Chyulu Hills - Revised

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Chyulu Hills - Revised Chyulu Hills - Revised Coordinated Water Towers Conservation A Call To Action 2020 Kenya Water Towers Revised Status Report for Chyulu Hills - Revised Coordinated Water Towers Conservation A Call To Action 2020 ISBN 978-9966- 120-10-6 Copyright © Kenya Water Towers Agency, 2020 Kenya Water Towers Agency Ragati Road, NHIF Building, 15th Floor P.O. Box 42903-00100 Tel: 020 271 1437 Email:[email protected] www.watertowers.go.ke © 2020 All rights reserved: Reproduction of this publication for resale or other commercial purposes is prohibited without prior written permission of the copyright holder 4 Chyulu Hills Water Tower Revised Status Report 2/21/2018 Director of Public Prosecutions – Office of the Director of Public Prosecution Tel: +254 2732090/2732240 | Email: [email protected] Home About Our Services Resources Tenders Complaints Section Contact Us DireStatementctor of Pub bylic the Pro Cabinetsecution Secretarys TheMr. Krighteriak oto T ocleanbiko iands the safe curr ewaternt in adequate quantities is underscored inh oArticlelder of th43(1)is o� (d)ce aofnd the the Constitution�rst of Kenya. This is achieved through conservation and management of the environment and natural resources under the new Constitution of for sustainable development. Protection of our Water Towers is crucial to theKen sustenanceya having b eofin gour �r sCountry’st appointe socio-economicd status. They play key role inin economic2005. He w sectorsas re-d esuchsign aaste dagriculture, as industry, energy and tourism, at national,the Chief Pregionalublic Pro sandecu tglobalor in scale. However, unplanned development, climate change and other significant social pressures have had a negative impactAugus ton 20 their10 an dresilience appointe andd to health. This calls for urgent action to salvage waterhead ttowershe inde forpe nthede ncurrentt and future generation. constitutional o�ce in June 2011. My Ministry is committed to addressing threats facing the Water Towers. We are targeting to plant He is a1.8n a dBillionvocat etrees of th bye H 2022.igh C oI ualsort o fencourage Kenya and Kenyansformerly nota le onlycture tor plant trees but grow them as a way of at the cultivatingUniversity of aN aconservationirobi. culture. In addition, every institution needs to comply with the Presidential directive that requires them to set aside at least 10% of their land and put it under trees. Chiefs are Mr. Tobalsoiko irequireds an alum ton i mobilizeof the Un citizenryiversity o fto N aplantirob i a100,000nd Cam seedlingsbridge. each planting season as well as establish Chief’s tree nurseries. Mr. Tobiko is a winner of GadhiSmarak Award for Best “A” Level studenI ttherefore 1984 (Ken encourageya), Barcla ystakeholderss Cambridge to C collaborateommonwea andlth form strategic partnerships and linkages towards Scholaimplementationrship, 1990 for Ke nofy aviable and Psolutionsegasus C atom btherid gchallengese Scholar sfacinghip, the Water Towers. Creative and innovative solutions, particularly initiatives that enhance the conservation capacity of rural communities ina 1990 as well as Fellow of Cambridge Commonwealth Society coordinated manner are encouraged. (FCCS). He has served in other national institutions namely: The Commission of Inquiry into the Land Law Systems in Kenya (The Njonjo Land Commission, between 1999 – 2002) where he was a Commissioner; The Constitution of Kenya Review Commission (CKRC, between Coordinated Environmental Protection i 2000-2005) where he was a commissioner; Translate » http://www.odpp.go.ke/director-of-public-prosecutions/ 1/3 Mr. Keriako Tobiko, CBS, SC Cabinet Secretary MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT AND FORESTRY ii Chyulu Hills Water Tower Revised Status Report Remarks by the Principal Secretary Water Towers are the sources of water in Kenya. They play a critical role in maintaining the hydrological cycle, recharge of aquifers and creation of opportunities for investments in natural resources such as generation of hydroelectricity, agriculture and tourism. They are also important resources to the immediate communities and regions where they occur primarily because they provide wide range of ecosystem services. However, the Water Towers face myriad of challenges which include encroachment into the protected forest and riparian areas, illegal logging, illegal water abstraction, forest fires and unsustainable land management practice. The result has been severe deforestation, whose impact has been drying up of rivers, dams and springs, loss of species, reduction in agricultural production and increased community conflicts due to competition for scarce resources, In addressing these challenges, the Ministry of Environment and Forestry is committed to ensuring all the Water Towers in the country