Taita Hills Forests: Our Heritage, Our Responsibility

Water to the people of Wongonyi

By J. Mwang'ombe and D. Mwanyumba.

The people of Wongonyi came together in 1985 and initiated the Mwalui water project to provide them with clean piped water and within easy reach from the Mbololo forest. Mbololo forest (approximately 168ha) provides the catchment for a number of streams that serve the people in Wongonyi and in lower zones such as Ghazi, Ndome, Tausa, Kighombo, Msau and others further afield.

The Mwalui water project originally started as an undertaking of a bible school in the area which had been established by missionaries. The project also benefited immensely from the services of a foreign student attached to the college. She did the surveying and mapping for all the piping that was needed to supply all the residents/villages of Wongonyi with water.

Apart from the remarkable efforts of the local community, the project has received two major boosts. The then Minister for Water, Hon. Paul Ngei donated a full set of plumbing tools for maintenance of the water project. A few years later, Swedish International Development Agency, with Kenya Water for Health Organisations (KWAHO) as the implementing agency, provided funds that greatly expanded the water project. More intakes and storage tanks were built and pipes laid. Again, the local community contributed enthusiastically by providing the labour required to move the materials such as cement, sand, blocks, pipes and equipment among others to the work sites. Those who could not contribute in kind did so by paying others to do so on their behalf.

During the 1997 El Nino rains, a section of the water project was extensively damaged with some parts of Wongonyi going without water. The East African Wild Life Society Integrated Forest Conservation and Management Project in Taita, came to the rescue. The committee of Wongonyi listed the rehabilitation of the water project as a priority among the projects they would wish to carry out. As before, the residents contributed immensely in kind by providing the labour to move the materials such as pipes, sand and cement. The work involved building and fencing of the water intake, construction of the desilting chambers and the break pressure tank and laying of the pipes. The project has a total of six water intake points and is currently serving about 75% of the residents.

The water project is managed by an elected committee with a chairperson, a secretary and treasurer with their assistants and seven other members with the area administrator as a co-opted member. The committee guides all the activities of the project and is elected every three years. The project employs three permanent staff; a clerk who collects the rates and keeps records, and two plumbers who maintain the pipes. These are paid from the monthly rates collected. The monthly rates are also used to meet the maintenance costs and for expansion wherever there is a surplus. The monthly rates are levied based on the perceived water consumption. People fetching water from a common point pay KShs 20, those with a tap outside the house pay KShs 40, a house with taps inside is charged KShs 60, homes with all the above and a swimming pool KShs 100 and institutions KShs 100 too. For one to enjoy these services, one must become a member by paying KShs 660 (referred to as shares), KShs 20 (membership fee) and KShs 20 (commitment fee). There are also charges for a resident who never contributed towards the project from the beginning. Deterrent measures are applied to avoid misuse of water or damage to the pipes by residents. This is a project of the community by the community and for the community.

Any assistance whether financial or otherwise towards the expansion of the project or in training of the personnel would highly be appreciated.

Honey for the people of Vuria

By J. Mwang'ombe

The Vuria Hill Self-Help Group is the name the environmental committee of Mgange Dawida has chosen for themselves. The residents of Mgange Dawida prioritized a Tree Nursery and Bee-Keeping project as the topmost project they wanted supported in this area. The tree nurseries raise indigenous tree seedlings for re-planting in forest gaps. This is a good example of a local community initiative for habitat restoration. The community hopes that, by replenishing and enriching the forest, they will have provided more forage for the bees to make honey from while restoring their forest to the original status. They also hope that this will increase the level of water in their streams and stop flush floods like the one that occurred during the El Nino rains resulting in death of two people.

The bee-keeping component of the project is an income generating activity. The honey thus produced will be marketed. The proceeds from the sale of honey will be used on community projects and also as a revolving fund to assist members  start small businesses.

There are a total of six villages each with a tree nursery. Each of these has been supplied with bee-hives and the necessary honey-harvesting gear/equipment. The committee will be trained in appropriate honey harvesting techniques practically on the ground once the hives are ready for harvesting. Among the plant/tree species being raised in the nurseries are;

• Mngima (Prunus africana) used by the local community for construction.
• Mwavwa (Milletia oblata) used in construction as posts, tool handles, acaricide and detergent made from the leaves. It is endemic to Taita hills forests.
• Msuruwache (Albizia gummifera) used for fuelwood and as timber.
• Ndido (Maesa lanceolata) used as fuelwood.
• Shao (Macaranga conglomerata) endemic to Taita hills forests. It is among the most preferred as fuelwood.
• Ngoche (Lepidotrichilia volkensii) used as fuelwood.
• Mngorusa (Polyscias stulhmanii) used as fuelwood.

