In an effort to better understand this, the LWF CLO's are visiting all these schools to refresh them about the Programme and its booking policy.
The LWF ED attended a WWF event to launch their "State of the Planet" 2006 report in Swahili for East African schools. The EEP will play a role in distributing these booklets to Laikipia's schools.
In January, the EEP guided one primary school (29 students and 2 teachers) on a field visit to Ol Pejeta Conservancy.
Other news and downloads
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LAIKIPIA E-NEWS ARCHIVES
Other news and downloads
Newsletters:
Other reports:
(All Adobe Acrobat docs )
LAIKIPIA E-NEWS ARCHIVES