Items by Kathleen

AWF Blog

• Unacceptable Losses

  Posted: February 1, 2012, 7:49 pm by Kathleen

  39 Elephants Poached. Cameroon.

  We are in northern Cameroon, Boubba’ndjidda, National Park to be exact. We are close to the border of Chad. Boubba’ndjidda connects to Sena Oura National Park. We are on a scoping mission, assessing conservation opportunities with the hopes of being able to provide support to the management and protection of the Binational  Sena Bouba (BSB) Yamoussa Complex in coordination with the Governments, Wildlife Authorities and partners.

  Unlike southern Cameroon well known for its tropical forests, chimpanzees, gorillas and lovely coast line, Boubba’ndjidda and its surrounding lands are savannah. A familiar landscape of sorts for me, coming from East Africa. The wildlife is incredibly diverse, but threatened severely poaching and lack of capacity.

  Upon arrival we heard that 27 elephants had been poached in the last three days. That’s right, 27 elephants in three days. During our stay 12 more were poached, putting the estimated ‘known’ number to 39. A massacre. There were 50 poachers on horseback, armed. They got away. Villages feast on elephant meat.

  Cameroon boasts a variety of habitat types, ranging from coastal, to desert, to rainforest, to savanna.

  Cameroon has set aside 20% of its landscape as conservation areas, a commendable percentage. But like most African countries, they struggle to operationalize and sustain these protected areas with adequate resources. Take Boubba’ndjidda for example. On a morning game drive we saw a wide diversity of wildlife, including elephant, eland derby (for which the Park is known), kob, duiker and more. We stayed at the only camp in the Park (www.paulboursafaris.com), which is lovely camp perched on a wide river, where we watched crocodiles and an amazing diversity of birds. In the evening I awoke to the glorious sounds of lions roaring. However, only approximately 300 people visit the Park / year, hardly enough to generate enough revenue for Park operations.

  So, when a major poaching episode happens like the one that took place during our visit, the Park Authorities and government leaders have little ability to respond. There is no communication in the field, access is difficult, weapons are few and vehicles minimal. Building their capacity is key to conservation success.

  The other issue we witness is the movement of people and livestock from the surrounding countries of Chad, Nigeria and Central African Republic. When conservationists hear the word corridor, we think of wildlife corridors. But in this part of the world there are “trans-humance corridors”–human corridors that are designed to help facilitate the movement of pastoralists across vast lands and to reduce conflict. Thousands of people move through these landscapes with livestock seeking better grazing lands, water and access to markets. This increases conflict with people and wildlife and is a difficult issue to tackle. With desertification in the north, more and more people are moving from the north to the south exacerbating conflict. In addition, with strife and conflict in neighbouring countries, such as Nigeria, more people are seeking refuge in other places, such as Cameroon. Its complex.

  Cameroonians comprise of hundreds of groups, often each with their own language. European colonization and refugee immigrations from Central Africa contributed to the melting pot population.

  Our visit included meetings with traditional leaders, local NGOs, partners, hunting concession owners, protected area authorities. We spent time in the bustling city of Yaoundé, and then took a yellow, 25-year old Toyota taxi to the coast of Cameroon, the town of Kribi. The beach is lovely, water warm, fish fantastic and a great place relaxing as well as seeing turtles and other marine species. A deep sea port is being developed just south of Kribi, which will have a significant impact on the town. At night the off-short rigs are bright.

   

  From Kribi we made our way to Campo M’aan, a tropical forest, National Park located on the border with Equatorial Guinea. On the way we passed pygmy people selling bark for medicine, vast forest on fire—slash and burn practices, and villages dotted across the landscape. The Park has gorillas and chimps and I can’t believe I am in such close proximity to these amazing mammals and will not be able to see them. The forest is so thick that you would not see an elephant 10 feet into the forest. Chimps and gorillas in an area like this with high bush meat poaching are very skittish, and stay clear of humans. There is a habituation program underway for the gorillas in an effort to encourage tourism.

   

  Kathleen and other AWF representatives met with local leaders to discuss the future of Cameroon's wildlife.

  Cameroon is an incredibly diverse country with high endemism, a wide diversity of ecosystems, over 240 tribes, savannahs, forests, vast rivers and ocean. Its largest reserve in southern Cameroon, Dja, hosts approximately 600 gorillas and 600 chimps. As a country it is ecologically significant and has a diversity of sources for economic revenue: tourism, carbon credits, and agricultural. With proper planning, support, partners and investment, this country will thrive and AWF hopes to be part of this unfolding development.

