Evironmental awareness at Ol Bolossat : news from the field

George Ndungu, one of the recipients of our support in 2014 is now working at full speed on his environmental awareness project. Lake Ol Bolossat is one of the key areas for the conservation of biodiversity in Kenya, and is especially rich in birdlife. Unfortunately, this wetland and the rich grasslands that surround it are being rapidly converted into agriculture and settlements. In many cases ploughed fields now abut directly on the lake, leaving no space for natural habitats and exposing the shores to increased risk of flooding during the rain season.

A newly opened field right at the edge of the lake's water

George Ndungu, a member of the local community and self-taught ornithologist, has been very active in the area for many years. With our support (together with the German NGO NABU, and with help from several private donors from Italy and the UK) George visits the local farmers and schools in Ol Bolossat area campainging for the preservation of the lake and its surroundings.

Teaching to primary school students

George has already been supported by us in 2013, and the good results we achieved prompted a prosecution and upscaling of his project in 2014. From April till the end of this year, George will be very busy!

According to his proposal, his activities this year are focusing on:

A bird booklet written by George

1. Visiting target groups on the ground
2. Holding lectures and demonstrations in the primary schools, donating copies of “Ndege na Watu” book and other environment education materials available to each of the ten-targeted schools.
3. Giving out copies of “Nyoni na andu” book (Birds and people) and birds role posters free especially to adults.
4. Distributing bilingual posters at target points e.g. markets, schools and churches as well as in public places
 5. Planting 1,000 indigenous trees in all of the ten-targeted schools.
6. Doing bird watching with participants using a pair of binoculars as a way of captivating their interes

Conservation booklets and posters published

George Ndungu, one of our 2014 grant recipients has just printed 500 copies of a booklet and 200 of a large-sized poster on the birds of Lake Ol Bolossat, in central Kenya. This material will be given out for free to school students and local farmers in the area to campaing for the conservation of Lake Ol Bolossat wetland and montane grasslands

The most threatened habitat in Africa

Grassland under conversion to crops near Naro Moru - September 2013

Which is the most threatened habitat in Africa? Rainforest? No, you are wrong.
The truth is that highland grasslands are disappearing at a much faster rate than forests. And that is worrying, because grasslands host a lot of endemic and globally threatened biodiversity.
Highland grasslands are widespread in Africa, but their total area is not large. They occur in Southern, Eastern and Central Africa. In Kenya, much of the land above 2000m elevation used to be grassland at the beginning of the last century, and it was home to huge herds of wild herbivores, endemic birds, amphibians, reptiles and plants.
Just one century later, most of these grasslands are gone. Conversion to agriculture is the main cause of their disappearance, and unfortunately, as demand for food and cropland grow fast in Kenya - as anywhere else in Africa - rates of destruction are increasing.
In 2008, we surveyed the grasslands located on the northern slope of Mount Kenya, between Naro Moru and Nanyuki. We found quite large expanses of good grassland still existing, and along with them some interesting species such as the globally-threatened Sharpe's Longclaw (an bird endemic to Kenya).
Just five years later, at the end of 2013, we revisited the same grasslands, and could not believe to our eyes. Most of the grasslands were heavily damaged, some did not even exist any more. On the whole, we recorded 23% loss of area within just five years - a rate suggesting that in less than 15 year no natural grass will be left there.

Wild dogs in the Segera plains, north of Nanyuki, September 2013

Ecco qui i progetti per il 2014! Hip hip hip hurra'! (English version - scroll down)

Salve a tutti!

Ecco finalmente il momento che tutti aspettavate! Ebbene si', sono arrivati i progetti per il 2014!
Anche quest'anno, continueremo ed espanderemo le attività iniziate nell'ormai lontano 2007. Gli obiettivi di questi progetti sono quindi la didattica nelle scuole, lo sviluppo delle comunità locali, la difesa di specie animali in pericolo ed attività di green economy che creano posti di lavoro difendendo l'ambiente.

