Laikipia Wildlife Forum, P.O. Box 764, Nanyuki, Kenya .. Telephone / fax: (254) 020 2166626 .. Mobile: 0726 500260 .. Email: info@laikipia.org
© 2002-2007 Laikipia Wildlife Forum. All rights reserved
Design
To all Members, Friends and Supporters of the Laikipia Wildlife Forum
Anthony and Delphine (LWF Executive Director and Technical Advisor) attended the ‘3 Peaks 3 Weeks’ Film Premiere held at the Royal Geographical Society on 19th March in London. The film which won ‘Best Adventure Film award at Boulder International Film Festival, Colorado’ highlights the challenge of 3 Peaks. LWF was one of 3 organisations selected to receive support from the fundraising expedition which took place in January 2007, and ongoing support has been secured with a second expedition planned for 2009.
Conservation Capital (Giles Davies and Dr. Jonathan Moss) have been appointed to develop a sustainable financing strategy for LWF.
6 new posters promoting Laikipia as a tourism destination have been developed for the interior of the Laikipia Information Centre.
A questionnaire to measure the performance of Laikipia’s tourism industry over the last 3 years has been developed. The results will be compared to the survey undertaken in 2001, which formed the basis of the Tourism Trust Fund supported Tourism Development Plan for Laikipia.
Phase 1 of the West Laikipia Elephant fence is near completion despite a few delays due to sporadic insecurity incidences in the Rumuruti region. A date to commission the project is to be announced.
LWF celebrated World Forest Day on 26th March at Lokusero Primary School in Mukogodo Forest, together with the Assistant District Forest Officer, local Forest Officer, Chiefs and over 300 school children and community members. Speeches were followed by performances by the Il N’gwesi drama group and songs by school children highlighting the importance of trees. LWF was grateful to Mr James Kabao for setting up a demonstration of energy-saving technologies being introduced in Laikipia to help reduce the rate of deforestation by diminishing the consumption of firewood.
Anthony met with Save the Rhino International at their London office to discuss ways to streamline fundraising efforts for LWF.
LWF supported a study to evaluate the potential uses of the invasive Opuntia (prickly pear) Species in Mukogodo District. Results showed that Opuntia may be of value as a livestock feed source, especially in drought. Over the next 3 months, LWF in collaboration with Mpala Research Center will explore the nutritional value, cost effectiveness, and environment implications of Opuntia as feeding source for Livestock.
With USAID FORREMS support ending mid April, LWF held a one day retreat for all LWF staff to brainstorm and document the lessons learnt and experiences gained in the last 2-3 years of implementing this project. Facilitated by Nareda Consultants, the workshop focused mainly on issues to do with Participatory Forest Management, Nature Based Enterprise Development and Rangeland Rehabilitation.
With LWF support, the ILMAMUSI scouts continue to carry out patrols, collect data and gather intelligence on forest destruction, poaching and other activities inside the Mukogodo forest. In recognition that ILMAMUSI scouts lack power to act on any case of misuse, LWF supported an exchange tour to Ngare Ndare Forest Trust, to gain an insight into alternative security operations.
In an effort to raise awareness about the recently gazetted policies and guidelines regarding the management, conservation and utilisation of Kenya’s forested areas, LWF supported 8 members of ILMAMUSI committee and the local forest officer to hold public barazas in each of the four group ranches surrounding the Mukogodo forest.
LWF supported communities from the four group ranches surrounding Mukogodo forest to participate in grazing management discussions with ILMAMUSI committee members, to share lessons learned over the last one year during the implementation of their pasture management plans.
The Musul 50 acre range rehabilitation demo plot was established by the Naitabaya women’s project to show case various techniques of rehabilitating degraded areas. With LWF support through USAID FORREMS, the plot is being fenced to keep off livestock and wildlife so that the reseeded grass is given a chance to mature, and the seeds can then be harvested for replanting in other areas.
Interviews for the position of secretariat officer for the Ewaso Conservation Group were conducted on the 26th March by LWF, African Wildlife Foundation, Mpala Research Center and Save the Elephants.
The LWF Environmental Education Programme (EEP) facilitated the visit of 30 community members from Makurian and Musul group ranches to Rumuruti Aloe Nursery and Rumuruti women’s group. Aloe husbandry and the process of using aloe extracts for cosmetics and detergents was introduced to both groups.
LWF is grateful to the African Environmental Film Foundation for the donation of 12 DVD’s on wildlife and environment. The films which are made for the people of Africa are available in English, Swahili and Maa, and show the benefits of conservation.
In February the EEP guided 5 primary schools and 4 secondary schools on education tours to Ol Jogi Game Reserve and Ol Pejeta Conservancy. 261 children and 18 teachers benefited.
Other news and downloads
Newsletters:
Other reports:
(All Adobe Acrobat docs 
)
LAIKIPIA E-NEWS ARCHIVES