   

   

• Forest Day in Durban South Africa

  Posted: December 5, 2011, 6:57 pm by Kathleen

  It’s Sunday. Today is CIFOR’s (Centre for International Forestry Research) Forest Day. 1200 people are gathering to discuss the value and future of forests. The focus is global, but the fact that the COP 17 is in South Africa is a great opportunity to highlight the major plight of Africa’s forests. AWF President Helen Gichohi is giving the keynote address.

  It’s already been a long week and it continues until the 9th of December. The negotiations have been tough. Countries have put their stakes in the ground. Canada said it is pulling out of the Kyoto Protocol and would not sign a second one. Bolivia has opposed REDD (Reducing Emissions from Forest Degradation and Deforestation). The structure and funding source of the Green Climate Fund, a major funding mechanism, is in question. Ideally, as the senior political teams and negotiators arrive this week, countries will begin to pull back together and agree to some consensus. It is a fascinating and frustrating process.

  The United Nations designated 2011 as the International Year of Forests. This has helped to raise awareness about deforestation and forest degradation.

  One evening I attended a panel with representatives from India, China, Brazil and Singapore. Another evening, Rothschild Financial Advisory Company presented a model for a cap and trade structure. Yesterday, AWF hosted an event with government, private financiers and civil society on REDD markets and their futures. It’s only been 11 months since the last COP in Cancun, where significant progress was made, some question whether it is feasible to emerge with another monumental agreement.

  In the meantime, groups like AWF are implementing projects on the ground. Hoping to stop deforestation and degradation, help communities adapt to the impact of climate change, and hoping that some of the lessons we have learned will help shape policy.

  AWF has been working with communities in the Kolo Hills of Tanzania to halt deforestation and forest degradation by helping to increase the productivity of agriculture. Photo courtesy of Andrea Athanas.

  Whether there will be a regulatory carbon market is up in the air. If the voluntary market will sustain programs is a matter of debate, and how do you manage the risk of land tenure, policy and market variability? What are the best methodologies to help communities and wildlife adapt to the already felt impacts of climate change is a key question.

  Today and tomorrow the World Economic Forum gathers to discuss similar issues. We wait to see what emerges from these high level discussions and in the meantime push for policies that will support the reduction of emissions and the establishment of structures that enable effective REDD and adaptation programs.

• The Nairobi National Park (NNP)

  Posted: August 22, 2011, 6:14 pm by Kathleen

  Nairobi National Park is one of the world’s only national parks that sit on the edge of a major city.  It is truly amazing that one can escape the booming city of Nairobi with its 6 million people and world-renowned traffic jams in a matter of minutes into the forest and grasslands of Nairobi National Park—the green lung of Nairobi. Its resource as an air filter to the city as well as educational resource for millions of Kenyans who come to experience nature is truly invaluable.

  Founded in 1946, the Park covers an area of 117.21 square kilometers (28,963 acres). You can see all the big five in this amazing Park, except the elephant.

  It’s a Saturday and we drive down to Nairobi National Park (NNP) for a late afternoon game drive. It is crowded with Kenyans and tourists. It is great to see people taking advantage of their Park. There are people of all ages, enjoying the outdoors, watching and learning about wildlife.

  Lion cub in Nairobi National Park

  I have heard there are a number of lions in the Park, so we come in search of lions. Lion populations in Kenya are declining rapidly. There are currently only 2,000 lions left in Kenya and these numbers continue to decrease. Over the past century, lion numbers have plunged from 100,000 individuals to approximately 23,000 across Africa. Imagine Kenya, let alone Africa without lions. The Park currently hosts approximately 38 lions plus at least 6 cubs, an important source area for lions.

  We drive on the dirt roads in search of the tawny lion color in the tall grass and are fortunate to spot a female with three cubs. She is eating an impala that she recently killed, and the cubs are lounging and playing in the grass. Occasionally the cubs barrel over towards their mother to snack on the impala, but then run away playfully. We sit for hours in the quiet of the Park watching these magnificent mammals. As the sun sets casting a brilliant orange hew on the grasslands, another female lion crests the ridge and roars towards the female we are watching. The female roars back, picks up the impala and makes her way to the other female. As the light fades it is hard to make the tiny cubs out in the grass, but we watch them as they trot along behind their mother and eventually disappear into a river bed.