PER DONARE: VIA BONIFICO BANCARIO SUL CONTO CORRENTE DI MUINDI ONLUS, OPPURE  UTILIZZARE IL LINK PAYPAL QUI DI FIANCO (NECESSARIA CARTA DI CREDITO)

Alcuni dei nostri studenti nel villaggio di Ngilai: Lmintilas, Damaris, Melian e Jane

1) Borse di studio per studenti delle scuole primarie e secondarie del Samburu District, Kenya. Il Samburu District è una delle regioni più povere del Kenya. Per molti studenti e studentesse, le spese scolastiche sono semplicemente impossibili: troppi ragazzi abbandonano la scuola o non la frequentano perché le loro famiglie non possono permettersele. Propongo di istituire 7-10 borse di studio, di circa 200 Euro l'una: questa somma paga le spese scolastiche di un intero anno. Gli studenti saranno scelti dagli anziani dei villaggi, con l'unica richiesta di ripartire al 50% fra studenti maschi e femmine.

   

Lawrence con una classe

2) Didattica per la conservazione: a Ol Bolossat e nelle Taita Hills. Le Taita Hills e Ol Bolossat sono due siti chiave per la conservazione della biodiversità in Kenya, ed entrambi sono gravemente minacciati dalla distruzione degli habitat causata dalla rapida espansione delle attività umane. La didattica dell'ambiente nelle scuole e' fondamentale per creare una coscienza ambientale e incrementare l'interesse per la conservazione fra i giovani. Due nostri amici di lunga data, George Ndungu e Lawrence Wagura, con il nostro aiuto, visiteranno numerose scuole ad Ol Bolossat (George) e nelle Taita Hills (Lawrence). George e Lawrence terranno lezioni nelle classi, guideranno attività sul campo, distribuiranno libri, volantini e manifesti, e condurranno passeggiate di birdwatching con studenti di tutte le eta'. Leggeremo delle loro esperienze nel corso del prossimo anno. Buona fortuna!

Il progetto del nuovo laboratorio (J. Knausenberger)

3) Una terra per Njabini (anno 2)! Il laboratorio di filatura e tessitura di Njabini è una piccola cooperativa che contribuisce a salvare la biodiversità delle praterie montane del Kenya creando posti di lavoro in un villaggio dove poche persone hanno un reddito fisso. Dopo anni di lavoro con questo gruppo, abbiamo ottenuto grandi risultati: la qualità dei prodotti e la quantità di lana acquistata sono nettamente cresciute, e il laboratorio ha contribuito a salvare oltre 20 ettari di prateria, che è l'unico habitat di specie minacciate, fra cui il ben noto Uccellino Zampagrossa. Ora però la cooperativa di Njabini deve espandersi, e gli spazi attuali non lo consentono. Da qui la necessita' di costruire un nuovo laboratorio, più moderno e spazioso. Nel 2013, grazie ad una generosa donazione di David Fox e della sua famiglia, e' stato acquistato un terreno di circa mezzo acro (0.2 ettari) localizzato in una posizione strategica. Ora la prossima sfida e' quella di costruirci sopra un edificio per svolgere le attività di filatura e tessitura. Sara' una bella sfida, vi faremo sapere!

L'acqua è arrivata a Chopotwo grazie al lavoro di Terry

4) The Mbara Community Project. Le scuole di Temow, Chopotwo e Kapsor Schools, Vicino al villaggio di Mbara , nel Kenya occidentale, sono tre scuole elementari dove manca tutto. 

Niente aule, niente banchi, niente posto per giocare niente acqua pulita da bere ... Con il mio amico Terry John Hummerston, che da anni lavora in questa zona, vogliamo aiutare queste scuole a diventare  un posto dove i piccoli studenti potranno avere una educazione vera . Ce la faremo - con una mano da tutti sicuramente si'!

