National Museums of Kenya: Experiences with Darwin Initiatives

1. National Museums of Kenya: Experiences with Darwin Initiatives Dr. Helida Oyieke Director, Research & Scientific Affairs

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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 involved 2 Research Scientists

5. 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

6. MONITORING SCHEME DATABASE TRAINING SITE MANAGEMENT PLANS The WWT Darwin project WWT, 9 partner countries & Wetlands International Objectives

7. 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.

8. 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 involved A 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. IBA sites with detailed monitoring Kinangop Mukurweini L.Victoria Kakamega Kikuyu Escarpment

14. 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 involved • Tutors/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)

15. 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

16. Role and responsibility of NMK • Training • Provide technical advice • Assist in selection of participants for the training courses

17. 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) • .

18. 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)

19. 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

20. Achieved Phase 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 produced Phase 2: International Management Training focused on implementing Species Action Plans started

21. 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

23. RECOMMENDATIONS BASED ON NMK’S INSTITUTIONAL EXPERIENCES

24. 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.

25. 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

26. Thank You All!