LAIKIPIA WILDLIFE FORUM

NEWSLETTER
June 2011

LAIKIPIA WILDLIFE FORUM: Conservation in Action

To conserve Laikipias wildlife and ecosystem integrity and improve the lives of its people by bringing its societies together to conserve and sustainably use the natural resources on which they depend. THE VISION: To see a healthy and productive natural environment for people and wildlife. The LWF is a dynamic, membership led conservation organisation supporting, coordinating and facilitating panLaikipia conservation and natural resource management. It represents and provides a platform for dialogue for a cross section of land owners and land users including local community groups, private ranchers, pastoralists, small scale farmers and tourism ventures. The principal resource and strength of the LWF is its membership, and the spirit of community based conservation is broadly reflected by the people and groups who comprise of and work with the forum.
THE MISSION:

MEMBERS
Ewaso Nyiro Unit Central Unit North Western Unit BOARD SECRETARIAT LWF Products and Services
Programmes
Wildlife Conservation & Management Rangeland Rehabilitation & Management Water Resources Management Forest Management Conservation Enterprise Development Tourism Sector Support Environmental Education & Literacy Peace and Security

Ewaso Narok Unit

Eastern Unit

Forumness

Quarterly Unit Meetings Annual General Meeting Resource User Association Platforms Issue Led Task Forces Voluntary Technical Sub-committees Field Days World Environmental/Conservation Days

Beneficiaries Members & People of Laikipia

The LWF was created in response to an initiative by the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) to engage landowners and land users in the conservation and management of wildlife in non-protected areas. Since its inception in 1992 there has been a significant expansion of localised conservation effort and expertise in relation to wild animals. Whilst wild animals remain central to the conservation effort, LWF has taken an increasingly holistic approach with emphasis on cross-cutting environmental issues that affect larger sections of the population. Based in Nanyuki, the LWF maintains a Secretariat of eleven Core Staff to support, coordinate and facilitate pan-Laikipia conservation and natural resource management. The LWF is registered as a not-for-profit company limited by guarantee.

LAIKIPIAS WILDLIFE

Laikipia is an extensive wildlife haven, forming part of the 56,000 km Ewaso Ecosystem. Here, wildlife is abundant and total numbers are higher than any of Kenyas protected areas except the Maasai Mara National Reserve. In contrast to most of Kenya, where wildlife numbers have been in decline, the population of wildlife in Laikipia has increased by about 15% in the last 30 years. It is worth noting that Laikipia is not an official protected area the regions conservation success is due to the landowners and people of Laikipia. More than 7,000 elephants migrate within Laikipia and the wider Ewaso ecosystem. This area hosts Kenyas highest populations of endangered species (large mammals) in the country, including half of Kenyas rhino population and 37% of the total African population of the Eastern Black Rhino. 70% of the 3,000 remaining global population of the Grevy zebra, and similar numbers of the Reticulated giraffe occur in Laikipia. The number of lions in Laikipia (between 200 and 250 animals) has been increasing year on year. Laikipia supports the only remaining viable population of the Jacksons Hartebeest, an expanding population of the endangered African Wild Dog (worlds 6th largest population), and about 400 individuals of the rare Patas monkey.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Dr. Anthony King P. O. Box 764 Tel: 020 2166626 Nanyuki 10400 Mobile: 0726 500260 Email: director@laikipia.org Kenya

I CONSERVATION CONSERVING A WILDLIFE C OUTSIDE T NATIONAL I PARKS O N

of rural people living with wildlife. The SSN statement about the LWF exposes the issue. The alternative African view is more accurately the SSN view which they have skilfully crafted as Kenyas. But that their much publicised dogma has not been presented in the light of conservation performance is a fraud of sorts. So SSNs objection to LWFs invitation to present at a CITES symposium was not that we would not present an alternative African view, but that we would present an alternative Kenyan view backed up by scientific evidence and from a genuine conservation organisation that has a membership to answer to and a clear and definable rural constituency to serve. As Marshall Murphree notes, for generations, conservation policy in Africa has been socially illegitimate in the eyes of the continents rural people. The task of creating a conservation policy that is embedded in African society, rather than imposed from above, will be the work of generations. Having spent the last five years engaged in our national wildlife policy and law review process, the LWF has witnessed the manipulation of rural people and public opinion by externally driven interest groups. Rural Kenyans have been for too long disenfranchised in relation to wildlife. It is time for an alternative Kenyan view that acknowledges first and foremost that the needs and wants of rural Kenyans plays a primary role in conservation. The LWF paper presented at the international symposium on the role of community based conservation for the conservation of CITES listed species can be found on our website www. laikipia.org

LWF PRESENTS AN ALTERNATIVE KENYAN VIEW TO THE INTERNATIONAL CONSERVATION COMMUNITY

t was a great honour and surprise for the LWF to be invited to present at an international symposium on the role Community Based Conservation plays in the conservation of endangered species listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
The symposium was held in Vienna, Austria, this May. 85 people attended from 24 countries representing 63 different organisations. To our surprise there was strong opposition to the symposium by a consortium of animal rights/welfare organisations called the Species Survival Network (SSN). It was even more of a surprise that the LWF was singled out in their statement of protest to the organisers: the invited speaker from Kenya represents the Laikipia Wildlife Forum, which opposes Kenyas anti-trophy hunting policies, rather than the government, a local community organisation or local NGOs who could have presented an alternative African view. We thought this was an unnecessary, unprofessional and uninformed reference to LWF, singling out probably Kenyas most successful conservation area and organisation. We noted that some SSN members are also members of the LWF, and others work closely with the

LWF. In absolute contrast to the SSN statement, the LWF is a true Kenyan, local, community based organisation and one would struggle to find an organisation that could present a more balanced, grounded and truly African view. But it did get us thinking. What is so controversial about Community Based Conservation and why would animal rights/welfare organisations protest so strongly? Well, we learned a lot at that symposium and it reflects strongly on conservation organisations in Kenya. Kenyas general conservation performance has been bad, a 55% decline in wildlife numbers in thirty years and some species on the brink of local extinction (black rhino, lion, hirola, bongo...), 70% decline in the Maasai Mara wildlife population since 1976, forests excised, woodlands cleared, and so on. However, in the context of the international conservation arena, for example at CITES, it seems that this is an inconvenient truth we would rather not be known. But why not? It seems the answer lies in interests. Interests suggest why some organisations are not wholly in favour of Community Based Conservation, which we believe is where any hope of conservation success at a national level lies. Conservation history around the world has shown that success in our context requires at least decentralisation, ownership and democracy. But this may not suit organisations whose views and focus may be in conflict with the majority

