Tana Delta Irrigation Project, Kenya: An Environmental Assessment

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Rehabilitation of the Tana Delta Irrigation Project, Kenya: An Environmental Assessment. Ficus bussei Mildbr. & Burret Moraceae HIDOLE Ficus natalensis Hochst. Moraceae HIDOLE, MVUMA* Ficus scassellatii Pamp. Ssp scassellatii Moraceae Ficus sycomorus L. Moraceae MKUYU, MKUJU*. CANOES Phoenix reclinata Jacq. Palmae (Arecaceae) MKINDU Zanthoxylum chalybeum Engl. var chalybeum Rutaceae Dobera loranthifolia (Warb.) Harms Salvadoraceae MUKUPHA, MUKUBFA*. FRTS Blighia unijugata Baker Sapindaceae MUBO Lecaniodiscus fraxinifolius Baker ssp scassellatii Sapindaceae MHUMBI-MWEUPE, (Chiov.) Friis KIWAMBWE-KINKUNDU Majidea zanguebarica Oliv. Sapindaceae Manilkara mochisia (Baker) Dubard Sapotaceae MURAIDHE Mimusops obtusifolia Lam. Sapotaceae MNGUVWE Sideroxylon inerme L. ssp diospyroides (Baker) Sapotaceae J.H.Hemsl. Synsepalum msolo (Engl.) Pennington Sapotaceae MCHAMBYA Cola clavata Mast. Sterculiaceae MNOFU-WA-NKUKU Sterculia appendiculata K.Schum. Sterculiaceae MFUNE All these 42 tree species occur naturally in the TDIP area. There are several other species that are indigenous to the coastal areas of Kenya, but not to this area. Some examples of species that could be included in trials are as follows: Acacia elatior Acacia tortilis ssp raddiana Albizia adianthifolia Albizia amara Albizia gummifera Albizia versicolor Antiaris toxicaria Apodytes dimidiata Bivinia jalbertii Boscia angustifolia Boscia mossambicensis Calophyllum inophyllum Cassia afrofistula Cephalospaera usambarensis Combretum molle Combretum schumannii Cordyla africana Croton megalocarpoides Croton sylvaticus Dalbergia boehmii Delonix elata Dialium orientale Dobera glabra Drypetes reticulata Erythrina sacleuxii Ficus usambarica Grewia plagiophylla Gyrocarpus americanus Milicia excelsa Millettia usaramensis Parkia filicoidea Populus ilicifolia Ricinodendron heudelotii Sterculia schliebenii Syzygium guineense Terminalia prunioides Terminalia sambesiaca Terminalia spinosa Warburgia stuhlmannii Xylopia spp This list is not exhaustive. It has been suggested that the local schools could play a major part in these trials as part of their environmental education programmes. The recommendation is that these trials be supervised either by TARDA or by a local NGO. Once some direction is evident from this experimentation, then the nursery operations should be « privatised » i.e. handed over to village environment committees or to individuals who are interested in the business. All enrichment planting, corridor planting and woodlots would be contracted out to these nurseries. 41
Rehabilitation of the Tana Delta Irrigation Project, Kenya: An Environmental Assessment. Exotic and Invasive species TARDA has so far relied on 4 exotic tree species for its woodlot programme: a) Azadirachta indica. As stated previously (4.5), the invasive nature of Neem disqualifies this as a suitable species for reforestation and, unless it is found that the primates utilise the leaves or fruits, a programme of removal of the existing trees and seedlings should be planned. b) Pithecellobium dulce has not been very successful in the woodlots but was seen growing very well as individuals in the villages. It is probably a potential food species for the Mangabeys and perhaps more work is needed to determine whether this is a tree valued by local communities and whether establishment can be improved. c) Senna (Cassia) siamea. This widely used species probably has its value in further reforestation efforts but should be evaluated against other species. d) Eucalyptus camaldulensis. It is not known how successful this species has been, however, with the worldwide advances made in selecting new and better Eucalypt hybrids, their pole wood and firewood values cannot be discounted and they should continue to be evaluated within the woodlot programme. An additional species that has shown great promise further south, in Malindi District, is Albizia lebbeck. This should be included with any other novel species suggested by KEFRI or ICRAF in trials. The Prosopis problem is now countrywide and cannot be solved by TDIP alone. However, every effort should be made to remove it where feasible and to persuade local pastoralist communities to stop feeding pods to their livestock which assists greatly in spreading « Mathenge ». Innovative ideas must be sought to at least tame this weed even if there is little hope of eradication. Strengthen/establish Village Environment Committees As the first stage in moving towards some form of village management of the forest or PFM, the village committees need to be strengthened and an environmental subcommittee created where none exist. In a similar manner to the approached used by CFCU in Kwale and Kilifi Districts (now also Malindi District), these village committees should be encouraged to appoint Forest Guards or Wardens that draw some honoraria, initially from the donor project, but eventually from committee funds raised from sale of wood products and from fines. Village Guards/Wardens These should be appointed by the Village Committees on the following basis: i. Must be local resident of village ii. One guard or warden per 10 Ha (with obviously a minimum of 1 guard for forests less than 10 Ha). Thus Forest 48 with its reported size of 30 Ha would initially have 3, increasing as necessary with expansion and corridor creation). iii. The ‘honorarium’ should not be considered a salary. This needs further discussion as to whether the « Kaya system » is workable, but a possible combination of nursery contracts with these ‘honoraria’ should be explored. Riverbank Strip Forest Development Two of the most striking facts about the primates’ habitat preferences are that they like riverine forest and that they like the forest perimeter. One of the most effective ways of creating new habitat is thus to utilise the riverbank and the protection this is afforded by Kenyan legislation. Prior to the enacting the Environment Management Act, it was standard that 30m on either side of a river should NOT be cultivated. Although this was often contravened with impunity, it is probable that it is enforceable using the new legislation. With the advantage of the high water-table, it should be the quickest and easiest place to establish a forested strip using fig stakes of Ficus sycomorus. Overtime a more generous strip can be negotiated with the village committees, extending it to perhaps 100 metres (Appendix 6). The use of this strip to interplant mango trees will be beneficial to both the villagers and the endangered primates. 42
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Tana Delta Irrigation Project, Kenya: An Environmental Assessment

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