GVI Kenya

Hello everyone,

 Quick update on our awesome new guides that are being trained up for the Friends of Shimoni Forest tourist trail.  Like I said in previous blogs, they are three young guys from the Safe Shimoni Youth Group who heard about the opportunity to become forest guides and volunteered themselves.  Their names are Hassan Ropa, Hamisi Mwalago and Kopa Halafu.

 They sat in on our forest training that we give to our volunteers on Monday, and listened to the lectures on primate ID and survey methodology, mammals of Shimoni forest and bird ID and survey methodology.  Those were the only lectures that were relevant to them at this time, but they seemed really interested and keen. 

 What we are now doing, is rushing to get some tailor-made lectures together specifically for them, that will focus on species that they are most likely to see, and will focus on the morphological and ecological aspects of those species. 

 The primate lecture they will get will include the Angolan black and white colobus, sykes monkey, yellow baboon, vervet monkey and the small-eared galago (bushbaby).  It will go into a lot of detail about social structure, behaviour and ecology; stuff they can pass on to tourists!

Yellow baboon

The next lecture will be mammals, and will include:

• Zanj elephant shrew
• Giant pouched rat
• Red-bellied coastal squirrel
• Zanj sun squirrel
• Suni
• Harvey’s duiker
• Bushbuck
• Bushpig
• Common genet
• Blotched genet
• Banded mongoose
• White-tailed mongoose

Red-bellied coastal squirrel

The bird lecture will include the species that through experience, we know they are most likely to see with the tourists. It will also include species that are less likely to be seen, but are of conservational importance.  Species to be included are:

• Various snake eagles
• African fish eagle
• Palm nut vulture
• Black kite
• Three hornbill species
• Bee-eater species
• Common bulbul
• Parrots
• Hoo poe’s
• African green pigeon
• Drongos
• Coucal species
• Woodpecker species
• Various kingfishers
• Rollers (broad-billed, lilac-breasted)
• Flycatchers
• Barbets
• Tinkerbirds
• Turaco’s
• Weavers (lots!)

 Learning the bird species is going to be a challenge, as there are many of them.  But we have found that practise, day in and day out, tends to do the trick!  They are already picking up the more common species, and they’ve only been out in the forest for two days!

Afrcian fish eagle (amazing photo!)

We are then going to have a miscellaneous section that will include things like common spiders, lizards, frogs, insects, snakes and butterflies.

Snouted night adder

We will then have a section about east African Coastal forests, and Shimoni forest specifically.  It will include things like biogeographical history, ecology, biological value, socio-economic value and the threats.  This will be used as essential general knowledge for the guides, as well as the foundations of an introductory talk they will give to the groups before going into the forest.

East African coastal forests are the most critical habitats for the conservation of biodiversity in Africa

The final section will be focussed on ‘being a guide’, and will include how to act and behave around people from different cultures, the differing manners and ideas of politeness that vary in countries around the world.  We will hopefully (cue internet search…!) be able to teach them basic greetings in a handful of the main languages they are likely to encounter.  We are going to coach them on public speaking, delivering information, and hopefully put them through an Emergency First Responder first aid course. 

 At the end of each lecture, they will get the material to take home with them.  They will then have to complete some assignments on each section.  The purpose of these will to get them thinking about the animals in more depth, really studying the notes, as well as using the resources GVI can offer them (books, scientific papers, internet) to do some independent research on the animals and topics they will cover.  Once all units and assignments are completed, and they feel comfortable with the in-field experience, they will sit a final exam.  If they pass, they will receive a certificate and will be the first ever official Friends of Shimoni Forest tourist trail guides!

 So far they have demonstrated enthusiasm, plenty of existing knowledge and a desire to get stuck in and learn.  Keep your fingers crossed for them, and we’ll keep you updated!

