Protected areas in East Africa not conserving Acacia- Study

Protected areas in East Africa are not doing enough to conserve the iconic Acacia trees in the savannah, a new study have found.

The study found that majority of Acacia biodiversity in protected areas like national parks, nature and forest reserves receive little protection, a situation which may be exacerbated by climate change.

The researchers found that two thirds of Acacia diversity hotspots had less than 10 per cent coverage by protected areas. They also conclude that due to climate change, high-elevation, moisture-dependent species of Acacia may contract their ranges towards mountain peaks, where protected areas are dominated by forest reserves.

“The Acacia is one of Africa’s most iconic groups of trees, but our data suggest protected areas such as national parks do not really conserve them. This is most likely because most protected areas were originally established to protect big game rather than to protect biodiversity and plants.” Dr Andy Marshall on of the researchers from US said.

Acacia includes a number of species that dominate extensive areas of East African woodland, wooded grassland and bushland. It occurs across a wide range of ecosystems, from arid deserts to mountain forests, and ranges from small shrubs to large trees.

The study ‘The genus Acacia (Fabaceae) in East Africa: distribution, diversity and the protected area network’ is published at Plant Ecology and Evolution and included research in 771 protected areas in 65 world-renowned national parks and game reserves in five East African countries of Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda.

“Data suggest that if we were to take the existing protected areas and place them completely at random across the area, we would get a better coverage of Acacia diversity than the current distribution,” says the study.

The study says governments should seek how best to deal with the potential mismatch between biodiversity and the current protected area network by effective means of biodiversity conservation by closely involving local people to protect both animals and plants.

“Acacia like other plants have been ignored in conservation in protected areas even though they harness Sun’s energy and providing nutrients for the entire food chain. Information on plant distributions and the ways in which ecosystems will respond to future climatic and economic developments is crucial,” Dr Marshall says.

The study which has been carried out by University of York, Flamingo Land Theme Park and Zoo among others will be fully published next year.

© Manuel Odeny, 2012

Farmers benefit from bamboo farming as a new cash cow

Millicent Atieno tending to her Bamboo groove at Kadika Village, Migori County   

A group of bamboo farmers in Kadika Village of Migori County are reaping major benefits after veering away from the common tobacco and sugarcane farming in the area.

The about 80 farmers who benefited from an initiative by Maseno University which gave them 30 seedlings each a decade ago now boast of a steady income and are safe from health risk from tobacco curing and smoking which causes TB and makes children to be smokers when they grow up.

In addition the farmers are now avoiding the long queues and delays they had to be content with to get their pay from tobacco and sugarcane firms in the area.

Among the farmers who started with only a quarter an acre when approached is Mrs. Millicent Atieno who has so far increased her area to 5 acres after getting the befit of bamboo farming.

“I started harvesting my bamboos after two years and haven’t stopped ever since which gives me a steady income, a shoot can give up to 200 suckers in one hole and can be used in different stages and functions” Atieno says.

 “When the shoots are young they only require minimal tendering as the leaves that fall at the base of the bamboo grooves act as a herbicide and mulch which goes on to retain moisture and preserve the soil” she adds.

The farmers are now turning the venture on a full scale basis as they benefit from making furniture, buildings, firewood and twigs and trunks used to make ornaments and sandals.

A bamboo yacht from the group

“Right now I’m sitting on a chair and using a table made of bamboo with my house having structures from bamboo. Apart from making ornaments to sell in the market, I have a steady supply of firewood and charcoal in my homestead which i also sell to my neighbours” she adds.

When the farmers started harvesting the bamboos they came together to help cut out middle men who were exploiting them and help give value to their products.

Under the Kadika Bamboo Sacco, the farmers have established a workshop at the village which is only four kilometres from Migori town to make out finished products, look for the market and offer advise with the farmers getting 90% if the income with the remaining being ploughed back into running the Sacco.

The Sacco makes trays for display which sell at Sh250, office pens and mobile holder for Sh200, yacht for Sh250, Sh1,200 tables, chairs for Sh650 among other products.

“From these proceeds we have managed to employ 5 artisans and sales people who are helping us with turning finishing the products and get the bamboos directly from farmers” Mr. Ezekiel  Onganjo, a farmer who also the manger at the Sacco says.

Ongajo adds that the Sacco runs a tree nursery of the three species of bamboo with the giant specie mainly used for making building and chairs going for Sh250 while bambusa and vulgaria going for Sh150.

“The sales from these seedling is high as it surpasses eucalyptus which seedlings which are sold at Sh2 and grows three times with easy propagating as only a shoot can producer over 200 suckers” he says.

“The roots of the giant and bambusa species are also used as tubers as food and vegetables. With the most buyers being from Chinese and Korean constructors in the county involved in water and infrastructure projects” he adds.

Mr. Zabedeus Nyamari, the Migori county forest officer has lauded the group and calls on Kenyans to take bamboo farming seriously to help reach the 10% forest cover in the country as envisioned in Vision 2030 and Millennium Development Goals, MDGs.

Bamboo chairs from the group

“Bamboo has the ability to absorb up to 12 tonnes of carbon for every hectare which makes it ideal for reducing the effects of global warming in the world. Sadly for over 150,000 hectares of 22 species of bamboo in the country, 95% are protected in government forestes which gives the number in farmers’ hand to be very little even with this huge benefits” Mr. Nyamari says.