LWF s Community Conservation Programme Josephat Musyima community@laikipia.org

HIG H LI GH TS D U R I N G T H E F IR S T H A L F O F 2 011
WORLD WATER DAY 2011 World Water Day in the Ewaso Ngiro North Catchment Area was commemorated at Rumuruti. LWF teamed with WRMA (Water Resources Management Authority) and other government line ministries to focus attention on the impact of rapid urban population growth, conflicts over water resources, and the uncertainties caused by climate change on urban water supply and sanitation. EXCHANGE VISITS Exchange visits increase public awareness and capacity to conserve by exposing the participants to successful initiatives undertaken by other groups. Participants have an opportunity to replicate success stories and boost self-confidence. LWF facilitated 4 exchange visits to various parts of the country. Ngosishi WRUA (Water Resource User Association) to Machakos, Loisukut WRUA to Machakos and Makueni counties, Muhotetu WRUA to Ngosishi, and Ewaso Ngiro to Samburu and Isiolo. WRUA FORUM LWF collaborated with CETRAD (Centre for Training and Research in Arid Lands Development), WRMA and other stakeholders to establish a Forum for all WRUAs in the Ewaso Ngiro North Catchment Region. The WRUA forum, which is in the process of registration at the AG chambers, was established to enhance collaboration and learning between the WRUAs and stakeholders. The forum is expected to bring all stakeholders in the water sector together in addressing common issues within the area. HONORARY WARDENS There was a meeting of honorary wardens at KWS Laikipia station, chaired by the assistant director. The meeting brought together KWS senior management officers and the honorary wardens who are conservationists with valuable inputs and advice for protection of wildlife. The honorary wardens expressed concern over the alarming rate at which Kenya was losing elephants and rhinos to poachers. They decried the lack of punitive legislation to help stamp out the illegal trade. WILDLIFE ACT AMENDMENT & NEW BILL The Vision 2050 group, a national grass roots wildlife and environmental network, to which LWF has been invited to join, has actively lobbied parliamentarians to amend the current Wildlife Act which gives very light sentences for illegal killing of wildlife, notably elephants and rhinos. They have proposed changes to include very heavy fines up to 10 million shillings, and twenty year jail terms. MPs have agreed to file a private motion in support of this initiative. In the meantime the drafting of new wildlife legislation continues and the LWF was invited by the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife to comment on the draft of April 2011. TREE PLANTING Over 20 user groups and 200 individual members of Lariak Community Forest Association (CFA) benefitted from a 20,000 seedlings donation after community mobilization and awareness creation on how to ensure the survival of the seedlings. The farmers were also given tree nursery establishment and management tools to establish their own tree nurseries and reduce the pressure on the forest. WORLD FORESTRY DAY 2011 The World Forestry Day was marked at Nyahururu KFS zonal managers compound. This years theme Forests keep dry lands working aimed to persuade communities living near forests to think about others living in the dry lands far from the water towers and urge them to reflect on the effects and misuse of forest resources. The event was attended by representatives from other CFAs across the Central Highlands conservancy. Activities to celebrate the day included tree planting, performances by school groups, and demonstrations: eg. using mud-bricks instead of timber to construct houses. PARTICIPATORY FOREST MANAGEMENT South Marmanet forest reserve (Uaso Narok forest reserve) is currently being assisted to develop a Forest Management Plan that will qualify them for consideration by KFS to enter into a management agreement to co-manage the forest. Gathiuru CFA signed a Forest Management agreement with KFS. CONSERVATION ENTERPRISE Over the first part of this year activities have increased in pace and range. For example, between January and April, Desert Edge have hung and baited over 1000 hives and have sold about 1 tonne of honey, and have returned 10% profit share, on top of the purchase price, to the individual producers and provided 5% of the sale price to conservation initiatives in Laikipia. They have conducted commercial processing of indigenous aloe and are now marketing efficacy-tested retail-packed aloe extracts. A small range of domesticated ethno-botanical products will be marketed locally by the end of May. RANGELAND REHABILITATION The programme has been active with Il Ngwesi and Makurian Group ranches, with notable success from planned grazing in Oreteti Conservation area. The programme continues to work with Ol Maisor ranch, and Naibunga Conservancy Trust has started initial work on goal setting and planning. The programmes work in Laikipia has attracted the attention of the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO), with lessons to be shared with pastoralists from the horn of Africa. WILDLIFE CONSERVATION STRATEGY FOR LAIKIPIA COUNTY The first draft of the strategy - a first for Kenya - carried out in partnership with KWS is due in June 2011, answering the question What do the people of Laikipia want with respect to wildlife, today and far into the future?

Clean Air Action Corporations Award-Winning TIST Program Receives The Worlds First Dual Validation and Verification from VCS (Verified Carbon Standard) and CCB (Climate, Community & Biodiversity Standards)
The programs ability to comply with the strict Standards for Verification and Validation, by both VCS and CCB Standards, makes TIST the only carbon offset program in the world to have achieved dual certification. Environmental change requires a commitment to honesty and transparency of results. Now, we have conclusive proof that TIST is providing enormous benefits to the climate, to biodiversity, and to the more than 60,000 farmers, who have planted more than 10 million trees, in the last 10 years. We witnessed firsthand their significant impact in Kenya through sequestering carbon, supporting local communities, and enhancing biodiversity. TIST management and field staff were professional, a pleasure to work with, and clearly have a passion for improving the livelihood of Kenyans and mitigating the effects of global climate change. We are excited to see a project - for the first time - move beyond validation of project design to being fully CCB Verified, demonstrating that the project has actually been implemented following best practices in community engagement and is delivering truly significant benefits for the local communities and the environment. TIST has been innovative and bold from the beginning. TIST is pioneering a triple winfor farmers, for Kenyas environment, and for proving some of the technology needed to safeguard our climate. TIST represents the best outcomes of the carbon market that poor people can see a measurable improvement in their lives, from carbon revenues reaching their pockets reliably, from practicing climate-friendly sustainable forestry and agriculture at the community level. That buyers of this charismatic carbon can see CCB certification tagged to the carbon they buy on VCS registries, verifying its unique social and environmental co-benefits, is an important contribution to defining quality in the emerging global carbon markets. The real credit for the outstanding results of this program belongs to the farmers of TIST, who collect local seeds, make nurseries, plant seedlings, and keep them alive through droughts, floods, cattle and goat raids, and rogue elephants. TIST farmers are an incredibly inspiring group of people. They are proud of the benefits their trees are having on their lives and on the global environment.

LWF s Environmental Education and Literacy Sammy Wanjau education@laikipia.org

Programme

FIRST EXPERIENCES AS THE NEW LWF E N V I R O N M E N TA L EDUCATION OFFICER

Sammy Wanjau

hen I enrolled for a Diploma in Wildlife Management, my friends and parents were not sure what kind of a job this would lead me to, and to be honest, neither was I.
To many, Sammy was planning to become a ranger or a game warden in one of Kenyas famous game parks. But one thing was certain; I had a passion to understand how nature works. As a young boy, I spent many a rainy season next to river banks observing floods and debris left behind. I would ask myself Where does the River come from, where does it end? Why is the water brown? My thirst for answers always led me to my Grandfather who explained that the river flowed from the Aberdare ranges and into Lake Naivasha. Due to cultivation along the river banks, the soil became loose and was deposited in rivers during the rainy season. But how could we stop this? Unless people began to understand the importance of planting trees along river banks and maintaining riparian vegetation, the rivers will continue turning brown. Later on in college, my lecturer gave me a term paper to research on: Wildlife Management is People Management. I failed desperately. However, seven years later, working in environmental conservation organizations as an environmental educator confirmed that conservation is all about managing people vast interest towards utilizing natural resources. Human interference with natural resource has forced wildlife managers to spend much time as social workers. My main task at LWF is to educate people and make them understand why it is important to conserve the environment they all entirely depend on. Conservation is not possible if people do not understand why they need to conserve. The LWF education programme is currently being restructured so as to accommodate more information, education, and communication opportunities. I feel honoured to be part of the LWF team and Laikipia community at large. Moving from Naivasha to the vast Laikipia plains sounded to me like a great revolution. Then came the bus! Driving a thirty seater bus on roads that resemble dry river beds has never been my idea of heaven, however it is proving to be conservation with fun. My first real experience in Laikipia demanded that I take thirty students from Murugai primary school near Nanyuki to Ol Pejeta conservancy for an environmental education excursion. By 8 am I had already picked the eagerly waiting students at the school. Our first stop was the chimpanzee sanctuary where they got a chance to learn how closely humans are related to chimps and the challenges of habitat destruction and poaching faced by chimps in their native countries. As we proceeded we encountered a family of elephants drinking water by the Ewaso Ngiro river. Amazed by how such big creatures operate in silence; the students were challenged to observe such silence while on the trip. It didnt take long before the roads became narrower and the woodland ecosystem crept in. Within minutes I realized I had no idea where I was! Keeping a brave face I kept on driving through the thickets of Ol Pejeta. At that moment the bus felt like a big spider (buibui kubwa) creeping through the bush and shrub! I was lost.The teacher seated next to me kept admiring the surroundings unaware of our predicament. Suddenly, the spider drove into an opening full of tour vans. What was the hullabaloo? A lion pride had just brought down a Buffalo. I drew a sigh of relief knowing we had found our way homeA good welcome to Laikipia.

