kenya’s important bird areas status and trends...

Kenya’s Important Bird Areas: Status and Trends, 2004 1

Kenya’sImportant Bird Areas

Status and Trends 2004

Kenya’s Important Bird Areas: Status and Trends, 20042

Kenya’sImportant Bird Areas

Status and Trends2004

compiled by:

Nickson Otieno, Solomon Mwangi, Leon Bennun,Simon Musila, Ronald Mulwa and Anthony Kiragu

illustrations by Edwin Selempo

Fleur Ng’weno, Paul Matiku, Nickson Otieno, editors

Supported by


Contents

Executive Summary 1Map and Status Update of Kenya’s Important Bird Areas 4IBA Status and Trends, 2003-4 6

Important Bird Areas in Kenya 6Monitoring Framework in Kenya 7State, Pressure and Threats, 2003-4 8Conservation Action Needed 11

Annexes1. Sample of Individual Site Reports 132. Sample of filled basic monitoring form 143. Contributors and Acknowledgements 17

Cover photos

On the cover: Hinde’s Babblers are found only in parts of central and eastern Kenya. These birds areunusual in that the amount of light and dark feathers in the plumage varies from individual to individual.They live in small, noisy groups in riverine thickets and scrub.

Hinde’s Babblers have been recorded in Mukurwe-ini valleys in Nyeri District, Kianyaga valleys inKirinyaga District, and also in Machakos, Meru, Embu and Thika districts. These sites are all privatelyowned and unprotected (except Wajee Camp). A few Hinde’s Babblers also occur in Mwea NationalReserve and Meru National Park.

The Hinde’s Babbler in the photo has just been ringed. With permission from the authorities, researcherscatch birds in certain localities, following strict guidelines. The birds are weighed, measured, and anyspecial features recorded. Then a light aluminium band or “ring” is fitted on one leg. “Send MuseumNairobi” and a number are written on the ring.

The ringed bird is then released to continue with its life. If it is re-trapped by researchers, or sadly founddead, the number on the ring provides information about its age and movements. Monitoring by birdringing is only done at a few sites, as part of research projects. Most monitoring of bird populations isdone by recording birds seen or heard.

Back cover: Researchers in Yala Swamp IBA.

Copyright

© Nature Kenya – the East Africa Natural History Society

ISBN 9966-9921-7-0

Published by Nature KenyaP.O. Box 44486 GPO, Nairobi 00100, KenyaPhone (254 / 0) (20) 3749957, 3746090Fax (254 / 0) (20) 3741049E-mail [email protected] www.naturekenya.org


Important Bird Areas are sites that are importantfor the conservation of birds and otherbiodiversity, on an international scale. Most of

Kenya’s existing protected areas were not chosen toconserve biodiversity, but because (i) they weresuitable for hunting or photographing large mammals,or (ii) at the time, few, if any, people wanted to livethere, or (iii) they protected a water catchment andcontained valuable timber. There is no reason whysites selected this way should be expected to conserveall threatened biodiversity.

To select the most important sites to conserve plantand animal species, the Birdlife InternationalPartnership used information about birds to developand apply quantitative, objective, scientificallydefensible and internationally accepted criteria. Thesites identified following such criteria are calledImportant Bird Areas (IBAs).

There are four main reasons for a site to qualify asan Important Bird Area:

• The site is a habitat for a globally threatened birdspecies – a kind of bird in danger of extinction,anywhere in the world. The small forests of the TaitaHills shelter several endangered bird species.

Executive Summaryrange animals and plants. Conserving areas thatare important for birds protects other forms ofbiodiversity. Biodiversity includes living things,the genes they contain, the ecosystems in which theylive, and the interactions between them.

IBAs form a practical tool for conservation,recognized worldwide. Many sites identified asIBAs are already classified as protected areas. Someof these may need improvement in protection ormanagement. Certain IBAs have no legalprotection, and many of these urgently needconservation action.

In Kenya, Nature Kenya (the East Africa NaturalHistory Society) has coordinated the IBA processsince 1995. The process is guided by a NationalLiaison Committee (involving governmentdepartments) with technical input from the NationalMuseums of Kenya. Sixty IBAs were identified, anda directory, Important Bird Areas in Kenya,published and distributed. The IBA book isavailable at the Nature Kenya office and bookshops.

To ensure IBA conservation in perpetuity, NatureKenya, with support from the Global EnvironmentFacility (GEF), initiated a programme of action,advocacy and monitoring at IBAs—the IBAprocess. Monitoring is a vital part of the process; ithelps in assessing the effectiveness of conservationmeasures and provides an early warning ofemerging problems. Although the GEF fundingended in December 2002, the monitoringprogramme initiated by the GEF project is currentlyongoing with support from the Darwin Initiative ofthe UK and the Royal Society for the Protection ofBirds (RSPB).

This Report is an attempt to summarise thecurrent status and trends of Kenya’s 60 ImportantBird Areas. The report adopts the State(conservation status), Pressure (threats), andResponse (interventions) model.

The State-Pressure-Reponse Model

• It is a habitat for restricted-range birds. These arebirds that live only in a small area of the country orregion. For example, the Sokoke Pipit is found onlyin a few coastal forests.

• The area is home for many bird species that liveonly in a particular vegetation type, or biome. Mostof the birds of the Lake Victoria Basin biome are foundin Yala Swamp.

• The site contains very large congregations, orgatherings, of certain birds. For example, over 20different kinds of waterbirds gather in big numbersin the Tana River Delta.

Some sites qualify for more than one reason. MostIBAs also contain other endangered or restricted-

The Taita Thrush is endemic and endangered

ResponseConservationefforts for

IBA

StateQuality andquantity of

IBA

PressureThreats to

IBA


It uses not only birds as a key to site assessment, butalso other taxonomic groups, as well as vegetationand existing management practices, to evaluate theoverall state of the site.

Status and Trends, 2004:To assess the status and trends within Important BirdAreas, a monitoring framework has been developedand implemented by Nature Kenya in collaborationwith the National Museums of Kenya. Themonitoring process involves training, data-collectionand analysis by the National Museums of Kenya anddissemination by Nature Kenya.

Standard data collection forms for monitoringImportant Bird Areas were developed and distributedthrough IBA Site Support Groups (SSGs), NatureKenya members, Forest Department, Kenya WildlifeService, National Environment ManagementAuthority and other cooperating organizations. Inaddition, detailed monitoring is being carried out atsix critical IBAs (10% of all sites), with support fromthe Darwin Initiative and the RSPB, the UK BirdLifeInternational Partner.

The main sources of this report are BasicMonitoring Forms, retrieved from 78% of the sites.These include the 6 critical sites in which detailedmonitoring is also taking place: Arabuko-SokokeForest, Kakamega Forest, Kinangop HighlandGrasslands, Kikuyu Escarpment Forests, Mukurwe-ini Valleys and Lake Victoria Papyrus Swamps(Dunga, Koguta and Kusa).