  Lion in Nairobi National Park dragging an impala to a river bed for safe eating

  AWF has been working in the dispersal area south of Nairobi National Park, the Kitengela-Isinya-Kipeto region, with a goal of keeping it open for wildlife and pastoralism. Like many protected areas in Kenya, NNP is dependent upon the adjacent lands for its survival. The Kaputei plains are critical to the Park for dispersal and additional habitat. The land is primarily owned by Maasai, but with the pressures of Nairobi banging on their doorstep, keeping this land open has become severely challenging. Sub-division is rampant, land prices are through the roof and it is getting harder and harder for the Maasai to maintain their pastoralist lifestyle. Simultaneously, wildlife is unable to continue their movement patterns and human-wildlife conflict escalates, resulting in a dramatic decline in wildlife in this region.

  As Nairobi searches for new land for expansion, the race against time is fierce. There is a new proposed highway that will cut along the southern edge of the Park, which will entirely cut off the Park from the dispersal area.

  Proposed road network in Nairobi. The proposed southern by-pass will cut of the southern dispersal area of Nairobi National Park; thereby, completely isolating the Park (click to enlarge map)

  A community driven Land Use Master Plan for this entire area was developed and approved by the government last year. This will greatly regulate development and sub-divisions within the Kitengela-Isinya-Kipeto region. There has been a significant delay in launching the plan, the first of its kind in Kenya, but we hope to see it launched by the end of this month. With proper planning as set out in the plan, there is a chance to save this landscape and ensure that the wildlife and people thrive in this area.

   

• Wildlife Recover in Kilitome Conservancy

  Posted: June 20, 2011, 5:31 pm by Kathleen

  We are sitting on the porch at Tawi Lodge in the Kilimanjaro Heartland. Mt. Kilimanjaro is smack dab in front of us. The view is brilliant as the mountain stands with magnificent enormity. Tawi Lodge sits right in the middle of Kilitome Conservancy, a conservancy created by AWF and 100 Maasai landowners. Tawi is a luxury eco-camp opened in 2010. It is a lovely, peaceful spot in the dryland, acacia woodlands.

  AWF and Tawi signed lease agreements with the landowners over two years ago. These lease agreements secure the land for wildlife movement while providing income to the community. Now that Tawi is open, and up and running, they are taking over the payment of the conservation lease. From our private veranda we watch a large bull elephant spray himself with water and cover himself with mud. His tusks are enormous and the right one broke, a sign of age. The notches in his ear is another testament to his age. I have been visiting this area for years and it is incredibly rewarding to see the wildlife and vegetation recovery.

  A grey heron flies overhead as the sun sets and zebra move through the tall grass. On our drive into the lodge, through the conservancy, we saw giraffes, gazelles, warthogs, impala and more. In the morning, we went with the local guide on a walk through the bush, which is a great way to see the area and always so exciting to see wildlife on foot. The highlight of the morning walk was a pygmy falcon, Africa’s smallest bird of prey.

  The Conservancy abuts Amboseli National Park; therefore, it is a key disposal area. AWF continues to work with the adjacent community areas to link Amboseli to the Chyulu, and Tsavo National Parks. Bit by bit, AWF and partners are trying to piece it together. But for now if you are coming to Kenya do come and visit Tawi, it’s nice to know that your money is going to the right place; with each stay money goes to the conservancy and the land owners. The only problem with places like Tawi is that the accommodation is so nice you just want to stay there. But given the wildlife we are seeing from the comfort of our porch, that’s not a problem.

   

• Floating Down the Lopori River

  Posted: March 14, 2011, 11:44 pm by Kathleen

  We are in a small town called Djolu. Never heard of it? I am not surprised. This is a village in the central part of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Actually, if you look at a map of Africa, Djolu looks like it is smack dab in the middle of the continent. We arrived here from Kinshasa via plane. There are no regularly scheduled flights to Djolu. We flew the approximate 900 km from Kinshasa to a small town called Basankusu, where the Lopori and Maringa Rivers meet. We have an office in Basankusu; it is a key logistical location as access to our interior projects is via the rivers. People always say that working in the Congo is very challenging. That is an understatement. The landscape is vast tropical forest with winding rivers. The terrain is difficult, and there is little to no infrastructure, making the implementation of projects a challenge.