LWF has acquired a new environmental education bus to replace buibui kubwa.

WE ARE BEING DISINHERITED Jackson Mbuthia, Vision 2050, National

FIG H TI NG F OR K E N YA S IN H ER ITA N C E

he current Wildlife Conservation and Management Act (Cap. 376) does not create a disincentive to illegally kill wildlife.

It does not protect threatened and endangered species. Current penalties for killing rhinos (there are only 600 black rhinos remaining in Kenya) and selling their horns are only KSH 40,000. This does not reflect the value of these animals to the nation and people of Kenya. Kenya Wildlife Service and other conservation organisations and communities spend hundreds of millions of shillings a year to protect these animals, and often people put their lives on the line to protect these animals. If poachers or dealers of wildlife products are caught they are released on minor charges with minor fines. This makes a mockery of the work and investments of the KWS and others who are working for the benefit of all Kenyans and the nation as a whole. The current poaching crisis must stop. Vision 2050 Statement This is why Vision 2050, a national grassroots wildlife and environmental conservation network with 2000 members in over 40 counties has been lobbying the government to change the penalties contained in the current Act. Jackson Mbuthia, National Coordinator of Vision 2050 says This is a matter of urgency. We need to reflect the value of Kenyas wildlife otherwise the efforts of so many Kenyans to conserve and protect wildlife is worthless, and these species will be lost forever. In March more than 100 members from Vision 2050 from Garissa to Kakamega and Taita Taveta and beyond gathered in Nyeri to meet MP Eugene Wamalwa to urge him to table a motion in parliament to increase penalties for wildlife crime as a deterrent to the rapid escalation of poaching. Despite a no show, the MP gave his word to pursue the matter in parliament. Since then Mbuthia has made many strides, talking and meeting with various government ministries and officials at the highest levels in a bid to save Kenyas wildlife heritage. He has and continues to work tirelessly, determined to make the voices of the people heard. The Act states that any offence committed in respect of a trophy animal or other animals mentioned in the First Schedule, Part 1 calls for a fine not exceeding forty thousand shillings or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding ten years or to both. The amendments being called for seek to increase the fine to ten million and imprisonment to twenty years. We want the law to provide genuine disincentives for the illegal killing of wildlife and illegal possession of trophies says Mbuthia. Vision 2050 is a national network with a common vision; to promote wildlife and environmental conservation across the country. LWF is proud to support and be a part of this national grassroots network.

KWS JOINS CALL FOR INTRODUCTION OF STIFFER PENALTIES

KWS is reiterating its call for the fast tracking of the passing of the new Wildlife Policy and Bill to provide for more deterrent sentences. They gave a presentation on Wildlife Poaching in Kenya to the Kenya Wildlife Conservation Forum in April. The following are excerpts from the presentation; Crimes under Cap 376 carry low penalties which are not deterrent. There are therefore many cases of repeat offenders Being misdemeanours, the CID do not profile wildlife crime offenders and there are therefore not criminal records of such offenders in the Criminal records office

PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED IN WILDLIFE CRIME PROSECUTION

OFFENCES POSSESSION OF BUSHMEAT ILLEGAL GRAZING SANDALWOOD ENTRY/FISHING LIVE ANIMALS GOVERNMENT TROPHY POACHING

NON-DETERRENT PENALTIES HIGHEST PENALTY AWARDED IMPRISONMENT FINE (KSH) 3 YEARS 41,200 2 YEARS 56,000 14 YEARS 125,000 3 YEARS 27,000 1 YEAR 80,000 4 YEARS 100,000 2 YEARS 100,000

LOWEST PENALTY AWARDED IMRISONMENT FINE (KSH) 3 DAYS 500 1 DAY 400 1 MONTH 1,000 2 WEEKS 300 20 DAYS 1,000 28 DAYS CSO 400 1 WEEK 500

LWF G I V E S U N I Q U E C E N T R A L P O S I T I O N TO E N V I R O N M E N TA L E D U C AT I O N

umuiko la Viumbehai Laikipia (LWF) ina mtazamwo wa pekee kuhusu elimu ya mazingira.

Laikipia Wildlife Forum is unique in its attitude to environmental awareness and education, so says Rose Hogan who has joined us for a short consultancy to broaden and deepen our education programme. Many organizations, projects and programmes consider education as an add-on, give it low budget and minimal attention but LWF gives it a central position and intends to give it even further emphasis. LWF also recognizes that education is far more than schooling and although the school bus programme is very successful it needs to be supported by school-community collaboration within an approach that captures gems from the goldmine of educational resources that LWF is sitting on. Kila mmoja ni mwanafunzi na mwalimu. Yes, Rose sees us all as learners and teachers and thinks that we have many more resources and skills to share than we ourselves realize! Having spent only two weeks with us so far, she is impressed by what we are already doing to make complex ecological concepts more accessible to our members and partners. Use of practical examples that people can touch and compare visually, such as the big and small potato spacing displays at Kisima Farm Field Day in early March was a simple but very effective, tangible and practical educational resource which stimulated constructive conversations between smallholder farmers, agricultural extension officers, large scale farmers and national and international potato specialists. They learnt a lot from each other; streetwise farmers telling researchers what the fast changing market is demanding while researchers told farmers how specific varieties performed under different trial treatments. Walikuwa wangundua pamoja Swahili for they were discovering together. Jointly they were constructing a body of knowledge, the latest knowledge about potato farming in Kenya. Similar methodology is used during

community exchanges whereby a community hosts another one to make site visits which stimulate exchange of experiences and information. Since we learn most from situations which are relevant to our own, LWFs matching of communities with similar challenges and experiences in overcoming them is a vital catalyst to accelerated learning. Other gems, from LWFs goldmine of educational resources noted during Roses short visit were the capacities of some members to engage semi-literate natural resource monitors to use Information Technology for data collection, drama and roleplay for analyzing conflicts, songs for communicating environmental concepts and not least the star performer, the school excursions by bus into the wildlife conservancies. Rose advises us to find out much more about the hidden resources within, share them and to tap into them while also checking out the externally available new options for learning and teaching. While she considers materials as important and useful learning tools, she thinks we should focus our investment on raising our capacities to adapt and use the environmental materials already available, that is to focus on the people. Rose has drafted a report with eleven major findings and has proposed responses to each one. PRELIMINARY FINDINGS ABOUT LWFS ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PROGRAMME 1. There are rich human resources within the LWF, which are to date only partially tapped for education purposes. 2. There is scope for greater exchange of practical methodoligies for information sharing and education across the existing LWF programmes. 3. Places for people to get information about the environment are very limited in Greater Laikipia District.

4. The Kenyan educational system has ample opportunities for integrating environmental education into the formal primary and secondary education systems. The adult syllabus is open for learner adaptation to relevant topics/themes. 5. Teachers and schools are a resource which can profitably be supported. 6. There is scope for the use of electronic media, especially radio and mobile phones. 7. The bus study tour has an important place, and there are other buses in use for school tours. 8. Language matters for understanding, acceptance, trust and for ownership. 9. Newspapers, magazines, journal opportunities can be tapped further. 10. Communication gaps need to be addressed proactively. 11. Some partners have yet to be brought on board, for example faith-based organisations. Rose is still working with our new environmental education officer - Sammy Wanjau Njoroge and Communications Officer - Sandra Obudo to pilot the responses and to continue to unearth hidden resources. In this way they will learn together how best to restructure the Education Programme while at the same time raising capacity for implementing it. This is an action-research approach. The immediate priorities for the piloting are to: Raise capacity to conduct wildlife day excursions to conservancies by training a number of potential guiding facilitators and providing them with guidelines and materials. Make a database of resources and skills available and gaps existing with LWFs programme staff and membership. Work from inside the school outward with a small sample of schools for lessons on environmental education.