To broadly generalize the findings frommonitoring information:

• illegal logging, charcoal burning and firewoodcollection is a threat in 86% (19 out of 22) of theforest sites;

Diagrammaticsummary of State

of Kenya’s IBAs

The report is based on monitoring informationgathered from a diversity of sources: members ofIBA Site Support Groups (SSGs); the Kenya WildlifeService; the Forest Department; National Museumsof Kenya; field researchers; birdwatchers and othervisitors to the sites including tourists. Referencematerial from institutional libraries such as the KenyaWildlife Service were also used.

The report sets a baseline for assessing the impactof future conservation measures and investment.Together with Important Bird Areas in Kenya andthe individual site reports, it will help Kenya preparenational reports to the Convention on BiologicalDiversity and other conventions; provide a basis forevaluating the implementation status of Kenya’sNational Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plans; andserve as a basis for assessing progress towards theinternational target of significantly reducingbiodiversity loss by 2010. Donors interested ininvesting in the conservation of Kenya’s ImportantBird Areas should also find this report a usefulfunding guide.

Amani Sunbird, foundonly in East Africancoastal forests


• agricultural encroachment threatens 50% of the wetlandsites and 46% of the total number of sites;

• encroachment for livestock grazing is prevalent in 85%of the sites;

• human wildlife conflict is a major issue in 10% or 6 outof the 60 sites.

In response to the threats, 40% of the sites still needformation and proactive involvement of local Site Supportor lobby groups to undertake reporting and conservationaction. In 18 sites, donor-funded income-generatingprojects are underway to ease pressure on exploitation ofnatural resources. Research or monitoring is going on in73% of the sites.

Urgent ConservationInterventions Needed:The report prescribes a variety of urgentconservation interventions needed to avert thepressures on biodiversity and habitats:

• A complete halt to the degazettement ofportions of forest comprising IBAs, andrepossession or re-gazettement of thoseallocated in the recent past.

• Improved logistical and personnel capacityof forest guards to patrol and protect criticalforests.

• Total enforcement of the policy todiscontinue Non-Residential Cultivation inindigenous forest management; NRC hastended to attract squatters.

• Drawing up and implementation of soundManagement Plans for sites, with input fromall stakeholders.

• Providing alternative means of livelihoodsto communities living adjacent to IBAsthrough supporting non-consumptive incomegenerating initiatives, including eco-tourism,to ease pressure on the natural resource base.

• Establishment and development of on-farmforestry and household woodlots.

• Facilitation of the formation of Site SupportGroups and building their capacity to takeconservation action, monitor the sites andcreate community conservation awareness insites where this is feasible.

• Comprehensive biodiversity and habitatsurveys of the little-visited, little-known andpotential IBAs in order to document theirconservation status and monitoring needs.

• Advocacy for review and streamlining ofthe policy of harvesting mangrove alongthe coast – recently revived by the ForestDepartment – to avert over-exploitation.

• Reconciliation of views from Councils ofElders and Coastal Forest Conservation Unitregarding matters of access and managementof Kaya Forests.

Sites under particularly severe threats include YalaSwamp, Busia Grasslands, Mukurwe-ini Valleys and Mau-Narok/Molo Grasslands, because of agriculturalencroachment.

Significant improvement has been achieved in MeruNational Park due to increased security, surveillance andproactive monitoring based on a Management Plan. Mt.Kenya National Reserve and Kakamega Forest have alsoimproved in state due to better surveillance and eviction ofsquatters as well as restriction on agricultural and otherencroachment, including the suspension of Non-ResidentialCultivation (the “shamba system”).

LesserFlamingos

occur mainlyin alkaline Rift

Valley lakes

The Papyrus YellowWarbler is onlyfound in papyrusswamp habitats


Summary of status of Kenya’s IBAsIBA Code Name of Site StateKE001 Aberdare Mountains ImprovementKE002 Kianyaga Valleys Not ascertainedKE003 Kikuyu Escarpment Great improvementKE004 Kinangop Grasslands Slight declineKE005 Mt. Kenya (Nat. Park & N. Reserve) Slight declineKE006 Mukurwe-ini Valleys DeclineKE007 Arabuko-Sokoke Forest ImprovementKE008 Dakatcha Woodland Not ascertainedKE009 Diani Forest DeclineKE010 Dzombo Hill Forest Not ascertainedKE011 Gede Ruins National Monument StableKE012 Kaya Gandini StableKE013 Kaya Waa Limited threatKE014 Kisite Island DeclineKE015 Kiunga Marine National Reserve ImprovementKE016 Mida Creek, Whale Isl., Malindi/Watamu NPs Slight improvementKE017 Marenji Forest DeclineKE018 Mrima Hill Forest Major improvementKE019 Sabaki River Mouth Not clearly knownKE020 Shimba Hills DeclineKE021 Taita Hills Forest Major declineKE022 Tana River Delta Not clearly knownKE023 Tana River Forests Stable (little change)KE024 Tsavo East National Park DeclineKE025 Tsavo West National Park DeclineKE026 Chyulu Hills National Park ImprovementKE027 Dida Galgalu Desert Not ascertainedKE028 Lake Turkana DeclineKE029 Machakos Valleys Not clearly knownKE030 Masinga Reservoir Minor improvementKE031 Meru National Park Major improvementKE032 Mwea National Reserve DeclineKE033 Samburu & Buffalo Springs Nat. Res. StableKE034 Shaba National Reserve DeclineKE035 Dandora Ponds Major declineKE036 Nairobi National Park DeclineKE037 Dunga Swamp DeclineKE038 Koguta Swamp DeclineKE039 Kusa Swamp DeclineKE040 Ruma National Park Slight improvementKE041 Yala Swamp DeclineKE042 Amboseli National Park Major declineKE043 Cherangani Hills DeclineKE044 Lake Baringo DeclineKE045 Lake Bogoria National Reserve Little changeKE046 Lake Elmenteita Little changeKE047 Lake Magadi DeclineKE048 Lake Naivasha Slight improvementKE049 Lake Nakuru National Park ImprovementKE050 Maasai Mara National Reserve DeclineKE051 Mau Forest Complex Minor improvementKE052 Mau Narok/Molo Grasslands Major decline


KE053 North Nandi Forest DeclineKE054 Ol Donyo Sabache Not ascertainedKE055 South Nandi Forest DeclineKE056 South Nguruman StableKE057 Busia Grasslands DeclineKE058 Kakamega Forest Major improvementKE059 Mt. Elgon DeclineKE060 Sio Port Swamp Decline

IBA Code Name of Site State Potential IBAsP1 Boni and Dondori ForestsP2 Kongelai EscarpmentP3 Malkamari National ParkP4 Mt Kasigau Forest

Not ascertained

P5 Mt Kulal ForestMajor decline


Kenya’s Important BirdAreasImportant Bird Areas are an innovative way toincorporate research findings into environmentalplanning. Important Bird Areas (IBAs) are sites that havebeen identified as important for the conservation of birds.Almost all IBAs, however, are also important for theconservation of other biodiversity – living things, thegenes they contain and the ecosystems in which they live.

Important Bird Areas have been identified throughoutthe world, using standardised, internationally agreedscientific criteria. They fall into four main categories:

1. Areas sheltering significant numbers of birds whichare globally endangered – likely to become extinct unlesstheir habitat is preserved. Arabuko-Sokoke Forest at theCoast is a good example, as it shelters six globallythreatened species of birds.