Jambo everyone,

A couple of days ago we had a meeting with Friends of Shimoni Forest (FSF) that went rather well, so I thought I’d tell you about it!  GVI work very closely with FSF, passing on the results of our research to them, and helping them to achieve their aims of community-led conservation and sustainable livelihoods. 

At the meeting there was myself, Kez and Jodie representing GVI, and about 10 member of FSF including Matata (Chairman) and Athumani (treasurer).  It was really good to see a few of the younger men from Shimoni as well.  FSF are in the middle of a recruitment drive, so we had made a presentation for the newcomers, covering the history and past achievements of FSF, current initiatives and future plans. 

Some of the FSF members. Matata (Chairman) third from the left, and Athumani (Treasurer) second from the left

First on the agenda was the tourist trail.  The tourist trail has been moving ahead well, with the trail cut and ready, but has ground to a frustrating halt due to the lack of tour guides.  GVI had offered to fully train the guides, passing on all of our collective knowledge about the flora and fauna of the forest, as well as the broader environmental issues facing the forest.  We would also provide some basic training on dealing with tourists and hospitality.  Unfortunately, we have had difficulty in finding appropriate candidates.

We hope to have solved this problem now, thanks to the presence of two young men who are part of the Safe Shimoni Youth Group.  They loved the idea, and invited us to present the opportunity to their members at their next meeting, as there were many young people just out of school who would jump at the opportunity for free training and further education, and the potential for a job.  We went to their meeting yesterday, and are thrilled to have four enthusiastic new applicants!

An area of mangroves that will be seen on the tourist trail

Next on the agenda was the alternative charcoal we have been researching.  We have lots of information on various different methods, and have begun stockpiling materials.  We are now simply waiting for the prototype briquette press, which has been donated to us FOR FREE!  So a massive heartfelt thank you to Paul Alley and the Beaverton Rotary Fuel Briquette Team!  We discussed the plans for future training, and already have a group of eager volunteers, thanks to the meeting.  We also discussed how to go about harnessing all of the burnable organic waste in the village that is going to fuel our alternative charcoal industry!  We are joining forces with the GVI community development team who are planning a waste disposal drive with the Shimoni Health Committee.

An old charcoal pit in the forest

We then put forward the idea of planting fast growing trees such as bamboo and neem, so that they can be harvested for fishing and construction materials – which are a major threat to young trees in the forest at the moment.  The major hurdle right now is land.  There is little or no land in the area that is not in private hands, so the solution is finding people who own land that is currently unused, who would be willing to let FSF plant these trees.  Some ideas included using areas of land in schools, and unused parts of local shambas (farms).  It was mentioned that planting trees on and around farms would yield benefits to the farmers, such as soil anchorage.  A meeting is being set up with local farmers and the village chiefs to discuss the issue of land. 

An example of a young tree – the type harvested for construction

The final point was about tree nurseries.  The forest is in desperate need of re-planting, if we are to begin reversing some of the damage done.  FSF are going to start indigenous nurseries in schools with the advice and help of a local botanist from National Museums of Kenya.  It was decided to start these in schools, as looking after the trees can be done (in part) by the children, and will instil a sense of pride and ownership of the trees, as well as educating them in the importance of indigenous trees to an area like Shimoni Forest.

Trichilia emetica – an indigenous tree that is widely used by primate species for feeding, resting and socialising

All in all we think it was a productive meeting, and the ideas produced a lot of enthusiasm amongst the members and non-members alike.  We are going to continue to push these ideas with the communities, and hopefully soon we will have the beginnings of some excellent initiatives that will yield vital changes and benefits, not only for Shimoni forest but for the local people as well.

I was sitting outside the cottage discussing the different types of hornbills found in Kenya, as a Trumpeter Hornbill had just flown over head, when Sergi (the marine officer of expedition 094) pulled me aside to talk about my independent project. I was secretly chuffed that I got given the one I did, as there was a choice of three. The title of my project was “Data Analysis of Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphins (Sousa chinesis) collected by GVI Kenya Marine Team from 2006-2009.”
 

