A Room With A View
Category: Coastal Forest, Community Conservation, Eco-tourism, Friends of Shimoni Forest, Kaya, Mangroves, Shimoni Forest | Date: Oct 19 2009 | By: gvikenya
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…)!
Tags: aquatic species, baboons, bamboo, boardwalk, buffer zone, chai, coastline, coral rag, critical habitat, estuaries, fauna, finance, flora, fossilised coral, fresh water bodies, Friends of Shimoni Forest, genets, hunting grounds, issues, Kenya, mangrove forest, materials, Mount Kenya, nurseries, planet, pollution, river mouth, runoff, sacred Kaya, Shimoni Forest, silts, structure, terrestrial species, tourist trail, traditional religious sites, unique experience, viewing platform
Funzi Island Turtle Conservation
Category: Community Conservation, Eco-tourism, Kaya, Mangroves, Turtles | Date: Aug 17 2009 | By: gvikenya
Howzit!!
My name is Nic. I am a conservation student from South Africa. I have joined Global Vision International (GVI) as a conservation intern to gain experience in the field of marine biology. I have been with GVI for 7 weeks with a further 13 weeks to go.
In accordance with my internship project on the socio-economic impact and tourism strategies of Funzi Island, this involves the establishment of a baseline review of the turtle conservation efforts on the Island. It calls for me to:
• Identify areas that will require further development with direct and indirect benefits for the Turtle Conservation Groups (TCG) and that of the local turtle populations;
• Identify breaches of local laws and legislations that protect the turtles;
• Research alternative conservation strategies;
• Ways in which the GVI can assist the TCG’s in their endeavours;
• Look at ways to increase eco-tourism sustainably and build local awareness of sea turtle conservation;
• Identify environmental impact associated with tourism of the local sea turtle population and hence find the best measures in which to mitigate each impact.
Funzi Island
Sergi (marine science officer for GVI), and I made our way for the weekend to meet up with Douglas, who works for KESCOM and Ali Vuyaa the head of the local turtle conservation group on the Island, Funzi Turtle Club (FTC).
We arrived at Bodo and where transported via the FTC’s boat to the Island. The weekend was peppered with activities which included: a meeting on conservation strategies that are in place and ways to better future endeavours on Funzi, and the local communities involvement in turtle conservation on the island, a walk through the forest where exotic fruits were tasted and tantalised our palates while local monkeys swung freely through the canopy above, a turtle nesting site was visited on a excluded beach cove, a village tour that was undertaken, lunch at a local restaurant had, a visitation of the islands holy kaya’s, meeting with local community involved with the FTC and anti-poaching strategies as well as being shown the local handicrafts made from sandals collected from beach clean ups and a mangrove tour.
One of the sacred Kaya’s
A down side to this visit to this magical place was to see the amount of destruction created by land developers on the forest and mangroves, which the local community are trying to rectify through the TCG’s involvement and the assistance of GVI and KESCOM.
Some of the recent destruction
The island of Funzi is a marvel and the sights and people create a magical ambiance which should be protected, explored and maintained. I look forward to more visits in the near future and working closely with the TCG’s and local communities, in which the partnership between them and GVI will develop their eco-tourism in a sustainable way.
Funzi Island must remain a majestic, tranquil, beautiful island and I will happily be apart of its positive change and development in the future.
Nick with members of KESCOM and Funzi Turtle Club
Tags: anti-poaching, community based organisation, Community Conservation, conservation stratedies, deforestation, destruction, development, funzi bay, Funzi Island, Funzi turtle club, kaya's, KESCOM, turtle nesting
Guided Walks A Step Or Two Away
Category: Charcoal Burning, Coastal Forest, Community Conservation, Eco-tourism, Friends of Shimoni Forest, Kaya, Logging, Mangroves, Shimoni Forest | Date: Aug 12 2009 | By: gvikenya
I write to you all today with very tired legs, blistered hands and an aching arm, but with good news! Today we headed out into Shimoni east to help the members of Friends of Shimoni Forest (the community based organisation we work with) plan, cut and tag the trail through the forest that they will soon be taking tourists on!
Friends of Shimoni Forest have been planning these guided tours though the forest for a while now, and are finally almost ready to go. The idea is to take tourists on walks through the forest to visit the sacred Kaya’s (traditional religious sites), and to experience the amazing wildlife that exists.
