The IUCN Wetlands Programme Wetlands of Kenya Proceedings of a Seminar on Wetlands of Kenya "11 S.A. Crafter , S.G. Njuguna and G.W. Howard Wetlands of Kenya This one TAQ7-31T - 5APQ IUCN- The World Conservation Union Founded in 1948 , IUCN— The World Conservation Union brings together States , government agencies and a diverse range of non - governmental organizations in a unique world partnership : some 650 members in all , spread across 120 countries . As a union , IUCN exists to serve its members — to represent their views on the world stage and to provide them with the concepts , strategies and technical support they need to achieve their goals . Through its six Commissions , IUCN draws together over 5000 expert volunteers in project teams and action groups . A central secretariat coordinates the IUCN Programme and leads initiatives on the conservation and sustainable use of the world's biological diversity and the management of habitats and natural resources , as well as providing a range of services . The Union has helped many countries to prepare National Conservation Strategies , and demonstrates the application of its knowledge through the field projects it supervises . Operations are increasingly decentralized and are carried forward by an expanding network of regional and country offices , located principally in developing countries . IUCN — The World Conservation Union - seeks above all to work with its members to achieve development that is sustainable and that provides a lasting improvement in the quality of life for people all over the world . IUCN Wetlands Programme The IUCN Wetlands Programme coordinates and reinforces activities of the Union concerned with the management of wetland ecosystems . The Programme focuses upon the conservation of ecological and hydrological processes , in particular by developing , testing , and promoting means of sustainable utilisation of wetlands . It does so in collaboration with IUCN members and partners , in particular those other international institutions with a specific wetland mandate , especially the Ramsar Convention Bureau , and the International Waterfowl and Wetlands Research Bureau ( IWRB ) The core of the Programme is a series of field projects which develop the methodologies for wetland management , in particular in the countries of the developing world where wetlands are used intensively by local communities which depend upon these for their well - being . Related strategic and policy initiatives draw upon the results of these projects and present their conclusions in a form useful for government decision makers and planners . The activities of the Programme are designed on the basis of the concerns and information provided by IUCN members . To facilitate this , the Programme works through IUCN's regional offices . The Programme also works closely with the major development assistance agencies to ensure that conservation considerations are adequately addressed in their projects . The Wetlands Programme receives generous financial support from the World Wide Fund For Nature ( WWF ) , the Swiss Directorate of Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid ( DDA ) , the Finnish International Development Agency ( FINNIDA ) and the Government of the Nether lands . Project support has been received from the Swedish International Development Authority ( SIDA ) , Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation ( NORAD ) , United States Agency for International Development ( USAID ) , the Ford Foundation and a number of IUCN members including the Finnish Association for Nature Conservation ( FANC ) , Institut Français pour le Développement en Coopération ( ORSTOM ) , the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds ( RSPB ) , the United States National Park Service ( USNPS ) and the World Wide Fund For Nature ( WWF ) . It is coordinated from the IUCN Headquarters in Switzerland , with regional coordinators in Central America , South America , Brazil , West Africa , southern Africa and Asia . Wetlands of Kenya Proceedings of the KWWG Seminar on Wetlands of Kenya , National Museums of Kenya , Nairobi , Kenya , 3-5 July 1991 Editors S.A. Crafter , S.G. Njuguna and G.W. Howard IUCN 1992 Published by : IUCN IUCN The World Conservation Union Copyright : 1992. International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources This publication may be produced in whole or part and in any form for education or non - profit uses , without special permission from the copyright holder , provided acknowledgement of the source is made . IUCN would appreciate receiving a copy of any publication which uses this publication as a source No use of this publication may be made for resale or other commercial purpose without the prior written permission of