2. Sites where large numbers of birds congregate. Thesesites are also of international concern, as many of the birdsin question are waterbirds which migrate long distances,often from continent to continent. Alkaline lakes such asNakuru, Elmenteita and Bogoria hold large concentrationsof flamingoes and other waterbirds.

3. Areas which are home to bird species with a restrictedrange. These birds occur only in areas of less than 50,000square kilometres. Many such birds are threatened bychanges in their habitats. The lower Tana River forests,for example, shelter five kinds of birds with restrictedranges, and are affected by local and upstreamenvironmental changes.

4. Areas containing the characteristic birds of a particularbiome – for example, the African Highlands Biome.Although these birds may not be immediately threatened,their restricted distribution means that their totalpopulation is vulnerable to local changes.

IBA Status and Trends2003-2004

The proactive involvement of Kenya in the IBA processstarted in 1995 with surveys to identify sites that qualifiedfor designation. Nature Kenya together with researchersfrom the National Museums of Kenya and other partners,identified 60 Important Bird Areas in Kenya. Many ofthe sites, such as Mount Kenya, Kakamega Forest andGede Ruins National Monument, are already designatedas protected areas. Other sites important for threatenedbirds and other biodiversity, such as the Tana DeltaWetlands or the Kinangop Plateau grasslands, are whollywithout protection.

Kenya’s IBAs represent all key habitat types in Kenya:22 Forests (of these, 20 (90%) are protected areas); 18wetlands (only 5 (27%) are in protected areas); 12 semi-arid and arid areas (7 (58%) are protected areas); 6 moistgrasslands (3 (50%) are in protected areas). In othercategories, there are two sites, neither of them protected.

Of these 60 sites, 46 hold globally threatened birdspecies, 29 have range-restricted birds, 32 host biome-restricted birds, and 13 are identified for holdingcongregatory bird species. At least five other sites wereconsidered potential IBAs.

The sites, their location, description and value for birdconservation, were published as Important Bird Areas inKenya, by Leon Bennun and Peter Njoroge, in 1999. (Thebook is available from Nature Kenya and bookshops suchas Text Book Centre.)

Now that Important Bird Areas have been identifiedand recognised, the IBA process expands: it involvesconservation advocacy, action and monitoring in order toprotect these sites in perpetuity. In 1998, a five-yearregional BirdLife project – the African NGO-GovernmentPartnerships for Sustainable Biodiversity Action – fundedby the Global Environment Facility (GEF) through theUnited Nations Development Programme (UNDP)developed the IBA process in ten African countries.

Sokoke Pipit, East Coast Akalat and Spotted Ground Thrush,globally threatened birds of the Arabuko-Sokoke Forest


Since 1998 Nature Kenya and partners have undertakenactivities to alleviate the threats facing Important BirdAreas in Kenya, including:

• Establishment of the National Liaison Committee tofacilitate networking, advocacy and information exchangeamong government and non-government conservation anddevelopment institutions

• Establishment, development and consolidation of localconstituencies for site conservation through Site SupportGroups (SSGs)

• Development and testing of a nation-wide habitat andbiodiversity monitoring framework run by governmentagencies and community institutions

• Participation in the development and review of nationalconservation legislation and policy and establishment ofthe Environmental Legislation and Policy Working Group(ELPWiG)

• Developing and implementing conservation modelse.g. priority setting, SSGs process and monitoring for usein Kenya and for regional application in the BirdLifeInternational Partnership

• Mobilising resources critical for the implementationof the IBA process

• Strengthening and diversifying Nature Kenya actiongroups, committees and projects to take action at IBAs

• Setting priorities for site advocacy, and guidinginvestment of limited resources for site action

• Raising awareness locally and nationally

• Supplying site information to national decision makers,and advocating for sound environmental decisions amongdecision makers

In terms of site action, 15 IBA Site Support Groupshave been established at 9 sites, and are currently workingwith local communities to create awareness and takeaction for conservation. Monitoring and research toimprove understanding of IBAs, their status, condition,and the other biodiversity they contain, is a crucial

Detailed Monitored IBAs Site Support Group Months for MonitoringDry Season Wet Season

Kikuyu Escarpment KENVO Once per Year AugustKinangop Plateau FoKP February AugustMukuruwe-ini Valleys MEVO Once per Year JulyLake Victoria (Dunga Swamp) LVSB December AprilKakamega Forest KEEP December-January MayArabuko-Sokoke Forest ASFGA Monitoring Scheme in Development

component of conservation action. . In six IBAs (10 % ofsites) SSG members are also undertaking detailedmonitoring, with the support of the Darwin Initiative,which aims at building the capacity of the KenyaGovernment and local communities to carry out IBAmonitoring.

The MonitoringFramework for KenyaMonitoring involves repeated collection of informationover time in order to detect changes in particular variables.Monitoring is a vital part of any serious conservationprogramme; it helps to assess the effectiveness ofconservation measures and provides an early warning ofproblems. The process of monitoring involves designingan appropriate, cost effective scheme; data collection,storage and analysis; and finally, application, includingfeeding into management planning, policy evaluation,advocacy, fundraising and conservation action.

In Kenya, all IBAs are priority sites for conservation,requiring attention in terms of conservation interventions.However, following a priority setting exercise for all the60 sites – taking into account severity of threat andbiological importance – it was recognised that some sitesare faced with more serious threats than others.Monitoring in such a scenario requires a two-tierapproach.

The first tier is the basic monitoring taking place in allthe sixty IBAs. A data form for basic monitoring hasbeen designed and approved by the participatinginstitutions.

Forms may be filled once a year, or whenever a visitto the site is made. Nature Kenya is working with theForest Department (FD), Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS),National Environment Management Authority (NEMA)and a number of conservation organisations toinstitutionalise the process.

The detailed monitoring program for Site Support Groups at selected Priority Sites


The second tier is the detailed monitoring taking placeat 10% of the 60 sites, particularly those that are criticallythreatened: Arabuko-Sokoke Forest, Kakamega Forest,Kinangop Highland Grasslands, Kikuyu EscarpmentForests, Mukurwe-ini Valleys and Lake Victoria PapyrusSwamps (Dunga, Koguta and Kusa). This data is beingcollected by members of site support groups and in somecases government agencies.

The “Pressure-State-Response” ModelImportant Bird Areas should essentially be managed toconserve the birds and other biodiversity populations forwhich they are listed. This basic point is important becauseit defines the overall conservation goal that will in turndetermine which variables are to be monitored. However,it is not practical to monitor every relevant attribute of anIBA, and so a variety of general environmental and habitatindicators, including species of biodiversity, were chosenin various sites to determine conservation needs.

One useful approach that has been used by theConvention on Biological Diversity and the BirdLifePartnership in Europe, and that has been adopted for thepurpose of this Report, is called the “Pressure-State-Response” Model.

Pressure: Indicators that identify and track majorthreats to the IBA. For example, increased humanpopulation, increased papyrus harvesting, over-fishing,etc.

State: Indicators that refer to changes in site conditionand biodiversity value. Site conditions may include waterlevel, water transparency, etc. Biodiversity valueindicators may include threatened bird speciespopulations, species richness and so on.

