National Museums of Kenya: Experiences with Darwin Initiatives

Dr. Helida Oyieke

Director, Research & Scientific Affairs

FUNCTIONS OF NMK

• Repository for things that are of scientific, cultural and human value

• Research and document natural and cultural heritage

• Promote sustainable utilisation of Kenya’s heritage for development

• Information dissemination

DARWIN INITIATIVE PROJECTS AT NMK

• Monitoring biodiversity for site management planning in eastern African wetlands

• Kenya’s Important Birds Areas: Improving Monitoring, Management and Conservation

• Flamingo conservation and Ramsar Site Management at Lake Bogoria, Kenya

• Actions for the conservation of globally threatened birds in Africa

Project Title: Monitoring biodiversity for site management planning in Eastern African

wetlands

UK Organisation: Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT)

Collaborator(s): National Museums of Kenya, Nature Kenya, Kenya Wildlife Service

NMK staff involved2 Research Scientists

NMK Responsibility

• Houses the Secretariat• Provide NMK staff for the project Regional

Steering Group• Contributes to the development of site

management plan• Provide technical database advice• Assist in selection of participants for the

training courses

WWT, 9 partner countries & Wetlands International WWT, 9 partner countries & Wetlands International

The WWT Darwin projectThe WWT Darwin project

DATABASE

TRAINING

SITE MANAGEMENT PLANS

MONITORING SCHEME

Objectives

Progress so far

•Training & capacity building

•Production of site management plans

•Bi-annual Waterbird Census (Jan &July)

•Site-based volunteer monitoring scheme

•Rift Valley lakes, sites around Nairobi, Lake Victoria and the Kenya coast.

Progress so far

•Training & capacity building

•Production of site management plans

•Bi-annual Waterbird Census (Jan &July)

•Site-based volunteer monitoring scheme

•Rift Valley lakes, sites around Nairobi, Lake Victoria and the Kenya coast.

Project Title: Kenya’s Important Birds Areas: Improving Monitoring, Management and

Conservation

UK Organisation: The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), BirdLife International

Collaborator(s): National Museums of Kenya, Nature Kenya, Kenya Wildlife Service

NMK staff involvedA Project Team – comprising of 2 Research

Scientists and 2 Research Fellows from the National Museums of Kenya, to work with 3 Technical Officers from Nature Kenya

Objectives

• National site monitoring system in all IBAs

• Detailed monitoring in the key IBAs• Effective feedback between monitoring,

conservation action and reporting• Conservation interventions and

management plans • Training & Capacity Building

Role and responsibility of NMK• Provide NMK staff for the project Advisory

Group• Help in developing a systematic framework of

site and species monitoring. • Assist in training programmes for SSGs• Assist in preparing national reporting on the

status of Kenya’s biodiversity• Store and manage data for IBA monitoring

information•  Assist in detailed monitoring activities

Progress achieved so far:• A Project Team & Project Advisory

Group in place • A Monitoring Sub-committee in

place • Training and Capacity building: • A site management-planning

workshop• A database set up to store and

manage IBA data• Kenya’s IBA Status and trend report

2004• Detailed monitoring established in

four sites

IBA sites with detailed monitoring

Kinangop

Kikuyu Escarpment KakamegaL.Victoria

Mukurweini

Project Title: Flamingo conservation and Ramsar Site Management at Lake Bogoria , Kenya

UK Organisation: Earthwatch Institute (Europe) and University of Leicester

Collaborator(s): Lake Bogoria National Reserve, University of Nairobi, National Museums of Kenya, Kenya Wildlife Service, WWF

NMK staff involvedTutors/Advisors: • Department of Invertebrate Zoology: (Mr. Laban Njoroge)• Ornithology Department: (Dr. Muchai & Mr Kariuki) • Herbarium Department: (Dr Mwasya). Intensive field training (Certificate): 4 interns (Entomology &

Ornithology)

Objectives• Effects of changes in external factors on the

abundance of Lesser Flamingoes • Causes of movements of Lesser

Flamingoes between lakes• Causes of Lesser Flamingoes mass-

mortality • Species health monitoring • Training and capacity building

Role and responsibility of NMK

• Training• Provide technical advice• Assist in selection of participants for the

training courses

Progress so far• 2 workshops “Taxonomy for Biodiversity Conservation”

• The project has trained 50% of the objective numbers in the two workshops

• Continuous monitoring of the Spirulina populations in Lake Bogoria

• Continuous monitoring of the Flamingo populations in Lake Bogoria

• Preparation of educational materials for the schools

• Draft designs of the school posters and the Reserve Guidebook

• Intensive field training for 3 interns from the NMK (Entomology & Ornithology)

• .

Project: Actions for conservation of globally threatened birds in Africa (SAP)

• UK Organisation: Royal Society for Protection of Birds (RSPB)

• Collaborators: BirdLife African Partnership; In Kenya: - Nature Kenya; National Museums of Kenya

• NMK staff involved: 1 Research Scientist (National Species Action Coordinator for Kenya)

Objectives

• Phase 1 (complete): Establish capacity for participatory action planning for globally threatened bird species in Africa

• Phase 2 (in progress): Establish capacity for implementing action plans for globally threatened bird species in Africa

AchievedPhase 1: • Format for Species Action Planning Africa

developed• Production of 8 International and 15 National

Species Action Plans for Africa• Training and experience in action plan preparation

in >20 countries including Kenya• Action Plans for 3 Kenyan bird species producedPhase 2:International Management Training focused on

implementing Species Action Plans started

NMK involvement

• Staff involvement in National Coordination of SAP project

• Developing Species Action Plans for Spotted Ground Thrush

• Implementing Research actions for conserving Spotted Ground Thrush & Blue Swallow in Kenya

RECOMMENDATIONS BASED ON NMK’S INSTITUTIONAL

EXPERIENCES

Linkages

• Creation of linkages and a common coordination mechanism within a country to:

– eliminate duplication and competition for same resources

– enhance information sharing among partners both in the UK and Kenya.

Exit Strategies

• Embedded in the final year work plan

• Ensures implementation of interventions proposed as a result of project activities

• Focus on institutional priority needs especially where there are other partners involved in project implementation

Thank You All!