Fred Orido
24 March 2005
Nairobi — The management of the Aberdares fencing project wants the government to allocate it some funding from the national budget.
According to Mr Colin Church, chairman Rhino Ark Management Committee, they target to complete the fence by 2007, however this will require an extra Sh100 million to cover an estimated 90 kilometres.
Together with this, more finances will be required for maintaining the fence. "Again I make an urgent appeal to all relevant agencies to work on modalities which will provide specific funds for this huge task requiring an endowment of Sh 200 million," he said in a statement.
The Aberdares fence is meant to reduce conflict between humans and animals.
So far the Rhino Ark fence has raised over Sh232 million, "almost all of it from ordinary individuals who have been quicker and more vocal than our political leaders. My appeal today is to those other departments of government to put their money where their mouth is and make specific contributions out of their annual budgets to complete the project with speed."
Although the Rhino Ark will continue to play a key role in fund raising and management, Mr Church says this is a huge responsibility and called for more direct government input especially now when it is planning the 2006 budget.
The Aberdares ecosystem covers nearly 2000 sq kms and the fence is arguably the most important management tool for the natural resources in the area, but, says Mr Church, it has not received much attention from the relevant government agencies.
Mr Church said political support for the Aberdares conservation is paramount. "Politicians who state that forest and indeed wildlife land in this area is for settlement of the landless and that elephant corridors are not needed are doing us all and their constituents a disservice."
He says the role of politicians in development is well cut out - to reform laws and create an enabling environment for better welfare for their voters. "We need the fullest possible support for these MPs who we pay to make wise legislation in Parliament - their job is there." He asked politicians to desist from interfering with institutions with sound and experienced professionals and who are entirely capable of delivering management services so long as Parliament give them the legal frame work and the funds to do it.
The need for swift enactment of the Forest Bill 2004 - now a whole year and three months overdue must be brought to this Session of Parliament and brought into law, added Mr Church.
Mr Church is of the view that detrimental practices such as the shamba system inside indigenous forest should be phased out if conservation is to be fruitful. Extraction of natural vegetation which when removed destroys forest cover - grazing, grass cutting, deadwood extraction to name some important ones must also be stopped.
Other measures to be undertaken are, abolishion of plans to clear old commercial softwoods inside indigenous forest zones and replanting of indigenous trees.
"Aggressive policies for the development of commercial forests outside indigenous forest zones specifically on private land and in well planned Forest Department land not essential for water catchments must be encouraged, " He said.
An acceptance that the indigenous forests inside the fence line will be most cost effectively run and managed under a policy of one lead agency manning all entry points.
Under clear NEMA guidelines permit and create an enabling environment for those activities and uses which are beneficial to forest integrity. These include cultural pursuits, leisure and managed tourism, as well as strictly controlled water extraction and non destructive flora and fauna harvesting.
Mr Church says all the parties involved should focus on creating greater wealth on forest edge farms by developing agro forestry, farm woodlots for fuel needs, forest line industries that use forest cover beneficially, bee keeping and river trout hatcheries to name some.
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