Response: Variables that identify and trackconservation actions, such as changes in the legal statusof a site (through gazettement, etc); establishment of sitesupport groups; funding of conservation programs; etc.The relationship forms the following diagrammatic loop:

StateAlthough the conservation status of a large number ofIBAs has remained largely unchanged over the past year,there has been a general decline across the board.According to BirdLife International the pilot project inKenya shows that overall the condition of the country’sIBAs has continued to decline, despite improvements atsome sites, since the IBA directory was published in 1999.Overall pressures have also increased. However, there hasbeen a substantial stepping up of the conservationresponse, which may show a positive impact on state andpressure in the future.

Improvements that have occurred can mainly beattributed to government interventions in the form ofstricter controls by the Forest Department on access toand use of forest products, as well as intensified patrolsby the Kenya Wildlife Service. In many forest IBAs suchas Mount Kenya, the Aberdares and the KikuyuEscarpment Forest (Kieni Block) where Non-ResidentialCultivation has been recently stopped, the rate ofexploitation of the forests has reportedly drastically gonedown.

Secondly, the emergence and subsequent growth ofpro-active Site Support Groups (SSGs) and otherconservation-oriented Community Based Organisationshas promoted conservation awareness among local peopleand a better understanding of the value and importanceof the sites. Good examples are the Kikuyu EscarpmentForest, the Kinangop Highland Grasslands, Mukurwe-iniValleys and Kakamega Forest.

The Site Support Groups have undertaken conservationmeasures including afforestation, policing, diversifyinginitiatives for local livelihoods and monitoring. A numberof these SSGs are actively involved in detailed monitoringof key bird species and their habitat under the DarwinInitiative Project currently being implemented by NatureKenya and National Museums of Kenya.

Heavy rains have intensified the problem of siltationin most lakes and swamps found in or near IBAs. This,compounded by pollution, human encroachment, andcatchment degradation, has led to a general decline in thestatus of these sites and the quality of water, notably inLake Victoria Papyrus Wetlands, Lake Nakuru and theYala Swamp.

A number of sites have registered considerabledeterioration of state. These include receding water levelsat Lake Magadi, die-offs of Lesser Flamingo in LakeBogoria, off-road driving in the Maasai Mara, illegalallocations of forest land in the Mau Complex andirrigation activities in the Yala Swamp. The squatter crisisand marijuana cultivation seriously degraded the MountKenya Forest, while the grazing pressure by elephants

Summary of IBA Statusand Trends, 2003/2004

ResponseConservationefforts for

IBA

StateQuality andquantity of

IBA

PressureThreats to

IBA


has led to poorer habitat quality in Amboseli NationalPark.

Tremendous improvements have been recorded inMeru National Park where poaching has been drasticallyreduced, old boundaries recovered and habitat qualityremarkably enhanced. In the Aberdares, the benefits ofthe electric fencing project undertaken by Rhino Ark isalready yielding positive results in form of reduced illegallogging, rise in the number of the Bongo antelope andreduction in human-elephant conflicts. There is notableforest regeneration in Kikuyu Escarpment Forest (Kereitablock). At the coast, the Coastal Forest Conservation Unitis working with communities to put in place regulatorymeasures on the use of forest products from the sacredKaya forests.

Other sites, especially those in the Arid and semi-AridAreas such as the Shaba and Samburu Game Reserves,Lake Turkana, Tsavo East and West, remain more or lessintact due to low impact from human activity.

plans. The grassland in Lake Nakuru National Park, forinstance, is under strain partly due to the inability ofherbivores to disperse beyond the fence and partly due tothe voracious grazing by the White Rhino. In NairobiNational Park, considerable pressure has stemmed fromthe narrowing of the migration route in and out of thePark. There are conflicts between herdsmen in theKitengela wildlife dispersal areas and lions that move outof the park to seek herbivore prey that have been streamingout in search of better quality pasture.

In the Mara, heavy visitor pressure, off-road driving,land sub-division and wheat farming outside the reserve,and proliferation of infra-structural developmentcontinues to severely degrade the Maasai MaraEcosystem. The browsing habits of elephants in theAmboseli National Park, coupled with overstocking andthe pressure of grazing by the local pastoral communities,exert further pressure on this fragile ecosystem.

Many grassland and privately-owned IBAs, such asKinangop Grasslands, Molo/Mau Narok Grasslands, andMukurwe-ini Valleys are threatened with loss ordegradation as a result of conversion to agriculture. Largeportions of biodiversity-rich grasslands in the KinangopPlateau have been converted to wheat and horticulturalfarms. Much of the Busia Grasslands are now undersugarcane plantations, and there is very little of theoriginal grasslands left.

Many wetland IBAs continue to experience intensepressure from small and medium scale reclamation andencroachment for prime riparian agricultural land, andalso from pollution and papyrus harvesting. These includeDunga Swamp, Sio Port, Kusa and Yala Swamps. A largepart of the Yala Swamp is already earmarked forreclamation for a major long-term rice-farming project.

Fishing pressure, as well as drops in water levels dueto catchment degradation, is a threat in Lakes Naivashaand Baringo. Lake Naivasha is also faced with the invasivespecies problem, including Water Hyacinth, Salvinia andthe Louisiana Crayfish. The Water Hyacinth is almostchoking the Dandora Sewage Treatment ponds.

Along the coast, many marine IBAs are affected bypollution and coral destruction from tourist activities andglobal warming. More potential degradation is anticipatedfrom the proposed titanium mining project in Kwale, andthe recent lifting of the ban on mangrove harvesting. Thebeachfronts also continue to attract investors in thehospitality industry with the potential impact of furtherdegradation.

An outstanding challenge is the precarious position ofIBAs outside the protected areas system, that almostinvariably occur in localities with high human density.These IBAs face the most serious threats of habitat lossand conversion to agriculture, not least because they areprivately owned. Much of the Lantana bushes that formthe habitat for the endemic Hinde’s Babbler in theMukurwe-ini Valleys are now under coffee farms, andriverine vegetation is being removed at an alarming rate.

Turner’sEremomela,globallyendangeredbird of theKakamegaand NandiForests

PressureThe overriding threat to Kenya’s IBAs is the ever-increasing human population coupled with changes inland-use. This has resulted in encroachment,fragmentation and general degradation of the naturalhabitat.

Illegal logging, charcoal production, firewoodcollection and harvesting of poles are still characteristicof most of the forest IBAs, although the Forest Departmenthas instituted stricter controls in 2004. Cattle grazing andthe problem of illegal squatters also affect some of theforests. Portions of national forest reserves such as theMau Forest Complex, South and North Nandi forests havebeen excised.

In most forests, forest guards suffer from reducedlogistical capacity to conduct effective patrols and offerprotection. Farming activities around the Aberdare Forest,combined with the human-elephant conflict, is a majorchallenge in its conservation, while growing of marijuanain the Mount Kenya Forest remains a threat thoughreduced in scale.

In protected areas, threats seem to stem mainly fromthe challenges of management and implementation of site


ResponseA number of interventions and responses to avert negativetrends in Kenya’s 60 Important Bird Areas were recordedin 2003/04.

