Conservation Focus Areas
We campaign against loss of biodiversity and environmental degradation in East Africa.
The state of biodiversity in East Africa
East Africa (EA) region is the home of the Pearl of Africa (Uganda) and one of the world’s greatest natural wonders, the migration of wildebeests across the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania and the Mara National Reserve in Kenya. It is the hub of a wide spectrum of flora and fauna including a variety of endemic species and sub-species which consists of a variety of mammals, primates, antelopes, fish, reptiles, birds, amphibians, invertebrates and plants of various species.
East Africa has a rich array of natural resources including the largest lake in Africa, Lake Victoria and third largest in the world and is the main source of the longest river in the world, the River Nile. It is also the home of the tallest mountains in Africa, Mt. Kilimanjaro and Mt. Kenya. East Africa is characterized by unique rangeland vegetation, great forests, spectacular wildlife and marine life, beautiful landscapes and mineral resources.
Biodiversity loss and degradation in the East African region is however causing permanent ecological changes in ecosystems, landscapes and the biosphere. For example, deforestation in the East African region is a growing threat to the environment and we are witnessing changes in the structures of various forest ecosystems in which water quantity and quality produced by forest water catchments are reducing and even drying up. Rivers and streams that once flowed from these forest ecosystems like the Mau Forest are quickly drying up as a result of deforestation and climate change.
In East Africa region, biodiversity loss and degradation is mainly caused by human disturbances including agriculture, over-grazing and conversion of forests, wetlands, grasslands and other natural areas for infrastructural development and human settlement. These disturbances further lead to habitat loss, environmental pollution, fragmentation, decline in wildlife populations and natural disasters like floods and drought resulting from climate change which further degrade the natural environment.
Wildlife
East Africa is fast losing it’s wildlife. We need your support to change this upward trajectory of wildlife extinction. East Africa is endowed with diverse species of terrestrial and marine wildlife resources some of which are endemic and globally…
Wildlife
East Africa is endowed with diverse species of terrestrial and marine wildlife resources some of which are endemic and globally threatened. The wildlife sector in the region supports the livelihoods of millions of rural households and significantly contributes to the national and regional economies. The tourism industry in the region which is largely dependent on wildlife contributes 7.5-10% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to the region and is a major source of employment.
However, despite the invaluable contribution, Loss of habitat and poaching are increasingly threatening to wipe out the wildlife, which tourism is hinged on. Wildlife in the region face a myriad of threats among them; population pressure, habitat fragmentation and loss, poaching and illegal trafficking, human-wildlife conflict, invasive species, and climate change which have led to a substantial decline of wildlife populations in the region over the past decades potentially threatening livelihoods and economic benefits accrued from the resources.
Though we have contributed significantly to building sound environmental policies for the sustainable management of the region’s wildlife, much more is yet to be accomplished.
Get involved by partnering with us today, to protect wildlife and promote sustainable conservation and management of wildlife and their habitats through anti-poaching measures and the establishment of wildlife sanctuaries, in order to safeguard the future of endangered species throughout the East African region based on scientific approaches.
Forests
East Africa has diverse forest ecosystems such as lowland forests, montane forests, woodlands, plantation forests, bushlands and mangroves which are essential to carbon sequestration and harbor rich plant species and varied biodiversity.
Forests
East Africa has diverse forest ecosystems such as lowland forests, montane forests, woodlands, plantation forests, bushlands and mangroves which are essential to carbon sequestration and harbor rich plant species and varied biodiversity. The forests are key to social and economic wellbeing of East Africa’s countries as most of their economic sectors rely on environmental based resources for their sustenance and directly support livelihoods of forest-adjacent communities. At a country scale, forests cover about 40% of total land area in Tanzania, 12% of Uganda, and 7% of Kenya. It is estimated that forestry in the region contributes an average of 3% to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) excluding the contribution of ecosystems services and informally-traded non-timber products.
Despite the vital contribution, forest cover in the region has decreased significantly over the past years with an estimated annual decrease rate of 0.7 million hectares. This amplifies the effects of climate change and reduces the resilience of communities that derive their livelihoods from these ecosystems. Decrease of forest cover in the region is attributed to population growth, agricultural expansion, infrastructural development, logging, unsustainable harvesting of firewood, wildfires, among other factors.
To address the above challenges, we work to safeguard East Africa’s forests through forest restoration initiatives and by influencing policies that govern the management of forests and preservation of water catchments, to reduce deforestation and its negative impacts on environment.
Join us today and support our Forest Challenge Forest Rehabilitation Programme that aims to restore 600Ha of degraded montane forests and restore important water catchment areas in Kenya.
Marine
The East African cost is faced with rapidly deteriorating marine environment which threatens the survival of the aquatic wildlife and ecosystems. The East African coastal and marine environment consists of diverse ecosystems that…
Marine
The East African coastal and marine environment consists of diverse ecosystems that are characterized by abundant biodiversity including various species of fishes, reptiles, sea mammals, crustaceans, corals, mangrove forests and seagrasses. Marine resources support the livelihoods of coastal communities and contribute significantly to the national economies of countries in the region.
However, degradation of these fragile ecosystems has increased over the past 50 years due to pressure from activities such as pollution from land and marine sources, habitat destruction, urbanization, unregulated development, unsustainable resource exploitation, invasion of alien species and climate change. Plastic waste pollution in particular is literally choking the Indian Ocean and harming or killing marine animals. Seabirds, turtles, fish, oysters and mussels ingest the plastics, which end up clogging their digestive systems and causing death. These threaten the ecosystem’s integrity, reducing livelihood opportunities for communities thus aggravating poverty in the coastal region.
We have since 2004 been working to encourage coastal communities to take ownership of their marine resources, and to manage them sustainably. As such we build capacities of Beach Management Units (BMUs) to manage Community Conservation Areas (CCAs) at the coastal region and implement initiatives that clean up the Ocean from plastic pollution.
Get involved by partnering with us today, to promote sustainable conservation of marine resources at the Coastal region.
Wetlands
Wetlands cover an estimated 18m ha across the East Africa Region. They provide critical ecosystem services that are essential for biodiversity and human survival, health and wellbeing. They also contribute to economic development and…
Wetlands
Wetlands cover an estimated 18m ha across the East Africa Region. They provide critical ecosystem services that are essential for biodiversity and human survival, health and wellbeing. They also contribute to economic development and attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through their contribution is often undervalued or overlooked in policy and decision making.
These critical ecosystems are declining at an alarming rate across the region due to factors such as; encroachment for agriculture and human settlement, urbanization, infrastructural development, overharvesting of resources, pollution, climate change and invasion by invasive species. These threats are exacerbated by a lack of robust and dedicated institutional, policy and legal framework for wetland resources management in the region; lack of accurate and up-to-date wetland resources inventor and land tenure issues, among other factors.
To address the above challenges, we promote the restoration and sustainable utilization of wetland resources to ensure adequate and freshwater supply that benefit people and wildlife including rivers, lakes and swamps within the framework of international conventions.
Get involved by partnering with us today, to lobby for better policies that will govern the management of these important water resources and promote their sustainable utilization.
