Fundraising and achievements so far.
Ngare Ndare forest is a gazetted Forest Reserve with its management
aspects falling under the Forest Department (FD) and Kenya Wildlife
Service (KWS) via a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and the
adjacent community members and large-scale farms via the Ngare
Ndare Forest Trust.
The Forest Reserve is a part of the larger Mt. Kenya forests.
It is located in two Kenyan districts traversing two provinces.
A large part of it is located in Meru Central district, Eastern
province and a section of it is in Laikipia district, Rift Valley
province. The reserve covers an area of 5554.3 hectares. Geographically,
the area lies between 0 0 07'N to 0 0 10'N and 37 0 18' E to
37 0 27'E (Ruhiu, 1998).
The forest is dominated by Red Cedar ( Cupressus lusitanica )
and Brown Olive ( Olea africana ). It is an important
part of the wildlife corridor especially for elephants extending
from the forest cutting across through Lewa Wildlife Conservancy
(LWC) to Laikipia and Samburu districts. It also offers suitable
habitat for the black rhino and increases range for different
wildlife species in the adjoining LWC and Borana ranch. The forest
supports the hydrological balance of the ecosystem. It is a source
of four rivers, some of which sustain the drier lowlands. The
forest supports the various life forms and contributes to the
flow of Ewaso Ng'iro, (the life line for the pastoral communities
in Isiolo and Samburu districts).
NNFT structure
In realization of the importance of this forest all the stakeholders
came together in early 1997 to form what was known as the Ngare
Ndare Forest Working Committee to help improve conservation and
management of the forest. Five years earlier, in 1992 they had
sought funds, which enabled them put up an electric fence around
the forest, which has greatly reduced human-wildlife conflict
and forest destruction. These stakeholders include the five communities
adjacent to the forest, neighboring large-scale farms (Kisima,
Lewa, Borana Ranch and Northern Frontier Ventures), the Forest
department, KWS and Provincial Administration. This later became
the Ngare Ndare Forest Trust (NNFT) when it was registered in
December 2001.
Olea africanus at Ngare Ndare
Fundraising and achievements so far.
The Working
Committee and the Trust has been operational for 8 years since
1996. NNFT got financial support in terms of a grant from Ford
Foundation totaling Kshs. 7.8 million to run for a period of
18 months (March 2001 - August 2003). Over this
period the Trust has been properly structured with a Manger
and 11-community forest scouts employed. Has facilitated board
meetings at an average of once in two months, has supported eight
community tree nurseries materially and technically with a joint
production of over 80,000 seedlings so far, over 100,000 trees
have been planted by farmers, seven tree planting and soil and
water conservation demo plots have been prepared by farmers in
all the adjacent villages, eight primary schools and one secondary
schools have been supported with books, desks and laboratory
equipments, all the scouts and forest guards have been trained,
awareness creation has been done on biodiversity conservation
as a result of which the forest currently stands as one of the
best protected natural forests in the Mt. Kenya ecosystem.
Community
conservation structures have been strengthened through an outreach
programme, to enhance their involvement in the forest conservation
and management and in raising their living standards through
diverse income generating activities. This programme has resulted
in formation of forest user groups at the grass roots, with
representation in Community based Organizations/Associations
(CBO/As) at each of the five villages all registered with the
Social Services Department. The Trust has recently secured funds
totaling Kshs 10 million from European Union through Community
Development Trust Fund (CDTF)- Biodiversity Conservation Project
(BCP).
The funds shall be used to develop eco tourism projects
in the forest (a camp site, game viewing towers and nature
trails, beekeeping project, construction of project offices and
staff houses, fire fighting equipments, roads improvement, support
agro-forestry programmes and improve communication. The Trust
has approached FORD Foundation for a possible second phase
funding which they have agreed to in principle. The trust has
acquired a new Landcruiser supported by BCP and has also employed
a field manger to assist the project manager.
A forest ranger indicates a tree illegally cut for firewood
NNFT goal and objectives
Goal
To foster and ensure sustenance of the
biological, ecological, environmental, and socio-cultural values
of Ngare Ndare Forest in perpetuity in order to protect the natural
forest and water catchment areas and to improve the living standards
of the surrounding community through sustainable agro-forestry.
Objectives
- To protect the environmental integrity of the Ngare Ndare
forest against indiscriminate and unsustainable exploitation.
- Support social development community projects and income
generating projects such as agro-forestry, school development,
and water for drinking and irrigation, dispensaries, beekeeping
and community tree nurseries.
- To promote and develop environmentally and ecologically friendly
sustainable eco-tourism through provision of the necessary
facilities and education.
- To generate revenue for re-investment in conservation of
the forest within the objectives of the management agreement.
- To empower community members by enhancing ownership and responsibility
in management and conservation of the forest.
- To promote sustainable use and conservation of forest resources
and protection of the environment among the Ngare Ndare Forest
interacting communities and those impacting on its conservation
and sustenance.
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