More information from Earthwatch about the CRI in Samburu

I recently received an email from Earthwatch that provided an update about their various CRI projects. There was an article about the severe drought in the Samburu region and how the project has been working to help the region. I've copied the text below, but the entire text (with information about the CRI's in general and the various CRI projects in particular) can be found here.

Samburu: Conservation Partners Meet in the Rain

This year was marked by severe drought in northeastern Kenya. Families whose wealth is measured by the number of livestock they own went from having 400 cattle to 4. Herders moved their cattle to protected forested areas on the top of mountains to find any remaining pasture, and when that ran out, they climbed the trees and cut down braches to provide the leaves to their cattle. Shortly thereafter, the rains fell in amounts that people do not remember occurring before. Since there was no grass due to drought and grazing to help absorb and slow down the water, it ran across the landscape, creating flash flooding and erosion.

In the middle of these rains, 55 partners, scientists, and community members managed to arrive at an Earthwatch workshop in Isiolo. Some of them had walked 40 kilometers in the pouring rain to arrive, while others were receiving news that their camp had been carried away by a river. Yet from April 6-7, 2006, the participants shared their research findings and community needs to improve the livelihoods of the people and wildlife living in the area. Recognition of the impacts of the drought on the region brought natural resource understanding and management to the forefront of discussion. Initial research findings from Earthwatch teams were presented in terms of how their findings about natural resource management can be turned into action by the communities. Dr. Alex Njue, of the Communities, Water, and Wildlife and Wildlife Habitats projects presented preliminary results from the water project, finding that water quality in the region is generally low, especially due to fecal contamination and land degradation caused by animals, but that the boreholes were the cleanest of all sources. The data, which he expects to be completed next year, will help communities identify and map the best water sources for humans, livestock, and wildlife. The project has already prevented an outbreak of cholera by detecting contaminated water, and containing it before it affected the general population of approximately 142,000 people. Results from the two Grevy’s Zebra projects have found that the endangered Grevy’s Zebra prefers to water from 8-10am. If they must compete with cattle for the water at that time, they will return at night, and be open to lion depredation. As PI Joseph Kirathe said, “The take away message for conservation is that possible mitigation is to water cattle later in the day.”

Results from all the projects will also contribute to the establishment of community conservancies in the pastoral area. These organized local communities have legal jurisdiction over the zoning of their land. The conservancies are determining which parts of their land will be used for settlement, grazing, and preservation. They recognize that by having zoned areas, there will be less competition for pasture between wildlife and livestock. Zoning will also allow the land to recover to its natural state, providing a crucial emergency pasture resource during severe drought. Titus
Letaapo of the Namunyak Wildlife Conservation said the community conservancies
“want to get reports from the scientists to identify those areas. The data could be used for wildlife management plans.”

Earthwatch scientists are eager to help the communities apply their findings, but data must be collected first, which requires the hands-on work of Earthwatch volunteers. With volunteers, data collection is increased, seasonal fluctuations can be understood, and the communities can have answers to their environmental questions.

The Samburu CRI is comprehensive and constantly evolving. There are six research projects, two research centers, and many partners and communities involved. Even if you’ve already been to a Samburu CRI project, come back and help out from another angle!