It is clear from the above list that, the local people have chosen the type of trees carefully according to their needs.

Community participation in forest conservation?

By J. Mwang'ombe

Finally, our government recognizes the role played by local community in environmental conservation. The Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources has drawn a Draft Forestry Bill to be tabled in parliament soon. It seeks to repeal the current Forest Act Chapter 385 enacted in March 1942 (Quite outdated!).

Unlike the current bill, emphasis is put on community - based forest management as the main strategy for securing the country's' forests. If passed into law, the new bill will vest significant powers in the hands of communities in the management of local mini-forests, arboreta or recreation parks. "These places shall not be converted to any other use or exchanged for another land before the local residents have voted through a referendum to sanction the change of use", proposes the draft bill.

The draft bill calls for the establishment of a forest conservation committee in each District. The committee shall advice on the ideas, desires and opinions of the people in the district in all manner relating to the conservation and utilization of forests. It shall also monitor the provisions of this Act and other forest regulations in the district. It shall review and recommend to a national board applications for forest licenses and renewals of such licenses.

The draft bill seeks to establish a statutory body to oversee the management of forests in the country. The body "Kenya Forests Service" shall have sweeping powers to among other things protect all forests in the country, draw management, conservation and felling plans for state and provisional forests.

The bill is a worthy initiative however it falls short in a number of ways. It falls shy of defining needs of the people. It also does not articulate how they are going to be involved. Moreover, the draft is silent about who constitutes the local community around forest areas.

It seeks to transfer management powers of the Forest Department to the Kenya Forest Service and the Regulatory Board. The parastatal will, however, still work under the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources.

Under the board will be the District Forest Conservation committees giving way to the village based committees.

The Bill further seeks the involvement of the private sector in the management of forests. In the committees, six members will come from the government and seven from the private sector, the NGOs and other interested parties.

Editorial: Collaborative/Joint Forest Management

J. Mwang'ombe

Forest/natural resource managers in Africa (and Kenya) need to recognize the important role played by local people in the management and conservation of biological diversity. Over the years, state institutions charged with forest management have failed to ensure the safety and conservation of forests. These institutions separated people from forests, making an adversary of the local communities. Therefore, the challenge is to mend this broken relationship and demonstrate that forests contribute directly to the well being of the local communities, who ultimately determine their fate.

Kenya inherited a colonial system of protected areas with the paradigm of separation of the resource from the people. Currently, the major theme in conservation and management of forests (and natural resources) is the incorporation of the local people as the stewards and beneficiaries of such efforts. Given the historical development, it is clear that the local people bore (and still do) the burden of conservation without real or tangible benefits accruing to them. This created a new phenomena of state ownership and thus placing a wall between the local communities and the resource among which they evolved and lived. It is therefore imperative to take into consideration the needs of the local people and enlist their support if forestry is to be sustainable.

Hopefully, these steps are being taken by the government.

East African Wild Life Society's (EAWLS) Highlights

• Call/Fax the Kenya Forests Working Group (KFWG) Forests Hotline for any queries, complains or information on forests in Kenya. Call/Fax (02) 571335.
• Remember that KFWG meetings are held every last Friday of every month at EAWLS offices starting at 12.30pm. You are welcome to attend.
• The EAWLS holds public talks on topical conservation issues every second Thursday of every month at the Louis Leakey Auditorium starting at 5.30pm. You are welcome to attend.

Aim of the newsletter

The newsletter aims at promoting conservation and sustainable utilization of Taita Hills forests, advocating for sustainable land use and forestry practices and offering a platform where various forest stakeholders can exchange ideas on conservation of environment. Mazingira Newsletter is supported by funds from Netherlands Committee for IUCN. Opinions expressed by contributors are not necessarily the official view of the EAWLS or of the sponsors.

Letters should be expressed to:
Mazingira Newsletter
EAWLS Wundanyi Offices
C/O P. O. Box 1043,
Wundanyi.
Tel: (0148) 2516