In Africa Ethiopia leads with over 1 million hectares of the plant while China is the biggest producer in the world at 80% with 60% consumed internally. This shows how far Kenya is placed in the bamboo industry is globally worth $11 billion annually and sustains over 1.5 billion people according to figures obtained from the International Network for Bamboo and Rattan (INBAR).

©Manuel Odeny 2012

Eucalyptus: The Environmental Monster



A dry trech running through aeucalyptus groove. In 2006 we used to
play on the damp swamp but now its dry

Ever since it was discovered more than two centuries ago in Australia by European explorers , eucalyptus have been extensively grown globally.

Currently there are above 4million hectares of the species in over 80 countries worldwide according to Dr. Richard Matsekele of the Zimbabwe Environmental Research Institute.

With the rise of eucalyptus popularity controversy have also surrounded the specie.

In 1913 a proclamation in Ethiopia akin to Hon. John Michuki, Kenyan Environment minster, was made to oppose the species thirst for ‘drying up rivers and wells’. The directive wanted all standing eucalyptus trees to be replaced by Mulberry tree.

The campaign never materialized.

Eucalyptus still remains as feature in Ethiopia after 115 years of being introduced by emperor Menelik II for it fast growing nature to curb deforestation for wood fuel.

About three months ago, Michuki gazette the order of uprooting and prohibited planting of eucalyptus in watersheds and along rivers. Supporting the move the minister said the species negatively affects wetland environment.

Michuki exercised the power under section 42(3) and 147 of the Environmental management act which promotes the sustainable use of water resources.

Apart from Kenya and Ethiopia a move to control eucalyptus growth has been instituted in Australia, Brazil and South Africa while its negative effects have been felt in Madagascar and Zimbabwe.

Two questions to ponder is if the Michuki’s ban can be implemented, Secondly the effect of eucalyptus on the environment.

But firstly let’s see the rise of eucalyptus.

The match against indigenous forest. “When you go into these monoculture plantations, they look like dead forests because it is only eucalyptus. You don’t see birds, butterflies, other trees, animals- anything other than them because they don’t allow any other growth.” Nobel Laureate Prof. Wangari Maathai, founder of Green Belt Movement, at second World Congress of Agroforestry in Nairobi recently.

According to Maathai eucalyptus and other foreign species have replaced indigenous African species.

The main reason is that eucalyptus are fast growers and depending on use start maturing at six months. They regrow when chopped from the root. In addition their high quality timber is used for timber, ornaments and pulping. The species also provide fencing post and building material.

In industries, the eucalyptus oil distilled from the leaves manufacture food supplements like sweets and cough drops.

Prof. Wangari Maathai insists that these benefits should not be overtly promoted over the environmental issues.

“As we continue to plant eucalyptus on watersheds, we will continue to experience water shortages and it will even become a bigger problem as climate change hit us.” Said Maathai.

The problem is experienced in Madagascar where bio diversity is threatened by the species replacing the country’s original native forests. An example is the Andasibe-Mantanda national park.

Scientist against the indigenous forest conservation argue that the over 700 species of eucalyptus are adapted in different environments worldwide, thus, each specie negative effects should be accessed separately.

Conversely, Prof. Maathai, who won the Nobel Prize for her tree planting campaign, insists that if the trend is not reversed then they will consume a lot of water and dry up water sheds.

Not worth it. Their advantages aside, planting eucalyptus is not worth it.
In South Africa the nectar from eucalyptus provides high quality honey for bee keepers.

However, they became invasive by their water sucking capabilities of drying up wells. And by releasing chemicals in soil which kills native competitors.

Through transpiration the specie draws large volumes of water from soil which drys water towers.

Interestingly the effects on watersheds can not be permanent since eucalyptus roots only reach 2.5M underground. Through rain and irrigation the effects can be reversed though Biodiversity destroyed is irreversible.

Although it destroys the ecology, the ‘water sucking’ ability is used to reduce soil salinity and prevent malaria by draining swamps which breeds mosquito larvae habitat as is happened in Algeria, Sicily and California.

On the other hand their fast growth helps the specie to act as wind breakers and reduce soil erosion.

Eucalyptus negative effect on environment is not worth it although its fast growth can match the demand for wood fuel and other needs arising from population growth.

According to Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) with only a hectare of forest planted for every ten hectares cleared, exotic species like eucalyptus remain an alternative because of it alternative uses.

The species too can be harvested as early as six months depending on the use for either poles or timber.

With adverse effects of drought on crops, livestock and humanity causing economical and sociological problems, Michuki directive is timely. The changing weather pattern makes rain unpredictable creating a need for water conservation.

Economic sectors adversely affected by drought are tourism and tea production, which Kenya is the leading tea exporter in the world.

The Kenya Tea Development Agency which produces three fifths of Kenyan tea has its production reduced by 30% because of drought according to its managing director Lorionka Tiampati.

The effects of drought are taxing the economy calling for the need to conserve water.

The only loop side to control of eucalyptus on watersheds is that the minister’s directive under Environmental and co-ordination act was repealed by act no. 5 of 2007 under licensing laws by the parliament.

This is according to Mark Oloo, environmental lawyer with Institute of Law and Environmental governance.

No matter the economic gain of eucalyptus, their negative effects on environment cannot be overlooked as notes Prof. Wangari Maathai:

“Eucalyptus is good for the beauty they offer but consume a lot of water when planted along rivers and around wetlands and watershed.”