These animals are very shy animals and are not as well known as the bottlenose dolphins. Maybe because they are shy or perhaps because of their habitat distribution, there is very little data available. So this was a great opportunity to be able to provide some information. The GVI Marine Team has been collecting data on them since 2006. Whilst out on the boat on a survey day, if we have a spotting we follow them around, taking photos and also monitor their behaviour. Using a GPS (Global Positioning System) we are able to plot the route taken by the dolphins that day.  This allows us to see the areas where the humpbacks dolphins feed, rest, socialise, breed etc. As well as being able to gain data on group sizes and composition.

 So I went forth and did some research on our friends the humpbacks and also plotted the information on our study area (see picture) which is the Kisite-Mpunguti Marine Park and Reserve and the surrounding area.
 Humpback dolphins occur in small groups (3-7) and are distributed throughout Indian and Western Pacific oceans as well as the coast of south east Africa. Inhabiting tropical and subtropical waters (15oC – 20oC), they prefer coasts with mangroves, rocky reefs, estuaries and lagoons. Typically found in waters less than 20m depth, they only venture a few miles from the shore line (as shown on the map), and occasionally they swim up rivers. The distinctive hump on their dorsal fin gives rise to their name; and they are medium sized 2.5m – 2.8m.
 

boat trWasini channel and the surrounding waters are prone to quite a lot of boat traffic and fishing. Humpbacks tend to avoid boats, although marks caused by propellers have been observed. This is a concern not only because of the damaged caused to the dolphin but also because of the resultant change in their behaviour, e.g. leaving the area. Another concern is that being situated on the coast; the communities living here depend upon fishing as a resource. Recent efforts have been made to educate some of the local community as to the importance and implications of over-fishing and pollutants.

It is my aim to develop a catalogue of the humpback dolphins, as this will allow us to determine population numbers and residency rates in this region. This is a technique called mark-recapture, and it uses the dorsal fins to identify each individual, mostly from the notches made by other dolphin or boats, but also by the shape, colour and size of the fins. Plus, on the cheeky side I will get to name some of them!

Sarah Watson was a conservation intern on 094 Expedition, and is currently doing her work placement with GVI, as staff member on the Marine and Terrestrial Programmes

As most of you may know, we have been working with the community-based organization Friends of Shimoni Forest (FSF) for the best part of three years now, pushing towards community conservation and protection of the stunning and vitally important coastal forest we have here on the south coast. 
One of the main aims of FSF at present is the setting up of a tourist trail or “Shimoni Safari” which will take tourists on a guided walk through the forest to see the ‘Kaya’ shrines, and to see the amazing flora and fauna that this forest has to offer.  The areas that FSF want to direct the money that is earned from this (and other) endeavors include conservation initiatives such as planting of indigenous and endemic trees in areas of clearance, purchasing of land to be conserved, the production of alternative charcoal, and then a slightly more far sighted conservation and community development initiative – sponsoring local children through secondary school.

 One of the charasmatic Angolan black and white colobus monkeys
 

Primary school is free here in Kenya, but if a child wants to further their education, they have to pay yearly fees.  Unfortunately in places like Shimoni, there are so many families unable to afford to send their children to secondary school.  The way FSF see it, if a child goes to secondary school they gain a superior education and gain a far better understanding of the wider world; conservation being a part of that.  They will also be far more likely to be able to earn a living without having to resort to desperate, illegal and destructive methods of making money such as logging and charcoal burning. 

FSF are making steady progress with the construction of the tourist trail (with the help of some eager GVI folk with pangas…or machetes!), but is not yet up and running.  So to kick things off, a donations page on the justgiving website was set up.  So far we have had some amazing donations from people, and I would like to take a second to thank them:

• Katherine Blackwood donated £10
• Rick Hill donated £10
• Becky Law donated £15
• Jennifer LeClair donated £15
• And two anonymous donations totaling £115

These donations have allowed the birth of the Friends of Shimoni Forest Scholarship Fund!  What I think is particularly inspired about the FSF-SF is the way they are planning on operating it.  There are already a couple of organizations in and around Shimoni that sponsor the highest achievers from the local schools, so FSF wanted to do something slightly different, something that supported their mission.