HOW PLANNED GRAZING THROUGH THE HOLISTIC MANAGEMENT (HM) APPROACH IS HELPING COMMUNITIES IN MANAGING NATURAL RESOURCES, ENHANCING COMMUNITY COHESION, IMPROVING LAND HEALTH, AND PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE.
Oreteti Conservancy, Makurian Group Ranch - John Ole Tingoi Conservancy Chairman

of livestock and on the herders. According to community elders, this approach draws parallels with traditional herding systems where my father, for example, used to direct us young boys to always stay in-front of the herd. They say it used to make maximum use of available forage whilst walking for long distances. Through training we have been able to bunch livestock together, develop unfenced paddocks according to the number of livestock, and control herds to meet the required number of days herds have to graze without reducing their weight or getting unsatisfied. The new concept integrated into indigenous/ traditional skills of herding helps improve the health of the soil, grass, livestock and inevitably, the people.

The conservancy of 5000 acres runs a tented camp as an eco-tourism facility and integrates planned-and-bunched livestock herding to (a) use available forage efficiently and (b) heal and improve land productivity. In many instances livestock keeping or pastoralism has suffered a lot of negative perceptions about its viability in comparison to other economic activities. The adoption of planned grazing is the first step in reversing these attitudes. The healing of land using livestock bunching is environmentally friendly as well as being an approach to better the coexistence between people, livestock, wildlife and nature. The conservancy decided to conduct this approach within its area to act as a learning site for the group ranch members and other communities and private ranches. Through its Rangeland Rehabilitation Programme, Laikipia Wildlife Forum initiated the HM approach in Oreteti in November 2010 and it is still ongoing. The sustainability of the holistic approach in communal land depends on the owners

reteti is a new conservancy in Makurian group ranch south of Mukogodo forest bordering Borana ranch.

Oreteti conservancy straddles the grazing land of the livestock in the group ranch, and from the analysis given by community members, they used to graze for one or two months in the area, by which time grass was finished. However, after the introduction of planned grazing they have stretched the grazing to six months through efficient use. Recognizing the diversity of people that exists when decisions are made over communal resource use, and though this concept is still new at Oreteti, we note that it has brought people together to start thinking together for a common goal. We believe that what brings about unequal distribution of communal resources is lack of social cohesion in making decisions for the common good of every member. Since the introduction of HM at Oreteti, people have appreciated and recognized the importance of making decisions together whilst honoring the efforts and commitments of every player in

the implementation of any decision made The degraded part of the conservancy was the first target when the program started and there is real and practical visible change that anyone can see. We experience that healing land through a holistic approach is not a program but more a way of doing things that makes sense to our lives; this is the uniqueness of this approach and it is important for everyone to get it right, i.e. communities and private ranchers. This concept also reduces conflict in the sense that active involvement and participation of all stakeholders in the planning will increase participation in the implementation process. Population growth for both livestock and people requires critical thinking in relation to land since land does not increase. The concept of commercialization also has to be key in the thinking of mainly pastoralists in the group ranches so that livestock which has reached maximum economic value does not compete with young growing and milk producing livestock. Time factors have to be considered in order to realize the results of a holistic management approach. The conservancy is now thinking and dreaming of establishing a holistic management institute where communities can come and learn from all over the region. We want the community to own the concept. In matters of conflict resolution, once this concept is integrated to the management of group ranches as well as the private ranches, it will reduce pressure during dry seasons. Such conflicts like private ranch invasions, inter group-ranch disputes, pastoralistagriculturalist clashes and friction with outsiders from neighboring counties will be reduced in the sense that there are combined efforts and commitments from all stakeholders. If this is well planned and well implemented, it can be replicated even in forests like Mukogodo or Ngare Ndare. This will all help humanity by trying to bring everything to life and guarantee continuity of coexistence, taking into account other factors like climate change, desertification and all other scientific research based vocabularies on this earth. We welcome interested readers whether individuals or institutions to visit Oreteti conservancy where we can all learn together.

WHY THE PASTORALIST COMMUNITY AND OTHERS SHOULD GO BEYOND THE HURDLES
Mathew Chana Programme Assitant and Rendille Pastoralist

or centuries pastoralist communities have kept a connection between God and nature and the supremacy of the environment (soil, plants, and all animals).

Their unity needs to be adapted by human society as expressed in this idiomatic statement: The Safari Ant community when walking their life agenda through migration, when obstructed only raise the alarm, but do not stop their journey, and their single file operation is the confirming signal. Mr. Man wants more while he is doing less and his children have a poor understanding of the laws of nature. Man is busy destroying natures beauty and wasting valuable soil nutrients, burning soils clothing which is grass and trees. He is poisoning nature by littering the environment with plastics and other poisonous substances. At this rate Mr. Mans contribution to the survival

of the natural environment is nothing but shameful. I pause to ask; What is wrong with Mr. Man? By decree of our natural environment, Mr. Man and his descendants should appear before LWF, which is the ICC of the natural environment, and specifically report to the Rangeland Rehabilitation & Management Programme chambers to face accusations of crimes against the environment. If convicted, they should be sentenced to the Approved Environment School of Biodiversity; Eco- Literacy section to serve out their sentence!! In order to maintain coexistence with nature we need to learn to go beyond the hurdles.

KLEE Corner #16

They revered each of their functions and their interdependency. These beliefs are echoed by Allan Savory, founder of the Holistic Management approach in his understanding of nature and its perfect working balance, when he says individual parts do not exist in nature, only wholes and these form and shape each other. Our elders also envisioned and focused on the power invested in mankind to manage an upright way of living with each other in all facets of life, both in times of joy and through hardship. Upholding these relationships and the connections of knowledge to sustainability stayed intact within communities and was positively viewed, owned, and enjoyed by generations. This phenomenon connected man to each other, to land, soil, plants and all of natures creations, continuously building upon opportunities. However, gone are the days when mankind has the patience to watch new plants in their tiniest seedling stages grow through to the productive adult stage of bearing fruits. We want things now and we want them fast. Many times, as pastoralists and as development innovators, leaders talk to people, but forget to walk with the people and walk the talk. Despite the tried and tested age old practices which developed through the realities of life, the modern mighty world is speaking profoundly against and condemning pastoralism as a dead practice. When leaves wither and drop from the tree, does that mean the tree is dead? Pastoralism as a practice and a way of life is alive; the so-called modern society is simply blind to the wisdom of its old ways. What we need to realize is that what we think about, influences and affects our feelings and actions. Therefore, in my view, modern society is simply surviving and not really living because it lacks the fundamental connections to nature and its surroundings. Interdependency is a key element to the existence of all living things in the world. The modern society in its quest to survive has pushed the wisdom of the old world and its beliefs in natures coexistence into silence. Our only hope may be to act like Safari Ants to keep moving as a well bunched herd.