Common to many IBAs is the upsurge in the numberof Site Support Groups and Community BasedOrganisations working to take direct conservation actionand to create conservation awareness among local people.Many of them, i.e. in Kakamega Forest, Arabuko-SokokeForest, Kikuyu Escarpment Forest, Kinangop Grasslands,Mukurwe-ini Valleys and Mt Kenya, have, with donorassistance (from United Nations DevelopmentProgramme, Danish International Development Agency,United States Agency for International Development,European Union Biodiversity Conservation Programme,Kindernithilfe/NABU, etc.) been involved in initiatingnature-based, non-consumptive enterprises (eco-tourism,butterfly farming, beekeeping and commercial treenurseries) to ease pressure from the exploitative use ofthe resource base.

Nature Kenya and the National Museums of Kenya,with support from the Darwin Initiative, continue tostrengthen the capacity of SSGs neighbouring six of themost critical IBAs to carry out detailed monitoring. Datagenerated is already being used to guide management ofsome of these sites. In Kinangop, data gathered over thelast 4 years has been used to guide and initiate theacquisition of a parcel of the grassland, targeted atestablishing a sanctuary for the globally threatenedSharpe’s Longclaw. Monitoring data is being used todesign drafts for site management plans in Dunga Swamp,Kikuyu Escarpment and Mukurwe-ini Valleys.

The Darwin Initiative support has also been used tobuild capacity within relevant government agencies inspecies and habitat monitoring. Training targeted theKenya Wildlife Service (KWS), Forest Department (FD)and National Environment Management Authority(NEMA) staff from 54 of the 60 IBAs. The training hasenhanced the ability of sixty government staff to carryout basic monitoring using standard forms – which is thebasis of this report.

Other Government and Non-Government interventionsinclude the formation of Game Scouts Associations andcommunity policing strategies initiated by the AfricanConservation Centre in areas adjacent to the Amboseliand Tsavo parks. A similar strategy is in place at MidaCreek and Watamu Marine National Park, while theCoastal Forest Conservation Unit oversees the use of Kayaforests by local residents.

The fish stocks at Lakes Naivasha and Kanyaboli (inthe Yala Swamp) have survived partly due to annualfishing bans imposed by the Fisheries Department. In aneffort to reduce the abstraction of water, the LakeNaivasha Riparian Association is urging more and moreof its member farmers to install water meters.

Many IBA sites in protected areas are now benefitingfrom the Kenya Wildlife Service’s increased surveillance

and habitat monitoring. Through better equipment andmore proactive ecosystem change tracking, the KWS isnow able to make management decisions informed byecological realities in the field. Furthermore, the KWShas continued to send its field personnel for training inmonitoring under the Nature Kenya/RSPB programmefunded by the Darwin Initiative. About 45 of its officershave benefited from this training since the programmebegan in 2002. KWS (and the Koibatek and BaringoCounty Councils) also continue to provide logistical andtechnical support in the annual monitoring of waterfowlin the Rift Valley Lakes IBAs.

Several scientific research projects are ongoing in anumber of IBAs. These include, among others:

• Monitoring of wintering populations of the BlueSwallow in Ruma National Park

• Satellite tracking of Lesser Flamingo in the EastAfrican lakes

• A ringing scheme for songbirds in the Mwea NationalReserve

• Surveillance of Cheetah populations in the MaasaiMara

• Control of the spread of the water hyacinth in LakeVictoria catchment

• Restoration in the Mau Forest Complex by World WideFund for Nature (WWF-EARPO)

• Monitoring using remote sensing in Mt Kenya by theKenya Forest Working Group and UNEP’s Division ofEarly Warning and Assessment (DEWA)

• Biodiversity assessment and monitoring in KakamegaForest by BIOTA (Biodiversity Transect And MonitoringAnalysis)

A recent response by the Forest Department has beenthe suspension of Non-Residential Cultivation and allassociated activities including squatting in all governmentforests, a move aimed at reducing illegal logging,settlement and other ills associated with the practice. In2003, all forest officers were suspended and those withclean records recalled in 2004 with new commitment andconditions.

A summary of the survey results


From the information gathered through visits, IBA basicmonitoring forms and conversations with people workingin IBAs, findings indicate that for these sites to improvein their conservation status or indeed to avoid furtherdegradation, a number of general actions are needed:

• A complete halt to the de-gazettement of portions ofForest Reserves comprising IBAs, and repossession orre-gazettement of those allocated in 2001 following anexcision process. This will restore the catchment functionsof these forests while checking the rate of encroachmentand exploitation by humans.

• Improved logistical and personnel capacity of forestguards to patrol and protect critical forests. Reportsindicate that the guards are under-equipped in manystations and are unable to deal adequately with those whoviolate forest protection laws at night, for instance. Theyare also ill prepared to handle the criminals between theoften-long interval between arrest and prosecution. Theyare underpaid, their morale is extremely low andoccasionally they receive offers to allow unauthorized useof the forest resources.

• Discontinuation of the Non-Residential Cultivationpolicy or strict management in plantation forestmanagement so as not to continue to attract squatters andaccelerate forest destruction. Some people are said todestroy or damage tree seedlings so they do not growinto mature trees. Through this they can prolong their own

stay in the forest. At the same time they reportedly colludewith timber prospectors and saw-millers for small returns.

• Drawing up and implementation of sound ManagementPlans for sites, inclusive of inputs from all stakeholders.The management of many sites, including protected ones,is based on outdated management plans or none at all.Other sites have plans that exclude some key stakeholders,making the attainment of goals unlikely.

• Training, encouragement or support for communitiesneighbouring IBAs to develop non-consumptive incomegenerating initiatives, including eco-tourism andestablishment of woodlots on their own land, so as to easethe pressure of exploitative encroachment on the naturalhabitat. Communities adjacent to Arabuko-SokokeForest, for instance, would benefit immensely from thewoodlot scheme, as most logging targets wood for carvingor for building poles.

• Facilitation of the formation and training of SiteSupport Groups for IBAs that lack them, to sustainablycarry out basic monitoring and habitat assessment whilecreating community conservation awareness.

• Comprehensive surveys of biodiversity status of littlevisited, little-reported and potential IBAs so as to figureout and document their conservation needs. Informationis badly needed to identify research, monitoring andconservation needs of these areas.

Recommendations:Key conservation actions needed

Crab Plovers, a speciality of the Kenya Coast


• Review and streamline the policy of mangroveharvesting at the Coast, recently revived by the ForestDepartment, so as to avoid over-exploitation, perhapsthrough a system to license harvesters and introducequotas.

• Reconciliation of points of views of Councils of Eldersand the Coastal Forest Conservation Union regardingaccess to Kaya forests at the Coast. The CFCU areattempting to promote sustainable use, but the elders arereluctant to participate.

Recommendations specific to theforest sector:• The Forest Department should urgently revise thepolicy on fuel wood extraction to provide for retention ofthe absolute minimum critical for the survival ofthreatened species. It is regrettable and unfortunate thatfuel wood, which has always seemed to be a low impactresource extraction by local communities, is, in fact, anecologically disastrous process.

• Any policies to exploit indigenous forests must takeinto account the effects on endemic and other globallythreatened species that are very sensitive to any slightchanges in their habitats. All indigenous forests in Kenyatoday must be given at least 25 years (starting now) torecover before any extractive timber use can berecommended. The Forest Department should urgentlyrevise the existing forest extractive use policy to ensurethat all forms of logging and pole cutting in indigenousforests are put to a complete stop so as to allow the forestto regenerate to full capacity.