IUCN Citation : S.A. Crafter , S.G. Njuguna and G.W. Howard ( Eds ) , 1992. Wetlands of Kenya . Proceedings of the KWWG Seminar on Wetlands of Kenya , National Museums of Kenya , Nairobi , Kenya , 3-5 July 1991. viii + 183 pp . ISBN : 2-8317-0127-9 Designed and typeset : Samara Publishing Ltd , Tresaith , Dyfed , SA43 2JG , UK Cover design : Sarah Skinner Cover photograph : Lake Bogoria with flamingos Available from : IUCN Communications Division , Rue Mauverney 28 , 1196 Gland , Switzerland The designations of geographical entities in this book , and the presentation of the material , do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the participating organizations concerning the legal status of any country , territory , or area , or of its authorities , or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries The opinions expressed by the authors in this publication do not necessarily represent the view of IUCN Contents Foreword .. vii Definition and overview G.W. Howard 1 Origins and geomorphology of Kenya's wetlands C. Nyamweru ... 5 The hydrology and function of wetlands G.O. Krhoda 13 An account of some important freshwater wetlands of Kenya K.M. Mavuti 23 Wetland birds of Kenya C.M. Gichuki and N.N. Gichuki .. 37 Wetland fish of Kenya D.O. Okeyo 47 Seasonal wetlands in Nairobi F. Ng'weno 55 Mangrove wetlands in Kenya R.K. Ruwa 65 Classification and vegetation of freshwater wetlands F. Muthuri 79 Floating aquatic weeds in Kenya S.G. Njuguna 85 Wetland conservation in Kenya : KWS and Ramsar F.M. Ole Nkako 91 The sociological and economic values of Kenya's wetlands R.W. Kareri . 99 Plant products from freshwater wetlands F. Muthuri 109 Coastal wetland utilisation E.E. Martens 115 Wetlands and tourism N.W. Visser . 135 Tana River Delta wetlands S.G. Njuguna . 139 Utilisation and conservation of wetlands : an agricultural drainage perspective F.N. Gichuki .. 147 Wetlands and water supply in Kenya J.K. Keter .. 155 Agricultural chemicals and wetlands : a review J.K. Gitonga 161 Wetland and dryland management P.M. Mungai 167 Food policy and wetlands P. Olindo 173 Seminar recommendations 175 List of Seminar participants 179 Foreword The Kenya Wetlands Working Group was set up to “ promote the conservation and wise use of wetland habitats in Kenya , according to the guidelines set out in the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance ... " . The group arose from recommendations made at a workshop on Wetlands and Waterbirds in Eastern Africa held in Uganda in March 1990 , under the auspices of the Interna tional Waterfowl and Wetlands Research Bureau and the Institute of Environment and Natural Resources of Makerere University , Kampala . The Kenyan delegation to that workshop resolved to set up a national wetlands group and to become involved in the IWRB African Waterfowl Censuses . This was achieved by January 1991 , when the Kenyan group carried out the first coordinated waterfowl census in association with 14 other African countries . Later in that year the group expanded its interests to include wetland conservation and management for wise use and became the KWWG , a sub - group of the East African Natural History Society . KWWG planned the Seminar on the Wetlands of Kenya and held the meeting at the Louis Leakey Memorial Auditorium in the National Museums of Kenya , Nairobi , with assistance from the IUCN Wetlands Programme and the IUCN Eastern Africa Regional Office . The gathering of 130 people from 42 institutions lasted three days and saw 20 papers presented and discussed . The Seminar was kindly opened by a representative of Dr Richard Leakey , Director , Kenya Wildlife Service and was graciously closed by the Director of the National Museums of Kenya , Dr M. Isahakia . On the last afternoon the participants divided into four groups to discuss issues raised by the presentations and to make recommendations for further actions on wetland conservation and management in Kenya . These resolutions were discussed and refined in plenary session and were then printed and circulated to participants . The present proceedings of the Seminar have been funded by the IUCN Wetlands Programme and prepared by KWWG . One of the main intentions of the Seminar was to gather contemporary knowledge and experience of Kenyan wetlands and to publish this as a source book . KWWG hopes that these proceedings will become a starting point for further research activities and act as a background document to begin the process of wise use of wetlands in the country . The Recommendations will act as a stimulus to KWWG for futher action and may initiate general wetland conservation and management activities in government and elsewhere . The need for a national wetlands programme is mentioned in the Recommendations and is backed