are sustainably conserved and managed. As a Ministry, we are championing for nature-based solution to the threats facing water towers such as conservation agriculture and adoption of landscape approach in rehabilitating the water towers ecosystem. Lastly, I call upon all the stakeholders and the community to support implementation of the recommendation made in this report. Dr. Chris Kiptoo, CBS Principal Secretary MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT AND FORESTRY Coordinated Environmental Protection iii iv Chyulu Hills Water Tower Revised Status Report Foreword Kenya Water Towers Agency (KWTA) is committed in coordinating conservation and the sustainable management of Water Towers. They support rich biological heritage and long-term national development agenda. The link between people and the environment is best manifested in the health of these ecosystems they live in. Population pressures, lack of proper planning and the commensurate increase in the demand for resources have placed undue pressure on our Water Towers ecosystems. Water Tower Status reports present an in-depth analysis of current condition of various Water Towers in the country. They focus on the land cover trends, the state of rivers and their tributaries, biodiversity status, stakeholder profile, economic value of the water tower and threats as well as proposed intervention measures. The ultimate goal of this report is to establish a viable sustainable solution that ensures the water towers are well protected and conserved in order to support community livelihoods and biodiversity. As an Agency, we have established a hay production project in Mbirikani area to support pastoral communities in the area who graze their livestock in the Water Tower during the dry season. We have also supported a bee keeping project by providing for Nzeveni bee keepers with modern hives and honey processing equipment. We are therefore committed to the sustenance of water towers through partnerships and linkages that will tap the knowledge and expertise to mitigate the negative impacts of the threats exacerbated by negative impacts of climate change. Dr. Julius Malombe, PHD Chairman, Board of Directors KENYA WATER TOWERS AGENCY Coordinated Environmental Protection v vi Chyulu Hills Water Tower Revised Status Report Kenya Water Towers Agency Board Members Dr. Julius Malombe, Ms. Hibo Bishar Mr. Timothy Ole Naeku Ms. Wambui Muriithi Chairman, Board of Directors Member Member Member Mr. Robert Mutuma (HSC) Mr. Peter Leitoro, OGW Ms. Esther Wangombe Ms. Edna Atisa Member Member Member Member Ms. Wandia Maina Mr. Bernard Mulwa Prof. Julius Gordon Tanui PhD Member Member Ag DG, Secretary to the Board Coordinated Environmental Protection vii viii Chyulu Hills Water Tower Revised Status Report Acknowledgement On behalf of the team that coordinated this assessment, I wish to acknowledge the contribution by various key stakeholders towards completion of this report. First and foremost, I wish to thank KWTA Board of Management under the leadership of Dr.Julius Malombe, for approving, endorsing and supporting the development of this report. Further appreciation is extended to fellow KWTA Directors, Senior Management and the entire KWTA staff for their contribution in the development of the report. I would like to appreciate the Directorate of Ecosystem Assessment Planning and Audit under the leadership of Dr. Winfred Musila for coordinating various activities that have culminated into production of this report. I also appreciate the support from Department of Remote Sensing and Resource Surveys (DRSRS) who provided data on land cover and land use changes in the Water Towers and staff who participated in the field activities. The invaluable input from Dr. Jones Agwata, Mr. Stanilaus Gachara and Ms. Faith Muturi who peer reviewed the report with KWTA senior management and technical staff is also highly appreciated. I wish to equally acknowledge the support from the KFS through the ecosystem conservators, KWS through the senior wardens, the Government officials at the counties and the community members who participated in the exercise. Coordinated Environmental Protection ix I wish to acknowledge Dr. Samuel Guto and Josephine Mogere who carried out the final editing and proof reading of the report. I also note the design team led by Barnabas Kimani and supported by Jane Njeru who handled the layout, design and printing of the final report. Finally, I thank all those I have not mentioned but who provided support in one way or the other towards the finalization of this report. Prof. Julius Gordon Tanui PhD, MBS Ag. Director General KENYA WATER TOWERS AGENCY x Chyulu Hills Water Tower Revised Status Report Executive Summary This Water Towers Report is a detailed assessment of the status of Chyulu Hills Water Tower.
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