 One of the massive trees in Shimoni forest, with the distinctive horizontal root system due to the ‘coral rag’ substrate that doesn’t allow deep roots.  For trees to get this large, it takes hundreds of years and a battle against the elements.  However, it can be felled in mere mintes with a power saw.
 

There are going to be an equal number of boys and girls sponsored, and for a child to be selected they must a high achiever, gaining above a certain grade.  They must then demonstrate an active interest in conservation or wildlife, perhaps based on past merits or on a written statement or interview.  Furthermore, for as long as they are being sponsored, either the child, or the parents, will be required to assist FSF in some way, on a regular basis e.g. during school holidays. 

I think this is a brilliant idea, as it will instill a sense of responsibility in the child and the family, and will also introduce them to conservation, the work of FSF and the importance of the forest.  With this sponsorship scheme, FSF hope to nurture the areas next generation of conservationists, who will already have a vested interest in Shimoni forest, and will be acutely aware of the threats facing it.

If you would like more information about Friends of Shimoni Forest, the work they do or the scholarship fund, or if you would like to join the fight to save this beautiful and internationally important coastal forest, please visit www.justgiving.co.uk/shimoni

As you can see from the donations listed above, it doesn’t take much to send two kids to school, and change their world.         

GVI have been in Kenya since the beginning of 2006 with the four programmes; marine research, coastal forest research, teaching and community development in Mkwiro and Shimoni villages, and community development in three villages bordering Tsavo West National Park, near Taveta.

The community development work in the Taveta region is specifically working with the villages of Kidong, Kasaani and Mahandakini.  These three villages used to be notorious poaching communities, but have given up poaching for safer, less destructive alternative livelihoods. 

 A truly spectacular shot of a superb starling in flight.  Seen during bird surveys 

GVI has been helping them with many different things over the years, but have recently been focussing on developing their access to the tourist trade, value-added products, food security and agricultural improvements, to name a few. 

For example, the community in Kidong has been developing a cultural centre which can be used for tourism and community education.  To go hand in hand with this, GVI is helping to train tour guides for activities such as guided tours of the local area.  This information will also be used in the cultural centre itself.  To enhance the training and knowledge of the guides, our teams out there have been conducting bird surveys to establish what species are found in which areas, so the guides can be trained on the identification of the common species.

However, there have been some unexpected sightings….

Our teams have recorded some species which (according to various bird books) are not meant to be found in the area at all!  They are 100% confirmed sightings, as all teams are trained in bird surveys and the common species, and the staff members that are present have years of experience in bird surveys and avian identification.

 Lizzard buzzard seen during bird surveys

Unfortunately we have not managed to get any decent photos, but will keep trying! The species are as follows:

• White fronted bee-eater
• Fischer’s lovebird
• Red-chested sunbird
• Violet wood hoopoe

To be honest, we’re not sure what to do, if anything at all!  It is perfectly reasonable for species to move into new areas, or expand their home ranges over time.  And of course bird books will eventually become ‘out of date’.  It is just odd, as you learn to rely almost entirely on bird books and it comes as quite a surprise when one is proved wrong!

 Red-billed hornbill with a mouthfull!  Seen during bird surveys

Anyway, we have sent the information to Birdlife International, and at the very least they may find the information interesting.  The bird surveys will continue, and we will certainly keep you all informed if we come across anything else strange!   

On our second day at Funzi, we were awoken to a panoramic view of dawn over the island which made our 6am wake up a lot easier.  Our first port of call was to the Turtle Nesting Beach a good 45 minute walk from our base. The beach is not only a place which can be used by tourists but more importantly, is where the Turtle Club is trying to carry out their research for turtle numbers and nesting behaviour.

