EAST AFRICAN MONTANE FORESTS

UNEP/DEWA is involved in the assessment of the threats to critical montane forests in East Africa. Some of the key findings are shown in the exhibition "East African Montane Forests". The main reports are listed below.

EXHIBITION

The exhibition "East African Montane Forests" was prepared by UNEP based on work undertaken with key partners in four critical montane areas: Mt. Kenya, the Aberdare Range, the Mau Complex and Mt. Kilimanjaro. See more..

AERIAL MONITORING OF FOREST BOUNDARIES

With support from UNEP, the Kenya Wildlife Service and the Kenya Forest Service have joined hands in monitoring periodically the boundaries of all gazetted forests in Kenya. The objective is to detect any encroachment or settlement into forest as early as possible before they expand and become to difficult to address. See more..

REPORTS ON KENYA'S FIVE MAIN CATCHMENTS

Forest cover changes in Kenya's five"water towers", 2003-2005 The report is a continuation of the study of the changes in forest cover in Kenya's five major catchment areas. It covers the period 2003-2005. It is based on satellite images and was prepared by the Kenya Forests Working Group and the Department of Resource Survey and Remote Sensing with funding from the Dutch Embassy and under the supervision of Christian Lambrechts, UNEP/DEWA. See more..

Forest over changes in Kenya's five"water towers", 2000-2003 The study looks at the changes in forest cover in Kenya's five major catchment areas between 2000 and 2003. It is based on satellite images. The report was prepared by the Kenya Forests Working Group and the Department of Resource Survey and Remote Sensing with funding from the Dutch Embassy and under the supervision of Christian Lambrechts, UNEP/DEWA. See more..

REPORTS ON INDIVIDUAL MONTANE FORESTS

Aberdare Range Aerial survey of forests. At the request of Rhino Ark, UNEP, Kenya Wildlife Service and the Kenya Forests Working Group undertook an aerial survey of the destruction of the Aberdare Range forests. The Aberdare forests are one of Kenya's five main "water towers" and play a critical role in supporting the country's economy. The report of the survey was launched in June 2003. It revealed wanton destruction brought upon this critical ecosystem. See more..

Mt. Kenya Aerial survey of forests. Kenya Wildlife Service undertook an aerial survey of Mt. Kenya forests with the support of UNEP from February to June 1999. The main objective was to provide factual documentation on the extent and nature of human impacts on Mt. Kenya forests. The report triggered major policy responses at the national level. See more..
Following the 1999 aerial survey, the entire forest belt of Mt. Kenya were gazetted as National Reserve and placed under the management of Kenya Wildlife Service. In 2002, a new study was undertaken to assess the effectiveness of the new management practices put in place since 2000. The study report revealed significant improvement in the state of conservation of the forests. See more..

Mt. Kilimanjaro Aerial survey of forests. At the request of UNDP, UNEP, Kenya Wildlife Service, University of Bayreuth and the Wildlife Conservation Society of Tanzania, have undertook an aerial survey of the threats to Mt. Kilimanjaro forests in August-September 2001. The report was launched in June 2002 by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism. See more..

Vanishing icecap of Kilimanjaro. During the 2001 survey of Mt. Kilimanjaro forests, UNEP and KWS assessed changes in the glaciers of the top of Africa. Over the last 38 years some 55 percent of the glacier area has disappeared. See more..

Shrinking forests of Kilimanjaro. A recent study based on satellite imagery carried out by the University of Bayreuth with support of UNEP revealed major changes in the upper forest zone of Kilimanjaro between 1976 and 2000 due to recurrent fires. See more..

Mau Complex The Mau Complex is the largest closed-canopy forest area in Kenya. These forests cover over 400,000 ha, as large those of Mt. Kenya and the Aberdares combined. The Mau Complex comprises 13 forest reserves/trust land forest. With key partners, UNEP is carrying out assessment and advocacy activities on the entire Mau Complex, in particular on the three most affected forest reserves/trust land forest.

Mau Complex in crisis. In collaboration with the Kenya Wildlife Service, Kenya Forests Working Group and the Ewaso Ngiro South Development Authority, UNEP is monitoring changes in the forest cover in the Mau Complex and assessing the negative impacts of these changes on key economic sectors and on the livelihoods of million of people. See more..

Maasai Mau forest. In collaboration with the Kenya Forests Working Group, the Ewaso Ngiro South Development Authority and the Kenya Wildlife Service, UNEP has assessed and monitored changes in the forest cover in and around Maasai Mau and helped trigger major conservation measures by the central government and the local authorities. See more..

Eastern Mau and South West Mau. In collaboration with the Kenya Forests Working Group and the Department of Resource Surveys and Remote Sensing, UNEP carried out an aerial point sampling of these two forests in order to assess the extent of settlements in the forests and estimate the remaining forest cover towards the design and implementation of remedial actions. See more..