In this regard it is critical that local communities areinformed and involved in any forest and species recoveryprogrammes. To succeed, private forests should beencouraged so as to provide alternative timber and energyneeds to local communities.

• The Forest Department should establish policy andstrategies to ensure that none of the remaining indigenousforests are subjected to further loss and fragmentation.Strategies to create corridors linking major forests, henceallowing inter-fragment gene flow and exchange, arecritical for biodiversity survival.

• The Forest Department needs to develop strategies forreducing livestock grazing in forests, availing wateroutside the forest boundaries and working with farmersto avail fodder outside the forest. Resource userassociations with clear governance and leadershipstructures need to be developed so that local communitiescan begin to control the use of the forest resource. Thereis urgent need for the Forest Department to work out newforest uses, such as beekeeping and sericulture, that havehigher returns and have minimum effects on forest-dependent species of birds and other wildlife.

• The Forest Department must see that all forests aresurveyed and title deeds acquired to prevent any futurereduction in forest boundaries. The Kenya Governmentshould urgently recognise that it has a responsibility toguarantee, to present and future generations, that theforests in Kenya will continue to play their pivotal role inhuman survival and national development.

Abbott’s Starling,a threatened birdof Kenya’shighland forests

Grey-crested Helmet-Shrikes live only in

southern Kenya andnorthern Tanzania.

Recommendations, continued


KE001 - Aberdare MountainsState: Improvement Pressure: Slightimprovement Response: Major improvement

Forest resource exploitation is more or less stopped andwhatever is left of it is either illegal or controlled by theForest Department through a quota system. The annualRhino Charge challenge in 2003, helped raise a recordKsh. 26,345,000 to continue the erection of the fencearound the park, a 60% increase over 2002.

Information sources• Butynski T. 1999 of Zoo Atlanta, Wildlife fenceplacement study and recommendations. pp 67 - 71. Areport for KWS and FD• Lambrechts, C., Woodley, B., Church, C., and Gachanja“Crisis” on the Aberdares Swara Magazine May 2003• Mathenge, G. 2003 Delicate balancing act for Maathaion forests. Daily Nation Newspaper, Horizon. Thursday,January 16, 2003

Other information• Information from the IBA Basic Monitoring Form• KWS Mweiga Station, P. O. Box 494, Nyeri, Tel. 0614652, E-mail: [email protected] It would be usefulto contact KWS Mweiga Research Station for moreinformation on forest and park monitoring. Meanwhile,the research officers are setting priorities for what tomonitor.• Nation Media Group Eco-challenge Fund, P. O. Box49010 Nairobi.• IBA Paper database catalogue and press cuttings• Safaricom Communications Limited, Nairobi

StateSo far 160 km of the park has been electrically fenced.Non-residential cultivation (shamba system) has beendiscontinued and this has somewhat eased pressure onforest product exploitation. Some 767 km2 (80%) of theIBA is under full legal protection and policing is done bythe KWS and Forest Department. There are a number ofCommunity-Based Organizations focussing on theconservation and sustainable use of the park, but thenumber and membership is not known. Most of the CBOsare engaged in public awareness promotion towards theconservation of the Aberdares as well as afforestationprogrammes. Forest resource exploitation has beenreduced considerably and whatever is left of it is controlled

by the Forest Department through quota a system. Thepopulation of Bongos and Giant Forest Hogs appears tobe picking up again, and this is attributed to the cullingprogramme for the lions that had predated upon them tonear-non-viable levels. The park now holds an estimated74 black Rhino, according to the park authorities. Generalpolicing is being undertaken by the KWS and ForestDepartment while resource quotas are controlled by theForest Department. The deployment of National YouthService personnel recently, has greatly improved the forestpolicing.

However, human-wildlife conflicts are everescalating and the serious concern is that traditionalelephant migration corridors between the Aberdares andMt. Kenya are now settled, farmed or developed. Theanimals continue to inflict tolls on humans and their cropswhile at the same time the KWS and Forest Departmenthave to balance between conserving the park, generatingrevenue and compensating local people for crop and lifelost to animals; negative ecological impacts are felt in somesections that are already fenced off, from elephant activity.This is obviously in conflict with the fencing policy, andneeds serious thought including prospects for translocationto other areas, and to raise more money through the RhinoCharge to complete the electric fence to check illegallogging and charcoal burning that still occur. Traveladvisories from major Western countries has adverselyaffected revenue generation from tourism

PressureIllegal logging (the survey counted about 9,425 illegallylogged indigenous trees, including 4446 African PencilCedars). Now there is a ban on logging the rate seems tobe going down somewhat. The main tree species that weretargeted for selective logging were Camphor, Juniperusand Podocarpus.Charcoal production (this could now be the single biggestthreat facing the Aberdares: there were 14,499 charcoalkilns). This is most rampant on the range’s western,southern and southeastern slopes. On escarpmentsbordering the rift valley, charcoal burning has alreadyresulted into the destruction of up to 80% of the forestcanopy (but there were fewer kilns within the fenced areasin the north and the western slopes).Cultivation of marijuana and other food crops. 146cultivated fields were observed in the survey, 16 of these,covering 3 hectares on the eastern slopes above Endarasha,Chinga and Wanjerere, were under marijuana. The restwas covered mainly by maize or tobacco.Accidental fires from honey prospecting activities bysome local people do cause devastating ecological effectsincluding destruction of nests for ground-nesting birds.Livestock grazing. About 18497 cattle were seen in thenorthern reaches, clearly affecting forest regeneration.Human-wildlife conflicts, except among communitiesliving in the already fenced off areas.Landslides occasionally create considerable ecologicaldamage in the rainy seasons.Elephant browsing habits are a major cause of habitatalteration/degradation.

Annex 1:Sample ofIndividual SiteReports


ResponseThe Rhino Ark, in collaboration with the Nation MediaGroup (Nation Aberdare Forest Fund), has set up a fundraising initiative to build lasting benefits for thecommunities who live along the Aberdare fence, conserveits forests and one of East Africa’s most famous rhino andwildlife sanctuaries. In the same way, Safaricom, a localcell phone company, has introduced Eco-Option credit top-up cards; the mobile phones service provider will thencontribute some cash towards this initiative through theNation Media Group. At least two government officialsfrom the site have been trained in monitoring andmanagement planning under the Darwin Initiative-fundedproject through Nature Kenya and the National Museumsof Kenya over the past two years.

Research and monitoringThe Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) is undertaking a long-term elephant monitoring project (elephants are estimatedat 3116 in the park, forest reserve and adjoining dispersalarea), a project to monitor the population of Bongo in thepark and one involving the culling of lions. An aerialsurvey by KWS, UN Environment Programme (UNEP),Rhino Ark and Kenya Forests Working Group (KFWG)was successfully completed in June 2003 and is now abaseline upon which future monitoring of ecological andanthropogenic developments will be referenced. Jackson’sFrancolins are reported by the Park’s ecologist to be presentin considerable numbers but there are no existing recordedestimates of their population.

