GBM Blog

Samburu County is predominantly semi-arid with a scarce erratic rainfall (mean annual rainfall of between 500-700mm per annum). Increased human dependence on forest resources along with variability in intensity and seasonality of rainfall, have resulted in prolonged drought and severe weather events in recent years. Kirisia forest, one of four forest reserves in Samburu, has been badly encroached and poorly managed, and is subject to fierce and destructive fires. Illegal extraction of cedar, collection of firewood, charcoal burning, cutting down trees for fodder and overharvesting of herbs and non-wood forest products are main threats to Kirisia forest and its ecosystem functioning.

Due to vulnerability caused by changing weather patterns and the serious degradation of the existing forests, communities living in this area will need to deal over the coming period with greater climate change. It is necessary to start now to educate and help bring human activities into better harmony with the ecosystem that sustains them. 

The Green Belt Movement (GBM) in partnership with Auerbach Family Foundation is implementing a project within chania watershed aimed at enhancing effective Natural Resource Management in the watershed. 

Addis Ababa, 26 September 2014 – Yesterday, the African Union Commission (AUC), through its Department of Rural Economy and Agriculture (DREA), in collaboration with the Ministry of Forestry and Environment and the Environment Protection Agency of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia marked the 3^rd Anniversary of the death of Prof. Wangari Maathai, Africa’s first woman Nobel laureate. The event was commemorated with a tree planting ceremony at the premises of the Commission.

This post originally appeared in http://www.au.int on September 26, 2014.

Climate change poses one of the greatest challenges facing the world in the 21^st century. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPPC) notes that climate change, if not tackled, will have severe negative impacts on global water supply, agricultural yields, forest ecosystems and the spread of vector-borne diseases, and could result in the displacement of thousands of people from coastal cities and small islands.  This has led the Kenyan government to put in place a Climate Change Action Plan 2013- 2017 to make sure the country is ready and able to adapt to and reduce these potentially devastating effects against the country and its communities.