A view of the mangroves from the trail
There were times of sadness and frustration, as we confirmed our fears that it simply was not possible to get up to the Kaya’s (which are a couple of kilometers past our normal survey transects) without passing through vast swathes of destruction. The areas of pristine, mature forest are becoming more and more fragmented and patchy. This was expected though, and maneuvering the tourists through only untouched forest would have been a falsehood (as well as difficult!). This way they will see both sides – the results of overexploitation and illegal activities, and the amazing coastal forest as it should be.
Some of the stunning forest the trail passes through
Raising awareness of this forest, and the issues that it faces is the single most important thing we can do. Not only will these guided walks show tourists what is happening, we believe it will raise awareness amongst the local community as well. Not only this, but it will bring Friends of Shimoni Forest valuable revenue which it can use to fund activities like forest patrols, tree planting, school scholarships, and perhaps will aide in finding alternative livelihoods for some of the people charcoal burning and logging.
A charcoal pit ready to burn
The main issue with ideas such as forest patrols, is that the people of these communities simply cannot afford to sacrifice a day earning money for their families, for patrolling as volunteers. And many of the charcoal burners we have spoken to said they would happily give it up if they could earn money in other ways. These problems are not easily solved, but there are many avenues to explore.
Tags: Charcoal Burning, Community Conservation, community initiatives, deforestation, Friends of Shimoni Forest, guided tours, Logging, Shimoni Forest, tourist trails, tourist walks
Tapping Local Knowledge
Category: African Fish Eagle, Birds, Cetacean research, Community Conservation, Dolphins, Mangroves, bottlenose dolphins | Date: Aug 03 2009 | By: gvikenya
As part of GVI’s marine research programme here in Mkwiro, we conduct interviews with the local fishermen on the island. The people here have been fishing for generations, and spend more time out on the water than anyone. They can provide invaluable information about sightings (of dolphins, whales, turtles, dugongs etc), catches, pollution and illegal activities. A GVI volunteer Hooi Ling, tells us about her day conducting interviews.
The villagers on the island are Muslim so we made sure we had our head, shoulders and knees covered before we set off for our excursion. As usual, the children greeted us with loud, enthusiastic “Jambo! What is your name?” as we walked through Mkwiro village. Some of the faces were familiar because we were working with the community last week teaching them English and Creative Arts, and playing sports and singing songs with the children. A few of the children had learnt Mandarin phrases and it warmed my heart to hear them greet me with “Ni hao” (how are you) and “Huan yin” ( welcome).
A sacred ibis, seen from the mangroves
After about 15 minutes, we reached the mangroves. Felicity explained the importance of mangroves for preventing soil erosion and creating a breeding and feeding ground for fishes and birds. We learnt how mangrove trees survive in salt water by growing roots, which protrude above ground for oxygen and shed leaves to discard excess salt. The trees also grow long, green seed pods which float around at high tide before setting itself in the ground at low tide. She pointed out tiny gastropods (snails and sea slugs).
Fiddler crabs fascinated me!!! The male crabs have one very enlarged chela which they use to wave in a circle to establish territory and to attract females. When lots of fiddler crabs waved together, they looked like they were doing a Mexican wave; quite comical to watch. And the number of amazing birds you see from the mangroves is just incredible! We saw herons, african fish eagles, a sacred ibis and a knigfisher!
When we arrived in Wasini village, we looked for the local fishermen and found a few young men who could speak English and were willing to translate Kiswahili for us. I interviewed a 55 year old fisherman who had been fishing for over 20 years. GVI had a comprehensive interview to find out from local fishermen such things as the types of fish they had caught, fishing equipment, whether their catch had increased/decreased over the years and which fishing grounds they used. We also asked them about the dolphin and turtle population and the level of damage caused to their nets. After the interview, fishermen informed us that the local villagers had set up a committee since 2003 to protect the Wasini reef from fishing and coastal pollution.
Another beautiful sight - a western reef heron
Annica and I ate some local food (chapatis with a nice cup of hot ginger tea) while the others (Flick, Kirsty and Mila) visited the coral gardens. The coral gardens consisted of dead corals surrounded by mangrove trees and the local women’s group has built boardwalks around the corals. My highlight of the day was when I saw four bottlenose dolphins jumping and travelling with the tourist dhows.
Although I was not out on a boat today, it has been an enjoyable day learning about the mangroves and seeing the dolphins. Asante sana Flick!
Tags: bottlenose dolphin, Dugong, fisherman, humpback whale, interviews, Mangroves, marine research, sacred ibis, turtle, western reef heron
The Sacred Kaya’s of Shimoni Forest
Category: Coastal Forest, Community Conservation, Eco-tourism, Friends of Shimoni Forest, Kaya, Mangroves, Shimoni Forest | Date: Jul 29 2009 | By: gvikenya
Yesterday in Shimoni Forest was one of very mixed feelings.