Action neededRegular periodic aerial surveys of the range to keep trackof changesStricter enforcement of laws regulating access to andutilization of forest resources by the local peopleA comprehensive survey of avifauna of the area so as toupdate existing information/database.

Useful contacts• Aberdare Research Station, P. O. Box 22 Nyeri• Charles M. Mutune, Resident Wildlife Researcher,Aberdare National Park, Box 22, Nyeri• Senior Warden, Aberdare National Park, P. O. Box 22,Nyeri, Tel. 061 55024 or 061 55486, E-mail:[email protected]• Augustine Ajuoga, Field Officer, Aberdare National Park,P. O. Box 22, Nyeri, Tel. 061 55024 or 061 55486, E-mail: [email protected]• Kenya Forest Working Group, c/o East African WildlifeSociety, Nairobi• Nyandarua District Forest Officer, P. O. Box 28, Nyeri• The Rhino Ark, P. O. Box 28, Nyeri• Godfrey Mutuarugi, Kabage Forest Station, P. O. Box28, Nyeri• Robert Ngotho, P. O. Box 28, Nyeri, Tel. 061 2021• Officer in charge, Nyeri field office, Kenya ForestryResearch Institute (KEFRI), P. O. Box 28, Nyeri

1. Name of the IBA (please use a new form for each site)Isecheno section of Kakamega

2. Today’s date 17/11/03

3. Your name: Rosalyne Shikami – one of the participantin the workshop (also a KEEP member).

4. Your contacts: postal address:

telephone/faxe-mail:

5. Does this form cover (a) the whole IBA • or (b) justpart of the IBA? • (tick one box) part

If (b), which part / how much of the whole area?Isecheno 2100 ha

6. Are you resident at the IBA? (a) Ye s • (b) No • yesIf (b) — what was the date and duration of the visit(s) youare reporting on?— what was the purpose of your visit(s)?

7. Please summarise the current status of natural habitatin the IBA, based on your observations and information,by circling a score from 1 to 4 below:

1 Largely intact and undisturbed2 Slight decline in habitat area or quality yes3 Substantial decline in habitat area or quality4 Severe decline in habitat area or quality

8. Please summarise the level of immediate future threatsto the IBA, based on your observations and information,by circling a score from 1 to 4 below:

1 No obvious immediate threats2 Slight3 Substantial4 Severe

Annex 2:Sample of acompletedBasicMonitoringForm(answers in bold type)


9. Please give any further information and details thatyou think may be helpful. Please attach or send more sheetsor other documents/reports if necessary. There is no needto answer all the questions or fill in all the tables — pleasejust put down the information that you have available. Ifpossible, please attach a MAP (a copy of a topographicalmap, or a simple sketch map) showing the location/extentof the threats/actions that you identify, and the location ofany records.

i. Current status(a) General comments:Although the threat (agriculture) has been going onseriously, this has evolved to even burning thevegetation in view of preparing this site – has led to nogrowth or under regeneration of forest species.

(b) Specific changes. Please give information on the extentand rate of recent change (state the period) – providenumbers wherever possible.

Period assessed From: To:Status variable Change score DetailsHabitat areaHabitat qualityBird populations (specify species/groups)Other

Scores for changes– Decline (unknown extent)- 3 Large decline- 2 Moderate decline- 1 Slight decline0 No change+ Improvement (unknown extent)+1 Small improvement+2 Moderate improvement+3 Large improvementN/a Not applicableU Not assessed

ii. Threats/conservation issues: (a) General comments:

(b) Specific threats: Please assess the intensity of the threat, whether this is increasing, decreasing, or stable, and givedetails or comments to explain your assessment. Please give quantitative information as far as possible. The threats ofchief concern are those that may affect the bird species for which the IBA is listed – including overflying migrantspecies in the case of ‘bottleneck’ IBAs

Threat class Intensity Trend Explanation/detailsAbandonment/reduction of land managementAgricultural intensification/expansion A- +Aquaculture/fisheriesBurning of vegetation B 0Consequences of animal/plant introductions C 0Construction/impact of dyke/dam/barrageDeforestation (commercial) A +Disturbance to birds A +DrainageDredging/canalisationExtraction industry CFilling-in of wetlandsFirewood collection A +Forest grazing A +Groundwater abstractionIndustrialization/urbanization/infrastructure/intensified forest managementNatural eventsRecreation/tourism B +Selective logging/cuttingShifting agriculture A +Unsustainable exploitation A +Other (please specify)

Codes for intensity of threatA High B Medium C LowU Unknown N/a Not applicable

Codes for trend of threat- Threat decreasing 0 Threat stable + Threat increasingU Unknown N/a Not applicable


iii. Conservation actions/responses (a) General comments:

(b) Specific actions or responses: Please assess each action or response (improving, declining, no change, not applicable)and give details or comments to explain your assessment. Please give quantitative information as far as possible.

Actions/responses Score Explanation/details

Legal/protected area status + Forest reserve% of IBA under legal protection + Wholly protectedEstablishment of local conservation group(s) + KEEP (1995)Number of local conservation groups + Many... 30 groupsNumber of local conservation group members + 200Activities of local conservation groups + Estab. of nurseries/cultural activitiesDevelopment of site action planImplementation of action planGeneral management and policing +Resource use controls/quotas + Set areas for diff resource usesEco-tourism initiativesa + Improved tourism facilitiesVisitor numbersa +Number of conservation staff and volunteersRevenue generated from siteSurveys and research +Conservation projects/actions: planned + Resource centres/educ. environ. awarenessConservation projects/actions: implemented + Most ecotourism facilities Environ. approaches have been doneAdvocacy/interventions for sitePublicity generated for siteEnvironmental Impact Assessments + All the conserv. Projects have been done the sameMitigation measures implementedOther (specify):

Score: + improving, – declining, 0 no change, N/a not applicableaNote that the conservation effects of increased eco-tourism and visitor numbers are not always positive – pleaseexplain your rating

v. Interesting bird records, population estimates, lists orother detailsGrey Parrot, Gt Blue Turaco, Turner’s Eremomela,Chapin’s Flycatcher

vi. Records, population estimates, lists or details for otherfauna or floraThe area has several lists of flora & fauna:Mammals: Potto, Red-tailed Monkey (7 spp primate)Birds (330 sp)400 spp butterflySnakes (27 spp)Flora: Olea capensis, Misopsis emini, Prunus africana,Markamia lutea, Croton megalocarpus

vii. Useful contacts (for research projects, siteconservation groups, tourism initiatives, etc.)Marina CordsPeter FashingKEEPESOK/NK