As we are used to early wake ups at GVI, everyone was awake and ready to go. Even at that time it was already getting hot but the walk was pleasant.  Our walk took us again through the village and forests of Funzi.

 Funzi Island forest

Walking through the forests you got a sense of its history, having been there for centuries. With tourists and foreigners only having visited and settled over the past 40 years, the forests remain mainly untouched.  However, we were soon to discover that this was quickly changing. As we got closer to the beach area, the landscape changed to strips of cleared land on either side of us which had only months previously been forest.  It was very disturbing to see such a distinct contrast.  As we walked further, the cleared land again changed to newly planted eucalyptus plants. Only 10 minutes from the beach, whilst on the public footpath, we were stopped by guards and told very bluntly that we had to head back.  Our early morning trip had been cut short.

Unfortunately a foreign landowner had taken most of the land on Funzi and made it his own.  As a result, a majority of the land is being utilised at the detriment of the wildlife and the islanders. For us all, witnessing this conflict between conservation and development at first hand was very disappointing, we were of course keen on seeing the beach for ourselves, we were all aware and more concerned about the long term impact this would have, restricting the Funzi Turtle Club carrying out vital monitoring of the turtles and limiting tourist access, especially knowing that this was a public footpath.

Deflated, we headed back and after a short break to calm our frustrations, reflect and refuel we started our morning of lectures, more determined and conscious of the importance of our relationship and the positive difference that needed to be made.

 A member of the Funzi Turtle Club having a closer view of the parrotfish family

Lectures started with Mangroves and were followed by Tourism and Marketing. Interest was again high and discussions were held.   It was clear that the Club members had many years of experience and that knowledge and skills could be shared.

As we all knew, although it was a positive and productive 2 days, this is where the work actually started.  Lectures were followed by a debate about the challenges faced and how they could be approached. Challenges faced were:
• Funding
o All Turtle Club Members are unpaid volunteers, spending a lot of their time on projects including regular mangrove planting, beach clean ups etc.
o Landowner paying Fishermen 500KSH for each turtle caught.  How can the club compete with this as they want to ensure that turtles are in fact released and at the same time, use the Fishermen to monitor them?
• Fishermen
o Ways to convince fishermen to release the turtles caught.
o Education of over fishing and ways this can be reduced
• Time
o Finding the time to do this when all work is by volunteers who have family and other commitments.

Secondly there was a discussion around planning for tourism activities.
• Beach clean ups which would be an activity and raise awareness
• Camping / nesting beaches
• Handicrafts such as the flip flop necklaces
• Visits to the stunning white beaches of the Sandbar
• Crocodile River
• Mangrove visits and planting
• Visits of the historical sites such as the Kaya
• Dolphin sightings
• Homestays and cooking classes

 Handicrafts made of flip-flops

For me, this was one of the highlights of my 5 weeks. Not only was I so lucky to get to visit this beautiful Island, but I was fortunate enough to meet many of it’s wonderful residents, all so eager to make our short stay pleasurable.

 GVI staff, volunteers and Funzi Turtle Club members

In this age of air travel and discovery it is very rare to find a place on earth that is not heavily frequented by tourists, but you will currently have trouble finding Funzi on Google Maps.  It is exciting to this that we can make a positive difference before a few people begin to destroy this beautiful place.  It was wonderful to work so closely with such an active Club on such a worthwhile project and although I will be leaving before it even gets underway, I am certain that with the enthusiasm and dedication I saw and by working together and sharing knowledge and ideas, we’ll get there. 

Chantal Woodun

Tourist Dhow Analysis

It is one of GVI’s objectives to analyse the socio-economic impact of tourism operations within the Kisite-Mpunguti Marine Protected Area (KMMPA) and to ascertain the sustainability of the increasing levels of human-dolphin interaction.  Through doing so GVI hope to identify existing problems and to propose constructive changes that would assist tour companies, boat operators and local residents to run dolphin watching activities sustainably.

