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(2007). Habitat Changes at Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, Kenya. From Habitat Changes at Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, Kenya From cattle ranch to conservation area: effects of changing management on habitat from 1962-2006 A Study conducted for the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy by Wim Giesen, Paul Giesen & Kris Giesen REVISED DRAFT 30 April 2007 Habitat changes at Lewa 1962-2006 Acknowledgements It has been a great pleasure carrying out this study for Lewa Wildlife Conservancy (LWC), and we find ourselves privileged at having been able to spend this time at LWC. We would particularly like to thank Ian Craig (Executive Director LWC) for his support and patience over the years leading up to actual implementation of the study – at times it must have seemed as though it would never happen. We are particularly indebted to Geoffrey Chege, head of LWC’s research department, for making all the practical arrangements, and for the interesting discussions on Lewa’s management and our findings in the field. We are aware that we took up a good deal of time and are most grateful for this. Thanks in this regard also to Emily Ntingari for arranging our flights. Special thanks also go to other LWC staff, including David Parkinson (Deputy Director), Richard Moller (Head of Security & Wildlife Management), Mary (lion predation researcher) and LWC’s rangers, who took good care of us and ensured our safety. Among the latter we would particularly like to mention and thank Francis Kobia Chokera, who accompanied us on a daily basis, keeping us out of harm’s way and helping out where he could during field work activities. Thanks also goes to our driver, Michael Githinji Gachura, who apart from being very skilful and knowledgeable, was also a great source of mirth and good cheer. We are also grateful to Anna Wambui Mbugua and Caroline Kanana Nkonge, who were responsible for maintaining the research guesthouse, and provided us with excellent meals throughout. Lastly, we would like to thank Mrs Delia Craig and Mr David Craig for their kind hospitality and for their insights on how Lewa has fared over the past decades. In addition to persons at Lewa we would also like to thank Dr Kishokumar Jeyaraj of the Malaysian Environmental Consultants (Kuala Lumpur), who kindly helped out with the digitisation of the 2000 vegetation structure map, and Mr. George Yanev of the Black Sea Basin Directorate in Varna, Bulgaria, who helped with the combining of the 1979-80 vegetation map with the 2000 vegetation structure map. Wim Giesen Paul Giesen & Kris Giesen Mezenpad 164 7071 JT Ulft The Netherlands Tel.: +31.315.630316 Mob.: +31.652.619.814 E-mail: [email protected] or: [email protected] REVISED DRAFT Giesen, Giesen & Giesen - April 2007 i Habitat changes at Lewa 1962-2006 Table of contents Acknowledgements ..................................................................................................................................... i Abbreviations & acronyms......................................................................................................................... v Summary .................................................................................................................................................... vi 1 Introduction .......................................................................................................................................... 1 2 Methodology......................................................................................................................................... 2 2.1 Production of a new vegetation structure map.......................................................................... 2 2.2 Comparison of new map with 1980 vegetation map & site selection ........................................ 3 2.3 Preparation for fieldwork........................................................................................................... 3 2.4 Field work at Lewa Wildlife Conservancy ................................................................................. 3 2.5 Follow-up desk-top activities in the Netherlands....................................................................... 4 3 Results .................................................................................................................................................. 5 3.1 Vegetation in 1980.................................................................................................................... 5 3.2 Vegetation in 2000.................................................................................................................... 7 3.3 Comparison 1980-2000 ............................................................................................................9 3.4 Locations with significant habitat change................................................................................ 10 3.4.1 As apparent on maps & aerial photographs............................................................................ 10 3.4.2 Observations on the ground ................................................................................................... 13 3.4.3 Statistical analysis of relevé data............................................................................................ 15 4 Discussion of likely causes of change & trends ............................................................................. 20 4.1 Burning ................................................................................................................................... 20 4.2 Fencing................................................................................................................................... 23 4.3 Effects of climate .................................................................................................................... 25 4.3.1 Rainfall amount & distribution ................................................................................................. 25 4.3.2 Other climatic effects .............................................................................................................. 27 4.4 Wildlife .................................................................................................................................... 28 4.5 Exotic plant species................................................................................................................ 36 4.6 Other changes & their impacts on habitats ............................................................................. 37 4.7 Trends .................................................................................................................................... 38 4.7.1 Relationship between trees & grass ....................................................................................... 38 4.7.2 Trends in tree/grass ratios at Lewa ........................................................................................ 39 REVISED DRAFT Giesen, Giesen & Giesen - April 2007 ii Habitat changes at Lewa 1962-2006 5 Conclusions & recommendations .................................................................................................... 41 5.1 Conclusions ............................................................................................................................ 41 5.2 Recommendations.................................................................................................................. 43 5.2.1 Habitat management ..............................................................................................................43 5.2.2 Wildlife management .............................................................................................................. 45 5.2.3 Future studies......................................................................................................................... 46 6 References.......................................................................................................................................... 47 List of annexes Annex 1 Vegetation Map 1979 .............................................................................................................50 Annex 2 Vegetation Map 2000 .............................................................................................................52 Annex 3 Relevé Data Sheet.................................................................................................................. 54 Annex 4 Map of relevé sites................................................................................................................. 55 Annex 5 Relevé site UTM coordinates ................................................................................................ 57 Annex 6 Relevé raw data...................................................................................................................... 59 Annex 7 Lewa Swamp .......................................................................................................................... 61 List of tables Table 1 Area of vegetation types and structures 1980................................................................................ 5 Table 2 Area of vegetation types and structures 2000................................................................................ 7 Table 3 Vegetation changes at 26 relevé sites 1962-2006 .......................................................................14 Table 4 Relevé sites & occurrence of fires/exclusion zone ....................................................................... 22 Table 5 Effect of fire on Acacia species common at Lewa.......................................................................
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