old boma sites, megaherbivores and cattle impact trees and wildlife. Near
Lauren M. Porensky and Truman P. Young
Old boma sites are a conspicuous and important part of Laikipias landscape. Bomas (temporary cattle corrals) are used to protect cattle at night against predation and theft. A boma is typically used for weeks to years and then abandoned. Abandoned bomas develop into nutrient-rich ecosystem hotspots that persist for decades or even centuries. In Laikipia, most abandoned bomas develop into productive, treeless glades that are preferentially used by both livestock and wildlife. These glades have distinctive edge effects, or impacts that extend outwards from the glade into the surrounding savanna. For example, glades on black cotton soils are often surrounded by a ring of very tall Acacia trees. Such edge effects mean that the ecological footprint of these ecosystem hotspots extends well beyond the original boma fence boundaries. Large herbivores are well-known as integral drivers of savanna ecosystems, but the role of these animals in shaping glade edges was unclear. In Laikipia and other savannas, conservation and management could benefit from a better understanding of how glades and glade edges are affected by different types of large herbivores. With collaborators Solveig Franziska Bucher, Kari Veblen and Anna Treydte, we used the KLEE experiment to ask how different large herbivores change glade edges. KLEE fences were designed to expose multiple glades to different types of large herbivores. This setup allows for experimental assessment of how different herbivores use and alter glades. To understand interactions between herbivores and glade edges, we measured the densities of whistling thorn trees (Acacia drepanolobium), shrubs, and wildlife dung at glade edges within different KLEE treatments. In plots that excluded megaherbivores (elephants and giraffes), we found that glade edges had very high densities of tall trees (>3m) and reproductive trees. In fact, densities of tall trees were over three times higher at glade edges than in areas far from glades. However, the presence of elephants and giraffes dramatically reduced the densities of tall trees and reproductive trees at glade edges. Densities of two shrub species (Lycium europaeum and Rhus natalensis) were also elevated at glade edges, but were not affected by megaherbivore presence. In terms of wildlife, our results confirmed that in the absence of cattle, mesoherbivores (wildlife other than elephants and giraffes) are attracted to glades we found about 30% more dung piles inside of glades than away from glades. In plots grazed by cattle, the amount of wildlife dung was reduced inside and away from glades, but the amount of wildlife dung at glade edges was not affected. This interesting result suggests that glade edges may not be as intensively used by cattle, and that glade edges, more than glades themselves, may serve as important foraging sites for wildlife when cattle are present. Overall, our results suggest that both megaherbivores and cattle can alter the unique spatial patterns associated with glades. As managers actively manipulate bomas to create patterns of glades across the landscape, it is important to remember that the end results (glade hotspots with distinctive edge effects) will also be affected by other land use decisions particularly whether a property is managed for livestock production, wildlife conservation or both.

THE UNSUN G H E R O E S O F C O N S E RVAT I O N - N A I B U N GAS Kimani Kuria LWF Director - Ewaso Nyiro Unit CONSERVAT I O N WA R R I O R S
lephant poaching, illegal sandalwood harvesting, illegal charcoal burning, cattle rustling, armed hold-ups, monitoring of wildlife numbers and movements are challenges that 26 year old Peter Meshame, head of security at Naibunga grapples with almost on a daily basis.

Peter and his team have achieved a lot in terms of wildlife conservation and protection. They have made huge differences, sometimes literally stopping poachers right in their tracks. However, in one or two incidences they have been out-witted by the masters of the complex poaching syndicates who plunder this nations highly precious but priceless heritage for selfish personal gains. One would expect Peter and his team of 20 men to be armed to the teeth with sophisticated weapons. Surprisingly, they are not. These men who work long hours from highly mobile camps without weapons and transport, are the human face of conservation in Naibunga; they are our unsung conservation heroes. Naibunga is an amalgamation of nine communally-owned group ranches in Ewaso Nyiro Unit, Laikipia North District. Naibunga is run through a board of trustees in which each group ranch is represented. Each group ranch has set aside some land for wildlife conservation. Naibunga Conservation Trust (NCT) has hired a manager to handle day to day issues. The trust is setting up requisite administrative structures, however, a fully-fledged security team was set up in 2004 and since then, the team has made huge milestones in protecting the environment, wildlife and residents of Laikipia North. Some members of the security team have been trained in the highly esteemed KWS Manyani training camp in Tsavo East National Park. The team relies on government security operatives like Kenya Wildlife Service, Kenya Police and Reservists to carry out ambushes and confront the criminal elements in Laikipia North. Peter and his team met stiff opposition when they started their conservation work, but nowadays they are perceived as champions of the wild. NCT security team has single-handedly eliminated illegal sandal-wood harvesting in Laikipia North District and has made phenomenal progress in eliminating illegal

charcoal burning. A PILE OF SANDALWOOD LOGS Together with KWS, they have recovered tusks and other illegal game trophies. They have vowed to defend people, wildlife and wild places at all costs. Nothing will stop us from our endeavor to conserve our wildlife heritage, we are ready to pay any price for it, says Peter. He recalls one incident where they working on illegal sandal-wood harvesting, ambushed illegal sandalwood traders and they neither knew what the plant looked harvesters but ended up being arrested like nor what it is used for. They worked and locked up on unfounded charges. on several cases; in one incident he We were not intimidated and we will not painfully admits they were outwitted by be intimidated in our resolve to fulfill our the illegal traders. However, the traders mandate, intones Peter. victory was short-lived after they were For the first time in many years, a relatively outmaneuvered by provincial security huge diversity of species has been recorded forces outside Laikipia. In one of his in the group ranches, notable among these lowest moments, when working on illegal are Grevys Zebras, African hunting dogs, sandal-wood harvesting, some members of lions, and ostriches. These animals were Peters team were arrested and locked up, not translocated here, the community however, they were released later. This has grown tolerant to the animals, the neither killed their resolve to nip the illegal animals are enjoying the security and lack trade in the bud nor intimidated them as of harassment. In the past, animals were it was meant to. With a smiling face, Peter snared, sometimes aggressively hunted says, I can confidently say we dont have down. Poachers had literally delineated any illegal sandal-wood harvesting in our their own hunting blocks, says Peter. jurisdiction. When Peter and his team started working as Mobility is a huge challenge for Peter and Naibungas wildlife conservation/security his team, they have one motorbike which team they collected hundreds of snares. they occasionally share with their manager. Snaring has stopped. The saddest thing is Our resolve, will, determination and hunting for the pot has ceased, however, it commitment to conserve and protect the has been replaced by hunting for the cash. environment, wildlife and people is unThe former was carried out by local people, matched, however, we dont have the right the latter is carried out by outsiders tools, but with the right tools or not we obviously with collaboration from within. are not relenting in this war. We believe Peter believes his team is on top of things we can work smarter and deliver faster right now, thanks to the support and quick and better results when we are properly action they get from the senior wardens kitted, declares Peter. office and other organisations. I feel sad, very sad indeed, before I wrapIn one incident the poachers were ahead up this article. The one oclock news is of us when they shot an elephant which airing; it is reported that a truck-load of didnt succumb until the following day. sandal-wood has been intercepted in one However, we beat them to the game of the corners of Laikipia county. as we were the first to arrive when the jumbo dropped. Sadly though, we lost it, but together with KWS we PETER MESHAME Head of Security - Naibunga recovered the tusks. When I ask Peter to tell me how they managed to stop illegal sandal wood harvesting, his face lights up. This was a tough battle filled with tears of joy, pain and frustration almost in equal measure. We worked in the scorching heat of the day and biting cold at night, we literally had to keep up with the pace of the bad guys in day light and under the cover of darkness, says Peter. When Peter and his team started

SURVEY OF THE PATAS MONKEY IN LAIKIPIA

he Laikipia Plateau supports a small population of the eastern patas monkey (Erythrocebus patas pyrrhonotus). This represents the largest population of patas in Kenya.