  "River life is busy with kids traveling to school via canoe, fishermen, and wooden rafts with structures—people traveling for weeks to get to a town to sell their produce."

  AWF has been working in this Congo Heartland since 2004. Our focus is to work with the local communities to protect wildlife and habitat and to provide economic incentives. Here in Congo we are focused on a variety of species, but the bonobo is a focal species. The bonobo is a great ape that only lives in DRC, and like most of the great apes, the bonobo is endangered.

  In Basankusu, we woke early and jumped in a canoe. When you think of a canoe, perhaps you think of a fiber glass two person canoe. This is a wooden canoe carved out of a tropical tree that is about 12 meters long, with an outboard engine. We travel along the Lopori River passing villages that are carved out of the thick rainforest. River life is busy with kids traveling to school via canoe, fishermen, and wooden rafts with structures—people traveling for weeks to get to a town to sell their produce.

  Our target destination this morning is to find bonobos. Twelve of them have been reintroduced by Friends of the Bonobos (Les Amis des Bonobos du Congo—ABC), a group dedicated to rescuing bonobo orphans, victims of the bushmeat trade, and reintroducing them into the wild. Looking at this thick forest I am not getting my hopes up for seeing the bonobo. A staff person from ABC travels with us in the boat, a young, impressive Congolese woman dedicated to this ape. People on the river tell us they have heard the bonobos, we follow their advice and have the great fortune of seeing these awesome apes. An amazing story of recovery—returning the bonobo to the wild. A sign of hope.

  Bonobos are closely related to humans, sharing 98.4 percent of our genetic makeup.

  Had we carried on 18 hours in the canoe, we would have reached AWF’s research center in the Lomako Forest Reserve. The declaration of this reserve was the result of years of effort on behalf of AWF. We host a bonobo researcher who is helping us understand more about this unique ape and support scouts protecting the reserve in coordination with the Institution for the Conservation of Nature (ICCN). With time constrains we are unable to make the journey to Lomako—next trip!

  We return to shore and head to the village market for coffee. I love visiting markets as you get a real feel for the community. You can get anything you need in this market—fish, vegetables, clothing, suitcases, nail polish…you name it, they’ve got it. One area of the market is bushmeat including stacks of monkey. The starting price for a monkey is $15. This can probably be negotiated down to $5. The demise of wildlife because of the bushmeat trade is a severe challenge.

  Flying into Djolu the forest changed from an intact carpet of vegetation to a patchwork of burns, cuts, and forest. The threat in this area is slash and burn techniques that are used to clear forest for agricultural development.  The morning after we arrive in Djolu, we take motorbikes 20 km east along a single-track trail through the thick forest to get to an area that AWF has been working on a zoning project. Motorbikes are the only way to get around. I firmly grip the bike as we wind through the forest, crossing thick sandy areas, mud flats, and rickety bridges; hoping not to crash.

  Floating hut on the DRC's Lomako River

  Firmly believing that with good planning, the forest can be protected and community livelihoods improved, AWF is working with local communities on a zoning plan. The community helps to map agricultural zones and in exchange for assistance with agricultural development and intensification, they agree to stop farming and burning in the forest interior. MOUs are signed, GPS points taken, maps produced, and the project is rolled out. We meet with the first village who signed the MOU and listen to how the program is progressing. Our target is to expand the program to cover a much larger area.

  The greatest challenge in these areas is access to the market. These areas are extremely remote without roads. AWF has a boat that we send up river twice a year, according to the produce cycle, as well as the water levels. Farmers with whom we work can sell their produce to the traders on board, and we then bring the produce back to Kinshasa.

  AWF's Djolu Staff

  There are always two ways to look at things. DRC is no different. After years of war, the country has suffered immensely. Development is minimal, infrastructure limited, education levels low, and the ability to operate programs is severely challenging. However, DRC with its vast resources has a chance to get it right. With proper planning and conservation actions, AWF hopes that in another 50 years, DRC be a place where its people, land, forest, and wildlife thrive.

   

Blah blah blah

Fish cakes

Alas a fish cake.

Yet more fish cakes

Guess what ... yeah ... fish cakes.

The end of the fish cakes