NAIROBI NATIONAL PARK CITIES ECOSYSTEMS & BIODIVERSITY By Wilson Korir- Assistant Director, Southern area A side event of the AFRICITIES SUMMIT of 18 to 24 September 2006 KENYA WILDLIFE SERVICE HQS. Nairobi, Kenya. ORGANISED BY UNEP,IUCN,KWS & BRAZILLIAN EMBASSY
Nairobi National Park Ecosystem
Background Founded in 1946, covers 117km 2 Protected under wildlife act cap 376 First Park to be gazetted in Kenya, A mere backyard compared to 20,000sqkm of Tsavo s, its size belies its importance. Core area in a larger ecosystem Wildlife would disperse up to Kilimambogo/Oldonyo sabuk N. Park in the north, Amboseli in the south, Narok in the west, Machakos in the east
Background cont:1 1950 s and 1960 s, farmers and settlers gradually took up the land around the base of the Ngong Hills- west
Background cont:2 In the 1970 s - development of group ranches in the south In 1986 - adoption of individual private ownership of land in the south It gives Nairobi city a unique character It is a renowned tourist destination and one of the major revenue earner for the country A major rhino sanctuary Supports the second largest annual migration of large herbivores
BENEFITS (ECONOMIC.TOURISM &ENVIRONMENTAL) Environmental values Park is home to 100 species of mammals- 4 of the big five (lion, leopard, buffalo, rhino) are well represented in the park. No elephants! Other carnivores include: Cheetahs, Serval cats, crocodiles, snakes Primates are represented by baboons, varvets etc It s the country s largest black rhino sanctuarysupplies rhinos to other rhino projects in the country Has spectacular annual migration of wildebeests, Zebra and associated animals: 2 nd from Mara- Serengeti migration.
Environmental values cont. 1 It s a dry season refuge for most wildlife in the ecosystem. Providing water, salt licks, security and grazing & browse material Park conserves samples of two major ecosystems; Highland dry forest & savannah An IBA with over 400 bird species
Economic & tourism Values The park engages over 120 permanent staff and 20 temporally staff per week It has 5 picnic sites which offering excellent view of the undulating plains & abundant wildlife Offers lodging & entertainment facilities next to park Park ranks fifth in respect to visitation and income generation in Kenya. It receives in excess of 100,000 visitors since 1950s and Ksh 45,000,000 annually.
Recreational & aesthetic Values Beautiful and undisturbed landscape gorges & valleys, Dams, open grasslands and tropical forests Important for bird watching, game drives, picnics, Hippo, crocodile, tortoise/turtle watching Area is an important carbon sink for Nairobi city
Educational Values Hosts the Nairobi Safari walk & Animal orphanage with 150,000 visitors per annum Crucial area in the academic circles due to its proximity to the many educational institutions
Challenges towards sustainable conservation 1. Increase in human population- Population in Nairobi has grown over the years to Over 3,000,000 people currently Within the ecosystem, the population has grown from 80,000 in 1969 to 410,000 in 1999 2. Loss of dispersal & migration areas for wildlife- Fences, flower farming, eucalyptus farming, quarrying, gypsum mining, urban sprawl etc 3. Increase in human wildlife conflict and poaching Lions, hyenas, wildebeests etc 4. Economic valuation and appreciation of wildlife to socio-economic development wildlife conservation as the land use option
Gypsum mines Raw material for cement production- Located in calving & breeding areas
Emakoko quarries Major source of construction materials in Nairobi & surrounding urban areas
Zebras outside the park
Isinya flower farm
Air pollution from factories
Dead fish in the park
Orbit chemicals factory
Air pollution- Orbit
Waste burning outside the park
Slums in the eastern boundary
Fences adjacent to Nairobi N. Park Nairobi District Quarry Kajiado District Machakos District Sheep &Goat Goat area
Impacts 1. Loss of space & habitat for wildlife in dispersal areas- effects of urbanization, which is progressively engulfing the park, effects of fragmentation fences,etc 2. Loss of wildlife species and population decline 3. Habitat degradation- Pollution, invasive species Eg. Ipomoea species Death of the migration system- reduced number of animals migrating 1977-2002 wildlife populations fell by 72% An average of 5% per year in the area outside NNP.
Nairobi National Park Ecosystem Pressure zones 4 5 2 6 1 3 1 sheep & goat farm, under ministry of livestock 2 Isinya market center & surrounding development 3 - Kitengela market center & surrounding areas 4 Kiserian market center 5 Rongai and adjacent areas
Way forward Development of Kitengela-Isinya division Master plan of Kajiado district - in the last stages Active management of NNP Regulation and control of land subdivision in the ecosystem Community conservation areas and enterprises e.g Munchiriri swamp is proposed to be a community sanctuary Security and wildlife conflict resolution Education and awareness Stake holder collaboration
Thank you