October 2019
 NOTES FROM THE FIELD - PROTECTING OUR NATURAL RESOURCES THOUGH EFFECTIVE POLICY

Greetings from Nairobi! 

World Habitat Day was this month. It is intended to remind the world that we all have the power and the responsibility to shape the future of our cities and towns. A huge component of that "shaping" is advocating for effective policies that protect our natural resources (e.g. water, air, and biodiversity). Communities across the region depend on natural resources for their livelihoods and for essential ecosystem services, such as clean water.

We launched a new project called "Conservation and Management of Natural Capital in East Africa." The project will support multi-sectoral policy dialogues with public and private sector stakeholders from the East African Community (EAC) member states and it will include representatives from local communities living around transboundary ecosystems every step of the way. A major objective of the project is to s upport the EAC Secretariat to harmonize and adopt effective regional policies, laws, and strategies for the conservation and sustainable use of natural resources. 

I encourage you to read more about the new EAC initiative and our ongoing programs below.

Enjoy the read and Happy World Habitat Day.
Aurelia Micko
Environment Office Chief
USAID Kenya and East Africa
PARTNER HIGHLIGHTS
USAID AND EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY SECRETARIAT LAUNCH NEW PROGRAM TO PROTECT THE REGION'S NATURAL RESOURCES
On October 29, USAID and the East African Community Secretariat jointly launched a new regional initiative to protect the region’s natural resources. The initiative, called Conservation and Management of Natural Capital in East Africa, will improve the collaborative management and conservation of transboundary natural resources, reduce wildlife poaching and trafficking, and increase the perceived value of living wildlife.

The East African Secretariat will lead program implementation with technical and analytical support from the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Environment Incentives.

East Africa's infrastructure is expanding in response to rapid population growth. This expansion is putting pressure on East Africa’s “natural capital” -- resources that are essential for socio-economic growth and development of East African countries and people.

In East Africa, biodiversity-rich areas are critical to the region’s nature-based tourism industry, which contributes 7.5-10 percent of East Africa’s gross domestic product. At the local level, rural communities across the region depend on wildlife and wildlife habitats for their livelihoods. Iconic wildlife, and the landscapes on which it roams, has significant value. The new Conservation and Management of Natural Capital Program will help strengthen the EAC Secretariat's capacity to protect it. 
Partnership for conservation: (From left to right) Hon. Christophe Bazivamo, EAC Deputy Secretary General in charge of Productive and Social Sectors, Ms Aurelia Micko Director, Kenya & East Africa Environment Office at USAID and Mr Luther Anukur, IUCN Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa officially launched the new USAID supported initiative to protect East Africa’s natural resources.
"We believe that effective conservation and management of natural capital in the East African Community is crucial to the region’s long-term economic growth and development, and its journey to self-reliance. We also believe that a regional approach is necessary to complement and advance national efforts,
USAID Environment Office Director Aurelia Micko.
CALLING ALL JOURNALISTS -- THERE ARE CONSERVATION STORIES TO TELL
With USAID support, Internews is commencing a series of workshops to improve reporting on wildlife conservation. East African media practitioners interested in environmental conservation journalism with a demonstrated track record of well-researched and solutions-based stories are invited to apply. The application deadline for the first workshop closed on October 11, but there will be more. Click to the right to find out more and ready your application.

The workshops and overall USAID/Internews program will improve conservation reporting in the region by sharpening reporting skills and deepening knowledge of conservation issues. Trustworthy, high-quality news and information will provide policy makers and communities with the information they need to make informed decisions. The new  Increasing East African Media Coverage of Conservation and Wildlife Issues  activity is supported by USAID under an inter-agency agreement with the U.S. Department of Interior and partner Internews. 

Find out more here .
East Africa Wildlife Journalism

Internews' Earth Journalism Network has joined forces with Internews' Africa Program to launch our latest project focused on boosting coverage of conservation and wildlife issues in East Africa. This work comes at a time when global...

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earthjournalism.net
COMMUNITY CONSERVANCIES GAIN GOVERNMENT RECOGNITION WITH HELP FROM USAID-SUPPORTED KENYA ASSOCIATIONS
In Kenya, the formation of community conservancies is a growing movement. They've been instrumental in the protection of Kenya's biodiversity, including wildlife resources. Well-managed conservancies can spur economic gains, improved security and social cohesion, and access to education and health. 

USAID partners with The Nature Conservancy (TNC), Maasai Mara Wildlife Conservancies Association (MMWCA), Kenya Wildlife Conservancie s Association (KWCA) and Northern Rangelands Trust to make sure nascent community conservancies have the policy and program support they need to thrive.

Last month, TNC, MMWCA and KWCA helped Enonkishu Conservancy , on the northern boundary of the Mara-Serengeti ecosystem, develop a management plan. The plan is required by Kenyan law, under the Wildlife Act 2016, and it's good practice. (KWCA worked with the Kenya Wildlife Service in 2018 to develop guidelines for preparing conservancy management plans.)