In order to assess the quality of the dolphin watching tours GVI spend the day aboard tourist dhows.  During their time aboard they will begin by giving a brief 3-5 minute introduction covering what GVI is doing in the area, the aims and objectives of the socio-economic impact of the dolphin watching industry project, and the research methodology that GVI is undertaking.  This being the analysis to tourist questionnaires that some of them will be asked to complete at the end of their trip.   

During the period of July – September 2009, 32 questionnaires were returned indicating that over 75% of visitors were under the age of 50 and that the vast majority were of British nationality, followed by French, then Dutch and German.  This emphasises the need for local operators to have good English and European language skills, an area which GVI are assisting in by offering English, French and Italian lessons, in Mkwiro and Shimoni.

 Dolphin playing with seaweed 2009-02-26

Although one third of visitors had been to Kenya before most were going to be in the country for 14 days or more, with the main reason being safaris followed by beaches; the culture; dolphin-watching then the coral reefs.  Perhaps indicating a need to advertise more effectively to the tourist market?  A comment supported by the fact that most booking for the dolphin watching appeared to be opportunistic with 27% booking through beach boys, 17% at the hotel, 7% through a taxi driver and 3% at the Shimoni jetty.  Only 46% were booked in advance through travel agents, friends and the internet. 

Over one half had also been on dolphin watching tours previously in countries such as Egypt, Spain and Australia.  The importance that they placed on this tour was: 

1.  Close observation of dolphins from the boat
2.  Learn about whales and dolphins
3.  Watching dolphin behaviour
4.  Seeing other marine mammals (whales)
5.  Taking photographs
6.  Swimming with dolphins

Although swimming with dolphins was of least importance overall to most of the visitors, 52% indicated that it was a quite or extremely important aspect of their experience … an aspect which is prohibited by the KWS Code of Conduct for responsible wildlife watching.  As tourists will base their experience on their expectations, steps should be made to rectify why they are expecting this from their tour, and to clearly state this is not available. 

Tourist dhow in Mpunguti Marine reserve

Other areas of concern which did not meet the visitors expectations were health and safety, learning about the dolphins and education about the area, with each of these rating poor or very poor.  However, many areas were rated highly such as tour operator, time taken for the tour and photographic opportunities, closely followed by seeing dolphins and learning about the environment scenery.

Taking this into consideration 90% of visitors considered the trip to be value for money, with most tourists paying between $50-75 (US) for their trip.  Additionally, two thirds also advised that they would pay up to a further $20 (US) as a conservation fee for the dolphin trip.  This together with other recommendations made by the tourists to provide more training for guides, not to damage coral reef by anchors and to have fewer boats surrounding groups of dolphins show a inclination towards conservation.  If these areas can be tackled by the local boat operators, tour companies and local residents, this is definitely a positive step towards ensuring the sustainability of dolphin-watching within the Kisite-Mpunguti Marine Protected Area. 

As part of the socio-economic impact of the dolphin-watching industry in Kisite-Mpunguti Marine Protected Area, GVI carried out a study to evaluate the quality of the talks offered during the dolphin-watching tours. The aim was to find out the knowledge of the tour guides and captain on numerous areas and indicators. This study was undertaken between July and September of 2009 by GVI staff and volunteers, which accompanied 12 tourist dhow trips, assessing 15 guides and captains. 

Unfortunately when analysing the assessment forms and categorising the areas into either insufficient or sufficient, the vast majority of trips proved to be overall insufficient.  In fact only 3 areas – presentation, duration and route and information on KMMPA – were deemed as sufficient in over half of the trips.

The first assessment was on the presentation relating to information provided on the company, crew and boat given at the beginning of the trip.  In 5 of the 12 trips only the names of the crew were given.  However, 7 proved to be sufficient providing information in a very warm and friendly manner covering all three areas.  

