Bulletin of the EANHS 27(2/3) 
26 
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south Kenya coast are important for 
threatened species. As well as birds, they 
contain many rare and valuable plants. 
All arc under pressure from n 
combination of illegal land allocations, 
logging and removal of other forest 
products, and encroachment. 
10. The forests of Ml Kenya. These 
magnificent forests, important for the 
threatened Abbott’s Starling 
Cinnyricincius ft moral is and many 
Afroiropical Highland biome bird 
species, ore being severely degraded by 
large-scale illegal logging and clearance 
for agriculture and bhang plantations. 
What next? 
Amam Sunbird - A threatened species of the East African 
Coastal Forests EBA 
The Tails Hills forests shelter three endemic taxa of 
birds and many other scarce and distinctive animals 
and plants. The forests are so small that strict 
protection is required to proven t them from vanishing 
completely. 
ft Arubuko-Sokoke Forest. This is die largest remnant 
of the fragmented coastal forests of East Africa and 
shelters six threatened species of birds, among many 
other important animals and plants. It is under tlireal 
from potential dc-gazettcnicnt for settlement, tree 
poaching and unsustainable use of forest products. 
7. Kakamcga Forest. The easternmost remiiunr of the 
great Guinea -Con go forests, nnd biogeographically 
unique. Kakamcga is home to the globally threatened 
Turner's Eremomela Eremomela turner i and 
Chapin's Flycatcher Musci capo lenJu, as well as 
many regionally threatened bird species and many 
birds found nowhere else in Kenya Kakamcga \ 
distinctive fauna and flora make it a very important 
eco-tourist destination. The forest is already small 
and highly fragmented, and is. being 
destroyed by rampant encroachment, 
poaching of trees, and grazing of 
livestock that prevents forest 
regeneration. 
8 South Nandi Forest. Close to 
Kakamcga, South Nandi shelters 
probably the world's largest population 
of the threatened and little-known 
Turner's Eremomela. Large areas ofthe 
forest have been encroached and 
destroyed for agriculture, and the 
remainder is being subjected to 
intensive mechanised logging that 
degrades the forest structure and 
removes the Ercmomela’s favoured 
trees. 
9. Diani, Dzombo Hill, Kay a Gan dim. Kaya 
Waa. Marenji Forest and Mrima Hill. 
These small forest remnants on the 
The idea of the IBA work is not just to 
identify places that need attention, hut 
to make sure that they arc properly 
looked after. The IBA process can be 
thought of as having four *tugcs. The first stage 
involves setting up the institutional framework — i.e., 
who will do what- In Kenya, the EANHS (as the BirdLife 
Partner) has co-ordinated, the National Museums has 
done most of the inventory work, and an IBA Advisory 
Council (made up of conservationists and planners from 
a range of mainly Government institutions) has steered 
the project. The second stage involves site 
identification and survey plus inventory compilation. 
Hus has been keeping us busy for the lost three yeari 
The Kenya IBA directory is about to go to press, and 
should be available within the next few months. This 
will provide information on all the sites and tbdr key 
physical and biological features. The data are also stored 
in a custom-designed database so that they can be 
updated regulurly. 
Stage 2, then, is almost complete. Stage 3 involves 
setting priorities and implementing advocacy, 
monitoring and action for key sites, and Stage I 
establishing a ‘sustainable management cycle' ( i.e a 
Hinde s Babler - A threatened, rest*ected-range Kenyan endemic 
confined to the Kenyan Mountains Endemic Bird Area 