By Yvonne A. de Jong & Thomas M. Butynski Eastern Africa Primate Diversity and Conservation Program - Lolldaiga Hills Biodiversity Research Program

Patas are large, shy, semi-terrestrial, have large home ranges (ca. 30 km) and live in groups of 2 to 74 individuals. The low density at which patas occur in East Africa makes them particularly prone to local extinction. The ca. 48,200 km range of patas in Kenya has declined by roughly 54% since 1996 and is highly fragmented. In Laikipia, however, patas numbers remained stable during 1979-2000 at 300500 individuals. Patas are readily recognised by the brick red upper parts and long, white limbs. The blackish face, with a white nose and moustache, is unlike that of the western patas (E. p. patas) or southern patas (E. p. baumstarki), which have an all black face. The adult male, which is approximately the size of an adult goat, is about twice the size of the adult female. The geographical range of the eastern patas extends from western Ethiopia, southern Sudan, and northern Democratic Republic of Congo, through northern Uganda to western, central and southern Kenya. Why is the patas population in Laikipia not declining as appears to be the case elsewhere in Kenya? The answer seems to be tied to livestock ranching, which is an important economic activity in Laikipia. Unlike almost all other agroecosystems where primates occur, wellmanaged rangelands maintain (sometimes even create) favorable habitats for patas. The survival of patas in Laikipia can be explained, not surprisingly, by the perennial availability of food and water. Patas in Laikipia depend largely on (1) extensive areas dominated by whistling thorn (Acacia drepanolobium) woodlands, and on (2) year around sources of drinking water. Large ranches provide well

maintained sources of water and continue to provide good habitat for patas. However, in some parts of Laikipia, elephants, giraffes and rhinos over-browse the whistling thorn to such an extent that adequate food and sleeping sites for patas are not available. In addition, as for much of Kenya, large areas of Laikipia are being unsustainably used by livestock keepers and charcoal makers, or transformed to cropland. The resultant loss of natural habitat increasingly threatens patas and, of course, many other species. To conserve Laikipias patas population, it is important to monitor changes in its distribution and size. Now, 12 years after the last survey of patas in Laikipia, it is time for another survey. All land owners/ managers are being invited to take a few minutes to complete the questionnaire. If you are not a landowner/manager, but have encountered patas in Laikipia (or Samburu, or elsewhere in Kenya) we would appreciate learning more about your observation(s). Please fill in the online form at www.wildsolutions.nl/patas.htm, or write to us using the contact details. Contact: Yvonne A. de Jong, P.O. Box 149, Nanyuki 10400,Kenya Mobile: +254 (0)733 333601, yvonne@ wildsolutions.nl, www.wildsolutions.nl References: De Jong, Y.A., Butynski, T.M. & Nekaris, K.A. 2008. Distribution and conservation of the patas monkey Erythrocebus patas in Kenya. Journal of East African Natural History 97: 83-102. Isbell, L.A. 1998. Diet for a small primate: Insectivory and gummivory in the (large) patas monkey (Erythrocebus patas pyrrhonotus). American Journal of Primatology 45: 381398. Isbell, L.A. & Chism, J. 2007. Distribution and abundance of patas monkeys (Erythrocebus patas) in Laikipia, Kenya, 19792004. American Journal of Primatology 69: 12231235.

WATER USERS IN THE NORTH WEST OF LAIKIPIA

Virginia Wahome, North Western Unit Community Liasion Officer

Elder from Ngare Nyiro

ater already contaminated with a lot of sand/soil is what we are using now

now). Many people have also moved to the remaining dams and started irrigation using chemicals without seeing the danger they pose to the animals drinking from the same source. This has accelerated conflicts between the farmers and the pastoralists with each feeling he has more right to the water than the other, oblivious and maybe ignorant of the laws pertaining to water use. The Ol Moran Division Officer together with his Chiefs has been on the forefront in the mobilization meetings telling the community how important the formation of a WRUA is.

A simple ground water storage pit being used to irrigate a kitchen garden.

Rumuruti sub catchment area has no major river, but has lots of natural springs, dams, water pans, boreholes, seasonal rivers and luggas. Last year, Rumuruti Sub Catchment Water Resource Management Authority received a grant from UNICEF to train communities on the formation of Water Resource User Associations (WRUA) in order to improve their water sources so as to have adequate supply for domestic, irrigation and wildlife use. Immediately after the training, Muhotetu WRUA in Laikipia West was formed to resolve major conflicts that had occurred around Lariak springs. The WRUA accessed funds from LWF in their initial stages, formed a WRUA committee, visited Ngusishi WRUA on an exposure tour and have started developing their Sub Catchment Management Plan. Ol Arable WRUA covers Muthengera, Gituamba and Kinamba all the way to Baringo. Though formed in 2007, only the upper community was involved. Training carried out in Kinamba by the Rumuruti Sub Regional office inspired both Gituamba and Kinamba to start WRUAs. Through the training they also discovered that Ol Arabel WRUA already existed. Negotiations are now underway to streamline the constitution to fit both upper and lower river users. Meanwhile, Kinamba were given the go ahead to form a WRUA as it is divided into 2 catchments; Tandare falls under the Ol Arabel WRUA in the Rift valley while Mwenje, Ndindika and Njorua locations fall under the Ewaso Ngiro catchment. They have now finalized their constitution and registered with the Attorney general, showing a lot of enthusiasm through constant consultation with the Rumuruti Sub Regional office. Ol Moran area has always had water shortages with unreliable rain and long dry spells sometimes leading to boreholes, dams and water pans drying up completely. Mobilization meetings done by the LWF Community Liaison officer had over 150 people turn up in one location, which was a good indication of how much people in the area are in need of water. One Mzee from Ngare Nyiro area described the situation in their area as maji ilio na dudu na matope(water already contaminated with a lot of sand/soil is what we are using

Muhotetu WRUA is taken through a session of how Ngusichi WRUA works by one of their Managers and the Vice chairman

Muhoteti WRUA visits Ngusishi Charimans 5 acre plot where he is using very little water with drip irrigation and is able to get maximum yields to sustain his family.

A HOUSE IS NOT A HOME WITHOUT A TREE

Martin Kahindi, Ewaso Narok Community Liaison Officer

PFM will go a long way in educating the population on how best each community member can participate in conserving their surrounding environment. PFM was introduced in Kenya mainly as a result of pressure from local communities adjacent to forests, and civil society organizations led by research scientists who had been working on alternative approaches to reducing forest destruction. New policies and legislation are either being evolved and/or implemented to enhance the participation of local communities in the management of natural resources. DO YOU KNOW THE FIVE PFM RS? ROLES - these are specific activities that each party will do to sustain the PFM process. RIGHTS - these refer to what parties involved in the PFM process are entitled to, as provided by the Forest Act 2005. Returns /Rewards these are appropriate and equitable direct and indirect benefits on efforts put into forest management. Responsibilities - obligations of each party deemed acceptable by all parties involved in PFM. Relationships - refers to mutual understanding between the parties in PFM. Laikipia Wildlife Forum has been working closely with communities adjacent to 10 forests in all 5 units except Uaso Nyiro Unit that happens to be down steam and hence relies heavily on the management of forests and water by those up stream. As part of a number of activities, LWF has been facilitating communities adjacent to forests and schools in establishing woodlots on their farms to reduce pressure on forests as well as facilitating in the development of PFMs.

articipatory Forest Management (PFM) & Agro Forestry are important milestones in educating various community members in the management of forests and trees in their localities and on their farms.

National Forest News in Brief:

The 2011 national tree planting activity for the current long rains season kicked off on 14th April at Shamanek Forest in Laikipia County. The Minister for Forestry and Wildlife Hon. Dr. Noah Wekesa led the event aimed at raising public awareness on tree planting. 2011 is the International Year of Forests. Kenya is aiming to meet its target of 10% forest cover by 2030, which will require an estimated 384 million seedlings to be planted annually according to the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife.