Enonkishu Conservancy now has a management plan for reaching its conservation goals of improved productivity of the livestock in the region, improved livelihoods and maintained heritage. 

Find out more about the USAID Community Policy Support and Implementation Program and its other community conservancy initiatives by clicking here . Find out more about Enonkishu Conservancy by clicking to the right.
HOME | enonkishu

Enonkishu Conservancy is committed to sustainable rangeland management that allows space and resources for all people, cattle, and wildlife. To achieve this it seeks a balance between conservation of the ecosystem and appropriate enterprise for...

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www.enonkishu.org
TECHNICAL RESOURCES
COUNTERING WILDLIFE TRAFFICKING THROUGH TANZANIA'S PORTS
Countering Wildlife Trafficking Through Tanzania's Sea Ports provides basic information about two sea ports in Tanzania, Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar, and provides evidence of their involvement in wildlife trafficking. While there have been no reported seizures linked to these target sea ports since August 2015, there have been seizures of illicit wildlife products in the region of Dar es Salaam in recent years. While Tanzania has made significant progress to combat wildlife trafficking in recent years, the ports and associated companies are vulnerable to exploitation by criminals operating within its borders, regionally and internationally.

The analysis within the report provides crucial information on key trafficking routes and concealment methods that have been used to move illicit wildlife products from and via Tanzania to consumer countries.

The report was supported by the USAID-funded Wildlife Trafficking, Response, Assessment and Priority Setting ( Wildlife TRAPS ) project, which is designed to secure a transformation in the level of co-operation between an international community of stakeholders who are impacted by illegal wildlife trade between Africa and Asia. It also increases understanding of the true character and scale of the response required, to set priorities, identify intervention points, and test non-traditional approaches with project partners.
Countering wildlife trafficking through Tanzania's ports ...

Wildlife trafficking is the illegal cross-border trade in live wildlife, wildlife products or their derivatives, both of fauna and flora. It is one of the most lucrative types of transnational crime along with the...

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www.traffic.org
ONE IN FIVE SPECIES AFFECTED BY TRADE, NEW STUDY FINDS
In Global Wildlife Trade Across the Tree of Life , researchers looked across tens of thousands of vertebrate species and found that one in every five species is affected by trade of some sort. The impacts of trade tend to be concentrated in certain phylogenetic groups, thus the potential for long-term impact on certain lineages is substantial.

Wildlife trade is a multibillion dollar industry that is driving species toward extinction.

The analysis allows for prediction of potential for trade where it does not yet occur, facilitating proactive prevention.

USAID did not fund this report, but it does support several activities to stop the illegal trade of wildlife.
Global wildlife trade across the tree of life

Trade in wildlife is well recognized for a few key species, such as elephants and rhinos, but it occurs globally, across a wide array of species.

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science.sciencemag.org
NEW STUDY FINDS THAT CORAL BLEACHING IS DRIVEN BY NUMEROUS STRESSORS, NOT JUST HEAT
In Temperature Patterns and Mechanisms Influencing Coral Bleaching during the 2016 El Niño, a group of global scientists used data from the warmest season on record, the 2016 El Nino, to assess the impact of heat on coral bleaching. They assessed 226 sites and 26 environmental variables, from East Africa to Fiji.

Their findings suggest that coral bleaching is driven by a variety of stressors and that each region responds differently.

Other findings of note: the strongest bleaching was observed in East Africa.

Why is it important?

"The consequence is that management and policies need to be aligned with the locations and types of stresses if we are to identify potential refugia and other priority actions for  coral reefs, " said Dr. Tim McClanahan, Wildlife Conservation Society Senior Conservation Zoologist and co-author of the study.

In Kenya, USAID supports coastal community conservancies, through the Northern Rangelands Trust , to monitor and protect coastal resources.
Temperature patterns and mechanisms influencing coral...

Improved predictions of coral bleaching are critical. In a coordinated global survey effort during the 2016 El Niño, time-series patterns of peak hot temperatures, cool period durations and temperature bimodality were found to be better...

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www.nature.com
ENVIRONMENT NEWS AND OPINION ROUNDUP

Over-extraction of river water from Mt Kenya is leaving people, livestock and wildlife struggling for supplies. Source: The Independent. Read more . K24 TV video .


The British royal is expanding the amount of protected land in Commonwealth nations. Source: National Geographic. Read more.


If you ask someone in a faraway country, say in Asia or Latin America, what Kenya is known for, they are likely to say our diverse wildlife. We are naturally blessed with a rich ecosystem, but there are challenges that must be confronted today. Global warming, population growth and a significant increase in the usage of non-recyclable materials such as plastic, and rising consumerism, all lead to slow (and sometimes fast) demise of wildlife species. Source: Standard. Read more
USAID Kenya and East Africa Environment | www.usaid.gov/east-africa-regional/environment