viii. Other notes

Chapin’s Flycatcher, a threatened bird found inKakamega Forest


Annex 3: Contributors

Richard Bagine-KWSErastus Kanga-KWSJackson Kingoo-KWSSamuel Andanje-KWSStephen Nyaga-KWSMunene Rauni-KWSKimutai David- KWSShadrack Ngene-KWSAnne Kahihia-KWSJarso Guyo-KWSAugustine Ajuoga-KWSGambre Albert-KWSGeorge Mwangi-KWSPhilemon Ole Nachuru-KWSSamuel Kasiki-KWSJackson Asila-KWSBernard Kuloba-KWSMoses Omurambi-KWSAlex Lemakhokho-FDDaniel Mbithi-FDFrancis Mathinji-FDShame Ali Ndaro-FDEliud Chigwaro-FDDavid Makonjio-FDMartin Shitali-FDEliud M. Isutsha-FDDaniel Kipng’eno-FDEdward K. Mwathi-FDJ.M. Mburu-FDGodfrey Kabage-FDRobert Ngotho-FDJudy Gichare-FDWycliffe Misoi FDSamuel Mathiu-FDDickson Achola-FDDFO Kiambu-FDCharo K. Charo FDWellingtone Kombe-FDHelida Oyieke-NMKKariuki Ndang’ang’a-NMKSylvester Karimi-NMKSimon Musila-NMKTitus Imboma-NMKWanyoike Wamiti-NMKMuchai Muchane NMKMartin Kahindi-NMKRonald Mulwa-NMKNicodemus Nalianya-NMKPaul Webala-NMKPhilister Malaki-NMKPatrick Gichuki- NMKNickson Otieno-NMKAlfred Owino-NMKAnne Auma-NMKPatrick Malonza-NMKBernard Amakobe-NMKJohn Musina-NMKDavid Gitau NMKOnesmus Kioko-NMKTimothy Mwinami-NMK

The following have contributed to this IBA monitoring and conservation status report from their site visits by completing the IBABasic Monitoring forms. Some teams have submitted more than one bird record/checklists of the areas they visited. We owe youlots of thanks and hope you continue to make similar spirited contributions.

Peter Nyamenya-NMKKisumuOliver Nasirwa-WWTFleur Ng’weno-NKAnthony Kiragu-NKDan Omolo-NKShailesh Patel-NKSolomon Mwangi- NKBernd de Bruijn-NKItai Shanni-NKAnne Gathitu-NKLeon Bennun-BirdLifeWilliam Olang-NKBrian Finch –EAOSBernard Obera-KCCColin Jackson-AKNature Kenya’s Sunday(pot-luck) Bird WalksPeter Kamau MwangiDavid Kuria-KENVOLake Victoria SunsetBirdersAnne Theuri-NEMARauri BowieWaterfowl CountVolunteersReuben Ndolo-EW/RVLPTimothy MaranguKipkorir CheruiyotJames Shindiyo-SamburuCounty CouncilFriends of KinangopPlateauMembers of MEVOMembers of KENVOMembers of ASFGARobert NjueM.K. Komen-NEMAJohn Kio-LEBSHGSamuel Gitahi-LNRABoniphase KariukiJoseph KariukiDouglas Gachucha-FoKPPeter K. MwangiBernard Chege-KMSKevin MazeraGabriel NgaleAbdulrahman MatanoQuentin LukeElias KimaruHamisi MduduJuma LumumbaNairobi Ringing GroupEmmanuel ThoyaAbsalom Kaisha MuyesuWycliffe KhamalaGilfrid PowysBriggite WanjikuErick BuchwaldMarieta Alfaro

Hector Gomez de SilvaStephen Emlen-MRCNarinder HeyerDavid Kones-FDPatricia Wambui-FoKPJoseph O. OchielAndrew M. WaweruJohn Baya Mitsanze-CFCUSimon Mwanyumba-MRIMADZONassir Abdallah Bege-MRIMADZOMoses LotorahS. KibichoSimon ThomsettMunir ViraniDavid Harper- LeicesterUniversity,UKBrooks ChildressRebecca LongJeannette OsanoFabian Musila-WWFMembers of Friends ofBogoriaPhilip Kirui-WCK (Western)Simon Mkalla-WCK (Western)Abila-KEMFRIPriscilla Boera-KEMFRIDedan Mungai-Fisheries DeptOchola-LBDAMaurice Otieno-PEnO(Nyanza)Opiyo Oduwo-OSIENALAElias Awuondo-OSIENALA

DFO Kisumu = DistrictFisheries Officer (Kisumu)EW/RVLP = Earthwatch RiftValley Lakes ProjectEAOS = East AfricanOrnithological SafarisFD = Forest DepartmentFoKP = Friends ofKinangop PlateauKCC= Kisumu City CouncilKEMFRI = Kenya Marineand Fisheries ResearchInstituteKMS = Kenya MuseumSocietyKENVO = KijabeEnvironment VolunteersKWS = Kenya WildlifeServiceLBDA = Lake BasinDevelopment AuthorityLEBSHG = Lake ElmenteitaBirdwatchers and Self-helpGroupLNRA = Lake NaivashaRiparian AssociationLVSB = Lake Victoria SunsetBirdersMRC= Mpala ResearchCentreMEVO = Mukurwe-iniEnvironment VolunteersMRIMADZO = Mrima Hill,Marenje and Dzombo ForestOrganizationNbiRG = Nairobi BirdRinging GroupNEMA = NationalEnvironment ManagementAuthorityNK = Nature KenyaNMK = National Museumsof KenyaOSIENALA = Friends ofLake VictoriaPEnO = ProvincialEnvironment Officer(Nyanza)WCK = Wildlife Clubs ofKenyaWWF = Worldwide FundFor NatureWWT = Wildfowl andWetlands Trust

List of AcronymsASFGA = Arabuko SokokeForest Guides AssociationAK = A Rocha KenyaBI = BirdLife InternationalCFCU = Coastal ForestConservation Unit

Clarke’s Weaver, knownonly from the Arabuko-Sokoke Forest and theunprotected DakatchaWoodland


AcknowledgementsCollection of data, which forms the basis of this report, is a joint effort between the Forest Department, KenyaWildlife Service, National Museums of Kenya, Site Support Groups, Nature Kenya, and other Important Bird AreasNational Liaison Committee (IBA-NLC) institutions. We greatly appreciate the effort that all of you have put intothis work. We particularly wish to thank all members of the National IBA Monitoring Focal Point: Kenya WildlifeService, the Forest Department, Wildlife Clubs of Kenya, African Conservation Centre, IUCN (the World ConservationUnion), Kenya Forests Working Group, National Environment Management Authority and National Museums ofKenya.

Our appreciation also to Nature Kenya members, members of various Site Support Groups, individual birdwatchers,scientists and tourists who took the time to fill in the monitoring forms. Your contribution has been very useful. Thisreport would not have been completed without further valuable editorial and review input from Fleur Ng’weno,Catherine Ngarachu and Robinson Mugo of Nature Kenya; the Director of Nature Kenya, Paul Matiku; Dr. MuchaiMuchane, Head, Department of Ornithology, NMK; Paul Buckley, Dr. Paul Donald and Richard Gregory of theRSPB and Professor William Sutherland of the University of East Anglia.

Last but by no means least, we would like to recognise the vital contribution from the Darwin Initiative of the UKGovernment for providing the seed money for this project and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB)for technical support and advice in the implementation and management of the project. The Project Advisory Group(Leon Bennun, Paul Matiku, Richard Bagine, Helida Oyieke, Paul Buckley, Bill Sutherland, Chris Bowden) providedstrategic direction on the implementation of the monitoring framework. This work is coordinated by Nature Kenya(the East Africa Natural History Society).

Papyrus Gonolek, restricted topapyrus swamp wetlands

kenya’s important bird areas status and trends...

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