FARMING KENYAN CROPS SUSTAINABLY INTO THE FUTURE

Bryn Llewelyn

he days of mining our land for todays gain and tomorrows loss needs to be placed firmly into our history books.
We need to take responsibility of the soil we have as a precious finite resource and think of ourselves as caretakers, managing and improving it for future generations to come. Long term sustainability therefore has to be the goal with no tillage and zero tillage being the keys to the tillage and planting door. Part 2 in the next newsletter will look in depth into no tillage and its application in small, medium and large scale cropping.

PART 1:- TILLAGE AND PLANTING PRACTICES

This topic is hugely important as it is the foundation for every crop. All that is discussed in this article is relevant to any cropping system, no matter how large or small, the principles remain the same. What varies is only the technology, type of tools used, and size of implements. The various types of tillage and planting practices are discussed briefly below in order of natural progression and each of them have their pros and cons and a fresh set of challenges.

Minimum Tillage. This system is the preferred practice of many farmers in Kenya today. It involves using a chisel plough or ripper for the primary pass and then a mulch finisher of sorts for the secondary pass. It is without doubt in my opinion the best system available for the mono cropping farmer. In order to move into this system from Conventional Tillage the farmer needs to be able to have some understanding of chemical rather than mechanical weed control and a hunger for moisture conservation. No Tillage. This system involves planting without any previous cultivation and only disturbing between 5-20% of the topsoil. This practice can be achieved either through the use of human planting techniques, knife point planters, or disc planters. The retention of as much surface mulch as possible is an absolute priority, with burning of any residue or allowing livestock and game into the fields an absolute sacrilege. I believe that what skin is to your raw flesh is what surface mulch is to soil. Soils conditioning is handed over to Mother Nature and her earthworms, they do a far superior job to any mechanical tillage implements man has ever created. The soil is then slowly transformed into a bio diverse, living, sponge like, growing media. Contours can now be removed and planting direction can move from across the slope to up and down the slope. There is huge satisfaction when, after a large storm, the run off is greatly reduced and what does run off is clean water not the usual chocolate orange slurry full of

soil. In certain areas of Western Australia where this concept was first pioneered over twenty years ago it is still the preferred system. In order to move onto this system from minimum tillage and maximise the benefits there are three necessary criteria: firstly no tillage, secondly bio diversity in the form of rotation crops and thirdly controlled traffic. There are a handful of Kenyan farmers going down this no till, biological farming route. Once they have found the economically viable rotation crops, I do hope that the majority of Kenyan farmers then take up this system.

Zero Tillage. This system is the natural progression from no tillage and is achieved by using a disc planter that disturbs or throws less than 5 % topsoil. In order to move onto this system the soils need to be properly conditioned from a number of years of no tillage and have a full bank of moisture at planting. There are only a few machines currently capable of zero till here in Kenya. This system is easily achievable in small scale farming with certain hand planting methods. Zero till is the ultimate goal in terms of reduced establishment costs, maximising soil moisture, being able to grow a successful crop during your worst drought, protecting the soil and long term cropping sustainability.

Conventional Tillage. This has been the traditional system over hundreds of years of cultivation and is still common practice across much of Kenya today. The soil usually has more than two tillage passes starting with a disc plough or mouldboard plough. Following this the soil is then usually pulverised every time any weeds grow with a disc harrow. This leaves the soil bare and without structure for all the outside elements to attack. Of all the practices it is also the poorest in terms of moisture conservation as well as leaving a plough pan below the cultivation layer. If the farmer looks closely at the costs, they will see that it is by far the most expensive system.

LAIKIPIA COFFEE TABLE BOOK THE NEXT STAGE, APRIL 2011

from the Roving Tortoise Photography Team: Tui De Roy, Mark Jones & Julie Cornthwaite

www.laikipia.org

With seven months in the field between us we have travelled the length and breadth of the plateau, from Ol Malo to Solio, Borana to Laikipia Wildlife Conservancy, and much in between. With each visit, our ability to perceive the subtleties of the astounding variety of landscapes and wild characters of the region have gained us ever-greater insights, and with them a keener eye to translate these evanescent impressions into better and better photos. Everywhere without exception, the people of Laikipia have received us with grace and warmth, offering their knowledge along with their legendary hospitality, and sharing our excitement and anticipation for the production of this book. Successful wildlife photography is an excruciatingly slow process, especially to capture the spirit of Laikipias diverse environment. Having all agreed that this book must differ substantively from others on East Africa, weve concentrated much energy on finding images that merge the three elements of Light, Landscape and Life in a single frame. Such moments are rare, but oh-so-rewarding when it all comes together. The wildlife has also delivered many thrilling results: a newborn elephant surrounded by watchful matriarchs; a rambunctious baby hippo nipping the big bulls chin; a lioness dodging hungry cubs with a wriggling warthog piglet in her mouth, to name but a few. The most exciting impressions almost always come as dusk fades into deep lilac and amber tones. Unlike the big game parks, when visitors are compelled to retreat to their lodges, nightfall is when the freedom and adventure of Laikipia comes into its own. I draw from my notes: Now the carnivores awake and the grazers stand watch, while the photographer tries to keep pace with fast action and slow shutter-speed... Of all those hours and days and weeks, camera at the ready, the most exciting photo of them all was captured by Mark just a few weeks ago. Thanks to tracker extraordinaire Kishene of Tumaren, plus several expertly placed strobes and sensors, he nabbed a rare perfect shot of an aardvark emerging from his burrow it just doesnt get any better than that! There were frustrations too, like days waiting for cheetah hunts, then missing an ostrich kill by minutes; or watching a zebra foal taken down, then reclaimed from the jaws of death by the irate herd.... the whole drama engulfed in blurring, shimmering noon heat haze, rendering long-lens photography impossible. And the weather Ah, the weather which repeatedly stumped us for so much of this year: the air so thick and hazy, like a gauze curtain, offering hardly any clear views of Mt Kenya, except as a dawn silhouette. So I am making plans for one last return foray to Kenya, a final gamble specifically to hunt down the perfect cover shot, with Mount Kenya crisp and clear lording over Laikipia, nurturing people, animals, plants and landscape with its life-giving snowmelt. Never have we breathed so deeply, gazed so widely, and marvelled so constantly at changing skies and shear space around us as in Laikipia. It is our hope that this book will instil these same impressions in the reader.

ur little team has just completed its third stint in Laikipia, resulting in literally tens of thousands of images to weed through.

LWF s Tourism Support & Communications Programme Sandra Obudo communications@laikipia.org

laikipia listings @ www.laikipia.org
SMALLER LODGES Borana El Karama Ranch Il Ngwesi Lodge Koija Starbeds Lewa Wilderness Loisaba Wilderness Mukutan Retreat Ngobit River Lodge Ol Gaboli Community Lodge Ol Malo Rutundu Log Cabins Sabuk Lodge Sasaab Lodge - Samburu Sirikoi Solio Lodge Sosian Tassia The Sanctuary at Ol Lentille RANCH HOUSES Kifaru House Laragai House Lewa House Lolldaiga Hills Mukima House Mutamaiyu House Ol Pejeta House Pelican House CAMPSITES Bobong Il Polei Conservancy Kaptuya Community Kuri Kuri Group Ranch Morupusi Group Ranch Mukogodo Forest Reserve Ngare Ndare Forest Nkiloriti Group Ranch Tiemamut Group Ranch TENTED CAMPS Elephant Watch Camp Enasoit Kicheche Camp Kitich Camp Lemartis Camp Lewa Safari Camp Makenas Hills Ol Pejeta Bush Camp Porini Rhino Camp Sangare Ranch Tented Camp Sarara Tented Camp Sweetwaters Tented Camp HOTELS Mt. Kenya Safari Club Thomsons Falls Lodge Sportsmans Arms Hotel ADVENTURES Crane Experience Karisia Walking Safaris Kenya Treks Nanyuki River Camel Camp Northern Frontier Ventures Offbeat Safaris Ol Lolokwe Nature Trails Ol Maisor Camels Riding Wild Rift Valley Adventures Walking Wild Wild Frontiers AIR CHARTERS Tropic Air

