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June 2007 E-News

LWF held a farewell party for Sue and Dr. Nick Georgiadis at the Laikipia Information Centre / Barney's Restaurant on the 26th May. After 12 years of wildlife research in Laikipia and his dedication and support to the work of LWF through his role as Director of the Mpala Research Centre, Nick will be sorely missed. As a token of thanks, LWF and members presented Nick with a Lavina Grant painting. The LWF would like to congratulate Dr. Max Graham for his election as director of Uaso Narok unit. Max has taken over from Martin Evans, whom LWF is grateful to for his commitment over the past 5 years as unit director. The LWF July newsletter is being finalised and copies will be distributed to members mid July. Many thanks to all those who have made contributions.

Reminder: The LWF Annual General Meeting will take place at Mpala Research Centre on Saturday 14th July at 10:00am. All members are welcome and lunch will kindly be provided by MRC.

Tourism

With LWF support through the USAID FORREMS grant, construction of the 6th banda for the Il Motiok women’s group Ol Gaboli Community Lodge is underway. 

1000 Laikipia brochures have been reprinted by Red-Sky.  70 Laikipia brochures were distributed at Karibu Travel Show in Arusha, with thanks to Tropic Air. 

Wildlife management

An Environmental Impact Assessment for the development of the Laikipia West Elephant fence has been approved by NEMA and licence for construction issued.  Work is anticipated to commence in the first week of July at ADC Mutara.

With the Wildlife Conservation and Management Bill now in the hands of the Minister, LWF joined other stakeholders in Naivasha to discuss the need and way forward to re-draft the Bill before it is presented to Cabinet.

Community Conservation

LWF celebrated World Environment Day in Rumuruti township together with 7 schools - over 350 students, community groups, the District Commissioner, District Officers, Area Chief and several government representatives.  The day was a great success with 450 tree seedlings planted within the town, followed by a productive clean-up effort by all the school children.

The LWF CCPM attended a tree planting day along the Nanyuki river, organised by Arid and Semi Arid Conservation and Development Organisation of Kenya.    The organisation plans to target all rivers comprising North Ewaso Nyiro basin catchment, in an effort to restore ‘conservation integrity of basin catchment and riparian areas, guaranteeing constant river flow during both dry and wet seasons’.

The LWF CCPM was part of team that reviewed the District Environment Action Plan (DEAP) during a regional planning workshop organised by the Department of Physical Planning.    The DEAP provides a framework for all environmental programmes in Kenya, promoting relevant environmentally focused strategies and reforms.

The LWF ED attended an EU CEF (Community Environment Facility) Technical Advisory Committee meeting, where both the Burguret River Natural Resource Management Project and Makurian group ranch Oreteti ecotourism project, were recommended for funding to the Board of Trustees.  Development of funding proposals for both these projects was supported by LWF.

LWF was awarded funds from Safaricom Foundation to ‘Develop and Strengthen 4 River Water Users Associations in Southern Laikipia’.  The project objective is to develop legal institutional arrangements that will enhance the sustainable use of rivers through effective management for the benefit of all users and the wider environment.

Richard Hatfield, trainer in Holistic Management, conducted a one day field based practical training on the principles of Holistic Management, with the Makurian Community.  Supported by LWF through the USAID FORREMS grant, the training aims to improve rehabilitation management and land restoration by introducing new techniques and approaches.

On the 30th May, the LWF team gathered in Dol Dol to support the Presidential visit, with members of the wider community.

The LWF Eastern unit CLO, together with five ILMAMUSI community leaders attended the first National Participatory Forest Management Conference, at KEFRI headquarters, supported by KFWG.  With the theme being “Better Managed Forests and Improved Livelihoods”, participants were introduced to case studies and examples of best practices around the country.

In North Western unit construction of the Luoniek tree nursery office has been completed, and 3 tree groups have received funds from Mugie Ranch’s Public Private Community Partnership fund to purchase equipment.

Environmental Education

The LWF Environmental Education bus transported 30 representatives of 5 Community Forest Associations (Rumuruti, Shamanek, Ol Bolossat, Lariak and Ndaragwa) to visit Ngare Ndare Forest Trust to learn about community involvement in forest management.  The exposure tour was facilitated by Tree is Life. 

In May the LWF Environmental Education Programme facilitated the visit of 9 primary schools and 1 secondary school (290 school children and 20 teachers) on education tours to Laikipia Nature Conservancy and Ol Pejeta Conservancy.

www.laikipia.org / director@laikipia.org

Other news and downloads

Newsletters:

1. January 2007
2. July 2006
3. January 2006
4. May 2005
5. November 2004
6. May 2004

Other reports:

1. LWF 2004 Achievements
2. LWF 2004/2005 Achievements report.
3. LWF 2006 Achievements report.

(All Adobe Acrobat docs )

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