• More than 400 people signed up for the discussion, demonstrating huge interest.
• They say there should be no fencing at all.
Image: REUTERS
There should be no more infrastructural developments in the Nairobi National Park, a public participation forum has said.
Participants, in a three-day open space technology discussions on the future of the park, instead want it declared a world heritage site or an important biosphere site.
They say there should be no fencing at all.
“No fencing, including of the NNP wildlife dispersal areas and buffer zones, because it will lead to loss of genetic diversity among species, especially migratory species (inbreeding) and loss of specific species like lions, wildebeests and zebras.”
Under the banner of Conservation Alliance of Kenya, people and organisations came together from June 12 to 14, to consider their response to the Kenya Wildlife Service 10-year draft management plan for the park.
The more than 400 people signed up for the discussion, demonstrating huge interest.
“Deliberate actions [should be made] on restoring what was lost, rebuilding the degraded ecosystem, freshly mapping the migration corridors, protecting breeding areas for animals that are outside the park, and capturing the historical Maasai and Somali culture associated with the park,” their recommendations state.
The participants said by declaring the park a world heritage site of biosphere reserve, it, in association with Unesco, will bring public ownership, especially from leaders.
“It will indicate an inspiration, legacy or point of reference and identity for the park by virtue of its uniqueness and will help relevant stakeholders focus on rebuilding any damage caused to ecosystem and habitat,” they said.
KWS says a lot of work is lined up for the park. This includes fencing, a high-end ecolodge, improvement of infrastructure, development of KWS Club House high-end restaurant (Orpul Place), design and establishment of adventure activity concessions and facilitation of alternative activities to traditional game-viewing.
The service is considering improving park habitat, coupled with progressively fencing land in the park’s buffer zone if owners are willing. It proposes an integrated land use management in the park's buffer zone and wildlife dispersal areas to achieve management objectives.
That would involve maintaining ecological integrity, enhancing visitor experience and community benefits from wildlife, minimising human-wildlife conflicts and improving wildlife security.
KWS said the move will solve challenges such as habitat loss and fragmentation in the dispersal areas, decline in wildlife population, poaching, human-wildlife conflicts, alien and invasive species, pollution, mining and quarries.
Others are climate change, low park visitation, increased urbanisation, settlement threats on the sheep and goats ranch, and infrastructure development.
Image: FILE
The proposal by KWS has, however, been opposed by nature lovers. The group said KWS should conduct a total economic valuation study of biodiversity and its ecosystem services using a scientifically robust, systematic, and replicable methodology such as “the economics of ecosystems and biodiversity”.
This, they said, should be done in collaboration with local universities, research institutions and NGO’s. The replicable methodology should then be used to conduct similar assessments for other protected areas in Kenya.
Again, the results from this study should be widely and creatively communicated to the public in an effort to improve public understanding of the park’s value, beyond monetary revenue.
The valuation should also be a one-off study that can be updated every five years, depending on resources. They further called for the protection of upstream river sources to ensure clean water and adopt cleaner greening technology such as recycling in a sustainable manner.
The group called for the placement of KWS in an independent ministry that focuses on the conservation of wildlife and biodiversity.
During the discussions, it emerged that there is a need to create opportunities for citizen education, awareness, participation and engagement in efforts ranging from management to science, focus on securing the natural integrity of the park and the ecosystem, as well as addressing governance challenges.
They also want awareness created through conservation initiatives by encouraging online classes in conservation, film making, photography and virtual reality watch, a move they say will also generate income for KWS.
Moreover, they want free park entry for schoolchildren and teachers, who should be provided with meaningful educational programmes, data and content with relevant partners, including the community.
They say a library and an app with all information available about the park should be made available. The participants said there is a need to have legislation to protect migratory corridors and establish eco-zones to prevent unwanted large-scale developments and ensure wildlife corridors are maintained.
The group said public-private partnerships with the art and film industry, for instance, provides new economic opportunities for income generation for the park. They want the authorities to put in place an annual festival where invertebrates are assessed to establish the biodiversity health of the park involving schools and training for teachers.
“Upgrade picnic sites and washrooms; complete structures, cut grass around picnic and toilet facilities. Visitors have their own litter bags and take them from the park,” they urged.
They said tourists coming in should not be a priority. Instead, KWS should focus on conservation at the expense of development projects.
The participants appealed to the government to fully fund KWS just like other government bodies that don’t generate any income but are still funded.
“The park needs an environmental audit to establish areas that need to be restored which have been previously damaged.”
On human-wildlife conflict, the group said the compensation programme that pays for livestock losses to predators should resume. Local communities within dispersal areas need to be supported with revenue generated by the park tourism.
They urged KWS to support community projects such as lion lights and community ranger programmes instead of fencing, saying the move will enhance protection of species outside the park.