Here are the Small Projects for Africa 2014! Hooooray! (scroll up for the Italian version)

Hello all!

here is the moment everyone was waiting for! Yes, the 2014 small Conservation Projects are here!
We will continue and expand the projects that we begun in previous years. We will focus on schools, teaching, the development of local communities, endangered animals and small eco-business activities that contribute to creating jobs and conserving the environment.

IF YOU WISH TO DONATE, PLEASE USE THE PAYPAL LINK ON THE RIGHT (CREDIT CARD NEEDED)

Some of the 2013 students from Ngilai Village: Lmintilas, Damaris, Melian and Jane

1) Scholarships for primary and secondary school students of the Samburu District, Kenya. The Samburu District is one of the poorest regions of Kenya. For many female and male students, school expenses, are just beyond reach: too many drop off school or never attend it because their families can’t afford school expenses. As in previous years, I propose to sponsor 7-10 students with small scholarships, of about €150 each: this sum is enough to pay school fees for one year. The students will be chosen by village elders and female students will make 50% of the prize winners.

   

Lawrence in the Taita hills with a class

2) Teaching conservation: at Ol Bolossat and in the Taita Hills. The Taita hills and Ol Bolossat are two key sites for conservation of Kenya's biodiversity, and both are severely threatened by habitat destruction and the rapid expansion of human activities. Teaching about the environment in primary and secondary schools is a key action to create environmental awareness and raise interest on biodiversity among the young generations. Two friends of ours, George Ndungu and Lawrence Wagura, with our help, will visit schools in Ol Bolossat (George) and in the Taita (Lawrence). George and Lawrence will visit the classrooms, perform field activities, distribute books, posters and brochures, lead birdwatching walks for hundreds of students of all ages. We will read about their experiences over the next year. Good luck!

A draft plan of the workshop, by J. Knausenberger

3) A land for Njabini (year 2)! Njabini woolspinning workshop is an eco-friendly business that creates jobs and contributes to the preservation of the highly threatened highland grasslands of Kenya. After years of work with this small grassroots group, the positive impact in terms of jobs created and of habitat conservation is undeniable, but the group's activities cannot grow any more in the small space where they have been working so far. Now, the group needs a larger and more modern space. In 2013, with a generous donation from Mr David Fox, we bought a plot of land in the Kinangop plateau. The next step is now to raise money to build a new workshop on the newly purchased land - that will be a challenge, due to the high costs involved. We'll keep you posted.

Terry built a pipe to bring water to Chopotwo school

4) The Mbara Community Project. Temow, Chopotwo and Kapsor Schools, near Mbara village, in Western Kenya, are three small primary schools where nothing is available. No classrooms, no desks, no playground for the pupils, no clean water to drink ... With my friend Terry John Hummerston, we want to help these schools to become a place where young girls and boys can get a real education for their future

New edition of the Mathews Range Plant Guide

Hello all!

This is just to let you know that a new edition of the small field guide to the Trees and Shrubs of the Mathews Range is out! It is an entirely revised small book, featuring more than 50 among the
woody plant species found in one of the most beautiful and well-preserved forests in East Africa. The guide is illustrated by more than 120 full color high-quality photos and summarizes the most useful characters for telling the species in the field, as well as the interactions between plants, animals and the human communities in the region.

The guide has been produced in collaboration with the Cheli and Peacock Community Trust, and will be distributed free of charge to school students, villagers and tourists visiting the area - because awareness and knowledge are essential steps for loving and protecting our environment!

One of the colour plates - click to enlarge!

The front cover page

A new population of Taita apalis discovered - but deforestation will soon wipe it out

There might be less than 300 Taita apalis left - an incredibly small population. This unique species lives only on top of the highest peaks in the Taita hills of southern Kenya.

A male Taita apalis

With such a tiny number of individuals involved, the discovery of a new population of Taita apalis makes a huge news - even if it consists of just 8 pairs!

In October 2011, we discovered a new patch of forest in a site called Msidunyi, in the eastern part of the Taita Hills, and we observed a small number of Taita apalis in the forest.

