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Naivasha boom at stake if environment ignored

[Kenya] Nairobi: Lake Naivasha: "Pesticides and raw sewage are damaging its fragile ecosystem" Lake Naivasha Riparian Association/LPRA
Lake Naivasha in Kenya
Driving west from the capital, Nairobi, the road plunges down into Kenya’s Rift Valley opening up a panorama of dormant volcanoes and, glinting in the distance, Lake Naivasha, the first in a chain of Rift Valley lakes. The distant serenity is deceptive. Arriving at the lake shore, the visitor is greeted by a mass of plastic bags carelessly discarded, caught by trees or simply fluttering across the road. The rubbish is indicative of a bustling, thriving lakeshore community – a testimony to the fertility of the land - but also the harbinger of doom for the lake. The town of Naivasha has seen its population increase sixfold in just 15 years, from 50,000 to 300,000. The area around the lake, one of the few freshwater expanses in the Rift Valley, is ideal for cultivation. The richness of the land and the beauty of the landscape have prompted a dramatic rise in activities such as horticulture, floriculture and tourism. While all of these contribute much-needed revenue to Kenya’s ailing economy, the lake is threatened with irreversible destruction unless riparian activities are controlled and conducted in a sustainable manner. Unless action is taken now, the lake will cease to exist and its income-generating potential will evaporate. The push for land is forcing encroachment onto the wetlands which are essential for the lake’s survival. Vast mounds of papyrus, previously regarded as irrelevant and in the way, act as a natural filter against siltation and are now being allowed to regenerate rather than being slashed to the ground. Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) stresses the importance of conserving wetlands, which carry out important biological and ecological processes. The burgeoning activity around Lake Naivasha and the demand for its water are putting a strain on its survival. Pesticides and raw sewage unleashed into the lake are damaging its fragile ecosystem. The area, home to some 350 types of bird, hippopotamus and other wildlife, is now experiencing the extinction of several species; birds such as the lily-trotter, the great crested grebe and the grey crested helmet shrike have all but disappeared. Nature, of course, also plays a role in the fluctuating fortunes of the lake and should be a regulatory force. Observers note that unprecedented floods and high water levels during the El Nino rains in 1998 should have offset the current severe drought. But the level has dropped right back to the pre-El Nino period, accelerated by the pollution of the lake. In a bid to save the lake, landowners in the area formed the Lake Naivasha Riparian Association (LNRA) – a lobby group of tour operators, ranch owners, flower growers, small farmers, cooperatives, the Kenya Power Company and the local municipal council. They are trying to reconcile the needs of the community and the nation with protection of the lake. “The current inadequately regulated stampede to develop at any cost and the knock-on effect it is having on the lake’s biodiversity and fresh water resources will, in my view, leave the area barren within the foreseeable future if allowed to continue,” Lord Andrew Enniskillen, the LNRA chairman, told IRIN. “However dedicated and determined one sector of the community may be in preventing abuse, there is often an equally dedicated and determined abuser whose arguments – based on job opportunities and income generation – carry weight.” He describes the rate of accelerated activity in the last three years as “terrifying”. “It must be moderated,” he warns, underlining the need for “effective enforcement” of legislation to protect the environment. He lists the main threats to the lake as illegal and uninformed exploitation of riparian land, over-abstraction of the water, pollution and unplanned human development. However, the LNRA is quick to dismiss suggestions that the lake should be turned into a protected area with no regard for the needs of the surrounding population. To this end, the LNRA - which in 1999 won the prestigious Ramsar Wetland Conservation Award for its work in promoting the sustainable use of riparian land – has devised a management plan based on widespread consultation with the local community and implementing voluntarily adopted codes of conduct among the different sectors. “There is only a small minority disregarding the codes of conduct, but they are causing enormous damage,” says Lord Enniskillen. “The law exists, but the rule of law doesn’t.” Reconciling environmental protection with sustainable land development is an uphill struggle in a country where corruption and economic self-interest are rife. Enniskillen admits it is a delicate balance. But there are some encouraging signs. The Ramsar award propelled Naivasha into the international spotlight, focusing attention on the LNRA and giving it credibility. The association believes that continuous, intensive international pressure can help conserve the lake. Furthermore, the relatively recent creation of a national ministry for the environment should be taken positively, Enniskillen adds. [for further information on Lake Naivasha wetlands, go to: http://ramsar.org/key_awards99_interview_lnra.htm] The LNRA’s management plan has been approved by the government, and it is recognised as the authority in Kenya for managing the lake. Its powers of enforcement are increasing insofar as it is in line with the government’s policy of devolving development issues to the districts. The association has embarked on a campaign of education and awareness on the dangers of destroying the lake. “The beauty of Naivasha is its diversity,” Enniskillen says. “We want to conserve the multi-sectoral aspects, but a balance must be found or else the long-term outlook will be very bleak.”

This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

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