The information provided on the duration and route of the trip is the second area deemed to be overall sufficient.  Ten trips gave full details regarding the structure of the day, detailing the period spent searching for dolphins, snorkelling and the break for lunch.  However, 2 trips failed to mention this area at all!

The final area assessed as sufficient was for information provided on the Kisite-Mpunguti Marine Protect Area.  In this area 7 of the 12 trips provided good information on the difference between the Marine Park and the Marine Reserve (three of them offered by the same tour guide).  However, again 5 trips failed to provide information, merely pointing out where the MPA was.

 GVI volunteers on board a tourist dhow

Information provided on the local area also proved to be very insufficient.  With only 6 trips mentioning Shimoni, by providing a brief history and information relating to the slave caves.  Additionally, only 6 made mention of Wasini, detailing the coral board walk and village tour.  Only 1 trip discussed Mkwiro, and even that it was only to advice that it was a fisherman village.   The remainder of the tours provided no information whatsoever on the surrounding areas.

Similarly, not one of the tourist dhows discussed anything to do with the local oceanography.  For example no information was given regarding the geographical location in the Indian Ocean, of the important nesting turtle site in Funzi Bay, nor the important fishing ground of the Nyuli Reef.

Insufficient information was also provided in the area of health and safety, with the average time spent discussing this being less than 30 seconds.  Advice was given to maintain the balance of the boat, however nothing was discussed relating to the life jackets, life rings, first aid or fire extinguishers.  All 12 dhows failed to provide sufficient information. 

Another area in which most of the tourist dhows surprising failed to provide sufficient information on was that of the marine species.  Considering the tourist dhows were actually providing a dolphin-watching tour only 2 of them provided detailed information relating to the species of dolphins that could be found in the area and their habitats.  However 10 of them failed to spend even 30 seconds doing this.  Furthermore, not one of the dhows mentioned the possibility of sighting humpback whales, their characteristics or of their migration pattern through KMMPA.  With GVI having 7 sighting of humpback whales during this study period, there is clear evidence of this migration!  Similarly, when discussing the snorkelling that would be taking place as part of the tour none of them mentioned the likelihood of spotting turtles or of the species they may see in the area. 

All 12 tourist dhows also failed to discuss KWS or the Code of Conduct introduced in 2007.  No mention was made of the requirement of dolphin watching dhows to maintain a distance of 100m from groups of dolphins, that they should try and have only 2 boats around a group at one time, and to steer around a group.

 Tour guide approaching a tourist

However, on a positive note the analysis on the interaction of the tour guides is good.  The vast majority of guides were answering questions raised, and there were being interactive with the tourists.  They had a good approach and were very friendly.  Friendly suggestions were to spend less time on personal phones and not to throw cigarette ends into the MPA.

This study showed an urgent need to train the dolphin-watching guides and captains on different areas, mainly on health & safety, history of Shimoni area (Shimoni, Wasini and Mkwiro), Kisite-Mpunguti Marine Protected Area boundaries and regulations and dolphin and whales identification, biology and ecology.

If you cast your eyes back over a few of our blogs recently you’ll read about the tourist trail that Friends of Shimoni Forest are creating.  This trail is going to run through Shimoni forest to show tourists some of the amazing flora and fauna to be seen, it will take them on a visit to a couple of the sacred Kaya’s or traditional religious sites, and it will take them past some of the amazing mangrove forests that run along the whole eastern coastline. 

An example of some of the mangroves

Mangroves are some of the most amazing trees in the world.  They tend to inhabit coastlines, estuaries or river mouths, and form some of the most critical habitats on the planet.  They act as nurseries and hunting grounds for countless aquatic species, as well as a home to many terrestrial species such as baboons and genets.  They also act as a buffer zone between fresh water bodies and the sea for runoff, silts and pollution.  They are also the only tree species that can exist in salt water!