ts two programmes in one now! I hear you say can you do it? The answer is, yes we can! That said, it sometimes feels like three in one, with a fine line between communication and education. Part of my job involves working closely with Sammy in the Education programme.
The Communications Department is working towards making information and knowledge more available to Forum members, assisting programmes and the Forum overall in communicating with a host of audiences through the development of appropriate communication materials and relevant communication channels, sharing Laikipias experience, expertise and achievements to the outside world as a model for conservation. For starters, the Communications section has designed and is implementing a Communications Strategy, which will need to continuously adjust to fit the current climate, agendas and objectives. As part of that process I have began the very interesting and rewarding process of creating a Knowledge Marketplace - gathering, consolidating and making the wealth of information the forum has available to members and other external audiences. This has involved hours of sifting through reports, surveys, studies and requesting for the same from LWF partners. First, the LWF website is being redesigned and will become a resource centre and source of information for members and other parties. Programme and other reports, baseline surveys, presentations, links to relevant conservation information sites, LWF programme strategies, videos, detailed programme information and updated activities, impacts, lessons and challenges learnt and more will be available on the website to share the wealth of knowledge that the LWF has. It is vital for members to know what is going on in their forum and for those with access to the internet, therein you shall find it. The site will also be a source of updated news, features, cases studies, opinions and will also serve as a voice for members who are encouraged to contribute and share to make it a success. LWF has also joined the social networking age, with a facebook, twitter account and a blog. With recent statistics revealing that 1.5bn people use social networking sites, this cannot be ignored. Special access to members through dissemination of passwords will enable members to log in and access documents and information that the forum may not want to necessarily make available to the public at large. Maintaining the site and getting it to where it needs to be, needs support and buy in from members, programmes and partner organisations. How you can help: Contribute articles, case studies on experiences in implementing best conservation practice and opinion pieces on conservation. Share any knowledge or relevant information on conservation efforts in Laikipia. Providing information about the breadth of LWFs activities is a challenging process. However, the website is only the first step. The multiple audiences that LWF reaches out to and works with do not all have access to the internet, let alone know how to use it. They will not be left out and phase two will begin to address this segment in more detail. The communications strategy will soon be available on line. Members seeking information and or documents can drop me a line on the above email.

Taking over from Phillipa Bengough is in itself a daunting task! We are currently engaging various government departments and organisations at the highest levels both on the tourism and Communications front to increase LWFs and Laikipias visibility and relevance. LAIKIPIA NATURAL HISTORY ECO GUIDE: Final editing is now complete and the book will be published by end of June. LAIKIPIA MAP: Maps are on sale at the LWF offices and the Gift Shop at the Nanyuki Airstrip and a number of local retailers including Lily Pond and Juttsons. In Nairobi, maps are available at Text Book Centre (Sarit Centre), Bookstop (Yaya Centre) and the Gift Shop at Fairview. Efforts are underway to stock the map at more outlets in Nanyuki and Nairobi. LAIKIPIA TOURISM VIDEO: The script for this fast paced 3 minute trailer style video showcasing tourism in Laikipia is now complete and the video should be ready end of June. LAIKIPIA TOURISM WEBSITE: This will be redesigned to capitalise on online marketing trends and cater to travellers needs as revealed in recent surveys. These will include reviews by other travellers and engaging them in submitting photos and videos. A more visual aspect will be applied to the site, special offers and other relevant practical information provided. Information on wildlife found in Laikipia will be made available and the countys rhino and wildlife conservation efforts and successes will be highlighted. Overall the Tourism programme will be focusing on becoming the authority on information in Laikipia and reach out to a broader audience who may waiting to discover Nanyuki and its surrounding environs for tourism experiences. The website will focus on four main strategies; Attract, Engage, Convert and Retain. The importance of e- commerce cannot be stressed and the fastest growing sites are business driven enabling people to make bookings through the site. A recent survey in the UK showed a 90% reduction in requests for paper based information and showed that 96% of travellers start searching for their holidays online. NEW TOURISM MEMBERS: A big karibu to Sasaab Lodge, Samburu and Solio Lodge

TOURISM SECTOR SUPPORT

The Laikipia Wildlife Forum would especially like to thank the following for their invaluable support:
SPONSORS Claus Mortensen Donald Graham Gilfrid Powys Penelope Deubel Rex Taylor Regula Wacker Philip Winter CORPORATE SPONSORS Insiders Africa Mugie Ranch Ltd Rift Valley Adventures Lets Go Travel Ol Jogi Timaflor Ltd DITSL Germany DONORS 3 Peaks 3 Weeks Challenge Africa Chester Zoo Lewa Wildlife Conservancy Royal Netherlands Embassy Save the Rhino International UNDP USAID US Fish & Wildlife Service CORPORATE SUPPORTERS ADC Mutara African Latitude Bobong Borana Ranch Ltd Bush and Beyond Cheli & Peacock Clean Air Action Corp. Makutano Countrywide Connection Ltd Crane Experience Ltd El Karama Ranching Enasoit Ranch Ewaso Water Project Extreme Africa Ltd Fairmont Mt Kenya Safari Club Kamogi Ltd Kenya Treks Kicheche Camp Kifuku Estate Kisima Farm Ltd Kitawi Farm Laikipia Nature Conservancy Lewa Wildlife Conservancy Likii River Farm Ltd Lobelia Farm Loisaba Wilderness Lolldaiga Hills Marania Ltd Mogwooni Ltd Mpala Research Centre Mt Kenya Game Ranch Mugie Conservancy Mukima House Ngobit River Lodge Offbeat Safaris Ltd Ol Donyo Farm Ol Malo / Anjuan Ole Naishu (2000) Ltd Ol Pejeta Ranching Olive Tree Safaris Ltd Redstart Ltd Regenesis Ltd / Sanctuary at Ol Lentille Rift Valley Adventures Robin Hurt Safaris Rural Focus Ltd Ryden International Sabuk / Suguroi Ltd Safaris Unlimited Samburumburu Save The Elephant Segera Ranch Sirikoi Ltd Soita Nyiro Conservancy Solio Ranch Ltd Sosian Ltd Sweetwaters Tented Camp The Safari and Conservation Co Thomsons Falls Tropic Air Tumaren Ranch Wilderness Trails

SPECIAL THANKS TO Nicky Dyer for Newsletter design.

LAIKIPIA WILDLIFE FORUM MEMBERSHIP RATES 2011

MEMBERSHIP CATEGORY ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION RATE Individual KSH 2,000 Family KSH 3,000 Community Environment Group KSH 1,000 Researcher - Student KSH 750 Corporate KSH 10,000 Tourism (when not corporate) KSH 10,000 Tourism Supplement (applied for each tourism enterprise of a Corporate member) KSH 2,000 Individual Sponsor KSH 15,000 min Corporate Sponsor KSH 25,000 min
MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION I/We hereby apply to be a (specify category) .......................................................................................................member of the LWF Jan - Dec 2011.
Name for Membership:......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Email: ..........................................................................................................................................................Telephone: ........................................................................................................................................ Postal Address:....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

FOR COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP/CORPORATE/TOURISM state the type of organisation and nature of business: ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

The opinions expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of LWF, and LWF cannot be held responsible for any omissions or errors.
REMEMBER TO RENEW YOUR SUBSCRIPTIONS