Field work during 2012 and 2013, supported by a grant of the Conservation Fund of the African Bird Club, has enabled us to precisely map the territories of the 8 pairs of Taita apalis in Msidunyi. These are shown by the red lines and dots in the map below. As tiny as it might look, the population of Taita apalis in Msidunyi might represent as much as 5-10% of the individuals of the species.

Apalis territories in Msidunyi

 But as we struggle to map the few apalis territories in Msidunyi, deforestation progresses. The human population in Taita is growing fast, and as more people are added, more land is converted in to crops. In the two years that elapsed from our initial discovery to now, almost 20% if the indigenous vegetation in Msidunyi has been damaged or converted. Soon, little will be left there to protect.

Cut logs in Msidunyi, October 2012

Teaching conservation in Kinangop plateau

Dominic Kimani, one of the students who received a fellowship in 2012-2013 has sent me some photos taken in the primary schools of Kinangop plateau, where he has been teaching about conservation and biodiversity to the young pupils.
Kinangop is a vast plateau about 70 km north of Nairobi. It is one of the of the most important sites in Kenya for Sharpe's Longclaw and for several other rare and threatened specie. Unfortunately, Kinangop is also a densely inhabited area, and agriculture is expanding at fast rates - between 2008 and 2013 alone, 25% of the natural habitats have been destroyed and converted to agriculture - and this adds to substantial habitat losses in the previous years.

Field class

Watching a nature film in Purple Hearth Academy

Teaching conservation at Lake Ol Bolossat - Report of the activites

George Muigai just sent me these photos of his work at Lake Ol Bolossat, where he is very active in teaching environmental conservation to the local communities and in the schools. George is receiving support from us for his work in 2013.

In Georges's words:

"Lake Ol’ Bolossat is the only natural lake in Kenya’s Central Province ... the wetland offers a variety of habitat and hosts a wealth of bird species, some of them in very large numbers, others only known to occur in a restricted area of the world ... this wetland is facing threat due to human activities in and around it. One step to achieve a mind of conservation amongst the communities living around is empowering them with information about this lake..."

Starting from  January 2013, I engaged myself in an awareness campaign on the biodiversity value of Lake Ol’ Bolossat ... I visited target school pupils and local farmers on the ground as they move on with their daily livelihood schedule... I gave out copies of a booklet I wrote in Kikuyu language highlighting the importance of birds in people’s life to adults, and a translation of the same book in Kiswahili language to schools..."

Congrats George! Keep doing the good work! 

Invasion!

A Bar-throated apalis in the Taita hills (February 2013). Notice the differences between this species and the Taita apalis

If things were not bad enough for our little friend, the Taita apalis, our recent observations show that the situation is getting even worse.

The Taita apalis is one of the world's rarest birds. It only lives in seven small bits of forest, in the Taita Hills of Southern Kenya. Deforestation in the Taita hills has been savage, and currently no more than 500 ha of forest remain - an area more of less of the same size of Central Park in New York!

Our work already showed that there are probably less than 500 individuals of Taita apalis surviving. But the really bad news is that their range is being invaded by another species, the Bar-throated apalis. The Bar-throated apalis had never been observed in the Taita hills in the past, but in the last year, we have spotted individuals of this species with increasing frequency.

Bar-throated and Taita apalis are closely related, and hybridization between the two is likely to occur. If that will happen, the genetic integrity of Taita apalis might be lost, and the species might rapidly disappear.

We don't know the origin of the Bar-throated apalis invaders that we have observed repeatedly at several locations from the end of 2012 up to now. These birds might come from the West Usambara mountains (120km South of the Taita hills) or from the Chyulu hills (70 km West of the Taita).

We are monitoring the situation closely. Urgent issues to understand is how many pairs of Bar-throated apalis have invaded the Taita hills (so far we observed three, but there might be more), where do they originate, and most of all, if they are able to breed and hybridize with the Taita endemic species.

A male Taita apalis, notice the black throat and no bar on the breast