the EANHS 
BULLETIN 
Volume 27 Number 2/3 
August/December 1997 
A SENSE OF BALANCE 
INSIDE 
The EANHS is on the verge of celebrating its 90th 
anniversary. This may be more remarkable titan it 
sounds— a thorough search so far has failed to turn 
up any similar society south of the Sahara that is 
nearly so venerable. Some might say that we’ve 
done quite well just to survive at all. Are there les- 
sons in this that we can draw on, when planning for 
the future? 
The Society has had its difficult moments. Fi- 
nances have often been rocky, and at times it looked 
as though the whole venture might go under. That 
it hasn't is due to the remarkable commitment and 
energy of members over the years. Lots of volun- 
teer input has allowed low overheads, a minuscule 
administration, and a flexible response In times of 
crisis. 
Should wc refrain from dtanging anything, in 
that case? Unfortunately, stasis may not he a sound 
long-term strategy. In August 1 997, members of the 
Executive and various sub-committees gathered to 
look at our plans for the next five years— a first step 
towards planning for the next 90! A report on this 
Strategic Planning Workshop went out with the 
April newsletter. and I hope has brought every- 
body up to date In this Bulletin you will find an 
analysis of the questionnaire that we sent out be- 
fore file workshop to ask members their views on a 
broad range of issues. It won't surprise anyone to 
find out that members' views are extremely varied. 
Nonetheless, some themes did emerge from both 
dvc questionnaire answers and the discussions in 
the planning workshop, and need to be kept in mind. 
As 1 see it, the Society has a scries of balancing 
acts to perform, not all of them easy. We have to 
professionalise our operations and make our ad- 
ministration more elfcctivc, not least so that wc can 
provide members will) interesting talks, worthwhile 
excursions and regular publications At the same 
time, we mustn't lose the volunteer ethos that is 
central to our way of working. Our image needs 
■ Listing- off and modernising, but not at flic expense 
of our long history and established reputation. We 
>mve to make our voice heard for conservation, hut 
not become boggwl down in partisan politics. Sub- 
notion charges must remain affordable, but we 
also need to be financially self-sustaining. There is 
a real need to rcgiotialise activities, but it would be 
unwise to cease co-ordination from the centre. 
Comment 1 
A Sense of Balance, LA Bennun 1 
Articles 2 
Ferns in East Africa: A note on their biology, 
distribution and conservation. JG Afurangah . 
A. D.(J Ag/tnv and & Vandcn Berghe 
Important bird areas in Kenya: Progress 
and prospects, LA. Bennun 6 
three butterflies of Talta. Part II, T Oakley 11 
EARTHWATCH 
Tne black lemur forest project. C. Ngarachu 13 
NOTES 
Gull-billed Terns feeding on dung beetles 
(Family Scarabaetdae), D Richards 15 
Life in and around the hot springs at 
Little Magadi. J. Darlington 15 
Letters to the Editor 
Were the Mousebirds mating? C v Kalckstem 17 
Elephants in I imuru — again! H S. kiortnn 17 
Request from the Editor 
Urban wildlife 17 
Society News 
EANHS membership questionnaire— results from 96 
questionnaires returned as ofl 5 November, 1997 18 
87th Annual General Meeting 20 
Can these challenges be met? Of course — but only with the 
active support and participation of the Society's members. All 
Annual General Meetings are important, but the 1998 one par- 
ticularly so, as there will be a chance to discuss and vote on a 
number of crucial issues— including a new name for our Kenyan 
operations, a revised and streamlined constitution, and the out- 
line strategic plan. Please attend, make your views known, and 
help take the Society forward into its next 90 years! 