Mangroves happily exist on beaches

Because of their importance, coupled with the fact they are exceptionally cool, means they are a site not to be missed on the tourist trail.  There is one particular spot where the tourists are going to be taken where at least five different species of mangrove can be seen, and where they extend unbroken for kilometers. 

The original idea was to create a boardwalk through the mangroves, which the tourists would be taken along.  This idea was scrapped, mainly because there are several mangrove boardwalks already in the area, and we wanted ours to be extra special.  So we have come up with the idea of a viewing platform!  We want to build a very tall (and very safe of course…) structure of some sort, on which the tourists can sit, drink a cup of chai and look out over the huge expanse of mangroves to the east, and the towering trees of shimoni forest to the south and west.  We think this will deliver a unique experience to people who have come to see this stunning area. 

One of the magnificent trees of Shimoni forest

Of course there are going to be many issues involved in the creation of this structure.  We are not sure yet what materials will be used in the construction, but bamboo has been suggested already.  The structure will need to be built on coral rag (fossilised coral), which will not be the simplest base for a tall structure…!  Then of course there is the issue of finances, which as ever, will probably be the hardest to overcome.  But overcome it shall be!  It will be the best view in Kenya (excluding Mount Kenya perhaps…)!

Hello there,

My question for the day: how do you find Shimoni Forest? Well, a good place to start is the Lonely Planet…

A year ago when we were in the early stages of planning community-based eco-tourism with guided walks in Shimoni Forest to see the beautiful Angolan black and white colobus monkeys in their natural habitat as an alternative, sustainable use of forest resources, we had a surprise visitor… a travel writer from the Lonely Planet.

We plied him with as much information as we could about the planned guided walks in Shimoni forest and also community-based cultural tourism in Mkwiro, where we have our marine research base and work closely with a community that has many challenges in accessing the tourism revenue that Kisite Marine Park brings to the area. It is fair to say that at the time, everything was very much a ‘work in progress’ and we have continued to support the development of these initiatives over the last year.

But I am ecstatic to report that the Lonely Planet put their faith in our optimism, and have put both Shimoni Forest and Mkwiro village on the map – or at least in the pages of their latest edition of the Kenya Lonely Planet. This is about the best free marketing we could have hoped for.

In actual fact, the first we knew of Shimoni and Mkwiro’s recent rise to backpacker prominence was when an excited Faridi, our friend in Mkwiro, received a phone call for a Mkwiro homestay booking. Within days Athumani, treasurer of Friends of Shimoni Forest, had an enquiry about a guided walk in Shimoni Forest. It took a few more days before we found out where the leads had come from, and it gives us a huge amount of encouragement. So now the challenge is on to get the communities up to speed and delivering a professional, enjoyable and worthwhile eco-tourism experience, but it is a challenge we are relishing!

As you have been reading we have been out cutting the tourist trails but to ensure we are offering an eco-tourism experience that is both professional and educational, we really need to find financial support for Friends of Shimoni Forest; to access some of the sacred kaya sites over the coral rag we will need to construct a raised boardwalk to keep visitors safely on their feet, we hope to compile signs and information boards and an information centre with restaurant to enable visitors to spend the day exploring the rich forest wildlife on their ‘Shimoni safari’!

We see this as an invaluable opportunity to raise awareness about the conservation of Shimoni’s coastal forest and the wider eco-region and to engage the local community in generating sustainable revenue from their forest resources and wildlife rather than exploiting them through extraction of timber and charcoal. Our coastal forests are a Global Biodiversity Hotspot and it seems only fitting that we tap in to the global community to support their conservation. So we are asking all of you that would like to help contribute to community-based conservation in Shimoni and safeguard the future of the colobus in their natural habitat to consider donating towards this cause.

The support of the Lonely Planet has really instilled the confidence in us all here in Shimoni to make this happen and we hope that it will instill confidence in you to donate the much needed funds.

Here’s to a brighter future in Shimoni,

Corti