In the morning we had set out with a GPS with the intention of recording the locations of all of the new roads, plots and clearings that have sprung up in the forest. These areas are the result of developments that are in the pipeline, or for the more extreme cases, are underway already. We wanted to plot it all on a GPS map so that we could get a feel for what is happening on a larger scale. The results were quite scary, with the waypoints highlighting a well organized matrix of plots that cover the entire coastline. This information is going to be included in a disturbance report that will soon be submitted to the Kenya Forest Service.
Later in the day however, two of us went with the chairman of Friends of Shimoni Forest (the community-based organization we work closely with) to visit a couple of the sacred Kaya’s in the forest.
In addition to the biological value, Shimoni forest holds cultural value to the Digo tribe that lives along the coast. The traditional inhabitants of these areas still practice ancient rituals and ceremonies at the Kaya’s located deep within the forest. These Kaya’s are ancient burial grounds of their ancestors, and offerings in the form of gifts, prayers and sacrifices are given to the spiritual inhabitants of the Kaya’s. These Kaya’s have been past down through generations and are of utmost important to their users.
Bottles of rose water and honey water left for the Kaya’s ancestors
We are not allowed to visit the Kaya’s without an Mzee (village elder), so we met up with an Mzee in the village of Anziwani, and walked into the forest to find the Kaya’s. When we approached the sacred place, we had to remove our shoes, and the Mzee recited prayers to the spirits asking for permission to enter. The first Kaya was a cave with a well, where the villagers in the past used to collect water and pray. We sat next to the cave while the Mzee quietly explained (in Kiswahili which was translated for us) the history and legends of the Kaya. The second one we visited was a very strange fossilised coral land formation, similar to a small ravine or gorge, very close to a beautiful area of mangroves. This Kaya was marked by old flags, and again we removed our shoes and listened to the myths and rituals associated with this ancient site.
The Mzee – a highly respected village elder
The reason for this visit, was to help Friends of Shimoni Forest set up guided walks and tours through the forest. The walks would include visits to these shrines, followed by a guided tour through the forest to see the birds, animals and monkeys that inhabit this incredible forest. Friends of Shimoni Forest intend these tours to raise money for the community group by harnessing the income generated by tourists, which will then be ploughed back into community projects and to aid in the protection of the Forest. They also hope that this endeavor will help raise awareness of the importance of the forest locally, nationally and internationally.
The flags that mark the boundaries of one of the Kaya’s.
Both myself and Aaron, were very moved by the Kaya’s, their history and by the respect the communities show to them. Very few outsiders have ever been allowed to see the Kaya’s, and we did not take this privilege for granted. Hopefully together with Friends of Shimoni Forest we can get the guided walks set up, and will be one step closer to saving this critically endangered forest.
Tags: Community Conservation, forest conservation, forest walks, Friends of Shimoni Forest, guided tours, Kaya, mzee, village elder
Litter-Picking In The Mangroves
Category: Kisite Mpunguti MPA, Mangroves, Marine Debris | Date: May 13 2009 | By: gvikenya
Low tide amongst the mangroves revealed hundreds of tiny male and female fiddler crabs scuttling between little holes in the sand. The aim of our day though was to attempt to clean up some of the mountains of rubbish that travel the Indian Ocean currents from as far as south east Asia, to wash up on the East African coastline, trapped amongst the mangroves here on the southern shore of Wasini Island having floated through the Kisite Marine Park. Seeing all the cool little creatures that make the mangroves their home was an added bonus!
The open beach, exposed by the receding water, was so covered in small gastropods (and occasionally hermit crabs in shells they had commandeered from the gastropods) that we could not set foot on it for fear of crushing a delicate little home, and had to content ourselves with watching a group of yellow-billed storks through the trees. The male fiddler crabs put on a bit of a show for us and performed a strange sort of Mexican wave display with their one large claw; whether this was to try and attract the ladies or warn off others we weren’t quite sure.
All along the tide line seaweed intermingled with broken pieces of plastic, glass bottles, plastic bags and bottles, toothbrushes and flip flops. A five by ten meter path along the beach yielded five bin liners of rubbish and a bucket of glass, which was all we could carry back with us. It would take an army to clean all the debris that collects here from other parts of the world, and even then you’d be left with the feeling that just as much would be deposited after the next high tide. Walking back to base under the strain of our rubbish bags did, however, leave us with a small sense of achievement and as they say ‘every little bit helps’!
Tags: beach cleans, Kisite Mpunguti MPA, Mangroves, Marine Debris, ocean currents
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