News & Updates
NAIROBI (Kenya), Newsletter February 2011
Dear readers,
Our first newsletter from Kenya !
Half January 2011, Martin has left from South Africa towards Kenya with our
loyal Land rover ‘Lady’. A long journey of 4000 kilometres through
Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Malawi and Tanzania. Lady kept very well and even
at the borders there was not too much delay (the passing through can
sometimes take days), so that Martin arrived at dr. Zeke Davidson and his
wife Kate, within 8 days. They live just outside Nairobi.
Dr. Zeke Davidson is a colleague wildlife conservationist who has worked in
Zimbabwe for the Oxford Hwange Lion Research Project and since 1 year for
Marwell Wildlife in Kenya. Martin immediately started with arranging all the
paperwork for the registration of ALL4AP as an NGO in Kenya. 1 Set is ready
and contains 35 pages! inclusive all attachments.
After handing over these papers we have to wait for the reply which will take
about 6 to 8 weeks, and in the worst scenario months. We will sharply keep
an eye on it but this is the time which it takes normally. After that Martin can
apply for his work permit.
In the meantime we certainly do not rest! Martin will join dr. Davidson soon
on a trip towards the Samburu province.
Martin was already asked to train the scouts in that particular area to
improve and optimize their discipline in GPS-reading and -handling in order
to get the utmost result out of the sightings.
To ‘install’ ALL4AP a.s.a.p. on Kenya’s maps, Martin can use as much help as
possible on the floor. That is why I took 3 months unpaid leave, to come to
Kenya from February until April, to work as a volunteer and do my utmost to
assist ALL4AP and Martin the best I can. The power supply, telephone- and
internet connections are far more reliable than they were in Zimbabwe, so
while Martin is trying to do as much fieldwork as possible, I can do the
administration, PR, sponsor approach etc.
2 Days ago we moved to an apartment of an English lady who is temporarily
working abroad. The apartment is in the centre of Nairobi where all the main
companies and governmental offices are found, so we are very close in case
more forms or signatures are needed.
From the ALL4AP team in Zimbabwe we have no news yet. They started end
of January after Christmas holidays, so in next newsletter we will keep you
updated.
The team in Vumba which Martin trained in November last year are doing
very well. Please find underneath a copy of an article in the Zimbabwean
newspaper.
See you end of February !
Martin and Ilma
Newspaper ‘Zimbabwean’, published on 2011-01-15
Vumba’s biodiversity is protected and over 400 snares destroyed.
Referred to as “Mountains of the Mist”, Vumba means mist in Shona, the local
language of this area of the Eastern Highlands of Zimbabwe. This beautiful
mountainous area is covered with unique fauna and flora and is sanctuary to
endangered species such as the Samango monkey.
With so many negative and depressing reports coming out of Zimbabwe, it is
uplifting to be able to give some positive feedback on a current issue.
Towards the end of 2010 we wrote about WEPU (Wildlife & Environment
Protection Units) one of the latest projects being facilitated through a
collaborative approach to conservation. Environment Africa, together with
Tikki Hywood Trust, the Vumba Wildlife Management Authority co-ordinated
the project together with the local Vumba community under the Vumba
Green Fund. This unique PPCP (Public, Private, Community Partnership)
approach to conservation and communities is a vision for Zimbabwe to
enhance the protection of our biodiversity and at the same time uplift the
livelihoods of communities. Vumba is the first of the WEPU units which we
envision operating throughout Zimbabwe in areas where wildlife and the
environment are under threat from poachers, land invaders and locals alike.
Sadly, due to pressures such as severe poverty, unemployment and pure
greed on the part of unscrupulous individuals and syndicates, poaching in all
its forms is endemic in Zimbabwe.
Since the deployment of the 8 committed WEPU scouts in the Vumba *) in
December 2010 the achievements to date have been overwhelming. 400
wire snares have been found and destroyed, 12 nylon snares, 23 whip traps,
4 fishing nets and axes used for the illegal chopping down of wood. 8
poachers have been arrested and an 18 ton truck used to transport illegally
gained wood has been impounded. Whilst on patrol the scouts record wildlife
sightings and recently two large troops of 20 plus Samango monkeys and
Blue Duiker have been seen in the area. Snaring of wildlife, fish poaching
and wood cutting are the major negative environment issues in the Vumba
which need to stopped. Just recently, people from outside the local
communities have been found moving into the lower ends of the Bunga
forest, where they are clearing pristine forest land for farming. This is of
huge concern to all involved in the Vumba and with the support of all the
various stakeholders has to be halted.
End.
*) Trained by Martin (ALL4AP), see our newsletter of December 2010
