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Bulletin of the EANHS 28(2) 
some grassland and wetlands, was given out. However, 
this was not reflected in excision notices in the Kenya 
Gazette Those who had bought the land started 
developing it, thinking their titles were in order. The 
public continued to think that the whole forest remained 
gazetted. 
In September 1998, forest destruction reached the 
road, and the “forest hotline” at the Kenya Forest 
Working Group began ringing. The print and electronic 
media followed the story and brought the damage to the 
forest to the public’s attention As part of a public outcry, 
groups of environmentalists set out to plant trees on the 
cleared land. They were joined by opposition politicians. 
At the construction site there was a confrontation, and 
some of the buildings and equipment went up in flames. 
Was it a dramatic indication of how much people 
have become environmentally aware since the Earth 
Summit—the United Nations Conference on 
Environment and Development—in Brazil in 1992? Or 
was the environmental bandwagon hijacked by 
politicians for their own ends? Will protesters also 
confront bhang growers in Mount Kenya forests, 
sawmillers in South Nandi forest, wood carvers in 
Arabuko-Sokoke forest, cattle keepers in Kakamcga 
forest and landless settlers in Mau forests? 
Forests are a tiny fraction of Kenya’s land area, but 
contain nearly half of its biodiversity. They are vital 
water catchments, stabilise the climate, serve as carbon 
sinks, and are sources of food, fodder, building 
materials, medicines, ornaments, recreation and 
inspiration for people now and in the future. All of 
Kenya’s forests need to be conserved and cared for, and 
all are under threat. 
Protecting forests will require action in legislation, 
education, enforcement, benefit-sharing and many other 
areas. Environmentalists need to keep politicians and 
other decision makers well informed about the values 
of forests and the dangers they face Let us hope that 
the outcry over Karura is an indication that Kenya’s 
people really care about their forests. 
Fleru N'gweno, Honorary Secretary 
ARTICLES 
A BOTANICAL SURVEY OF ROCK SLABS 
AND SEASONAL WETLAND HABITATS IN 
NAIROBI NATIONAL PARK 
INTRODUCTION 
Nairobi City and its environs lie within a once active 
volcanic zone. At many places volcanic luff, a porous 
rock which is a favourite building stone, is observed 
(Morgan, 1967). The region south of the city, including 
pans of Nairobi National Park, is a borderline between 
dry evergreen forest and savannah grassland vegetation, 
with scattered rock outcrops and seasonal springs. The 
rock slabs form a unique habitat, consisting of rock 
surfaces with small pockets of soil in the rock crevices. 
During the rains, water fills shallow depressions m the 
rock slabs, soaking the soil The various microhabitats 
on the rock slabs support a wide range of plants adapted 
to extreme conditions: flooding during the rains and 
drought during dfy seasons. 
Rock slab habitats are colonised by plants very 
sensitive to seasonal weather changes. With rains, the 
rock surface collects water, soaking the shallow soil 
layer. Plants dominating the slabs are adapted to respond 
quickly to the water available for optimum growth. For 
example, in the months of March and October, early 
season showers induce flowering among cryptophytes 
such as Drimia calcarata. The flora of rock slabs is 
therefore specialised and unique. 
In Nairobi, most rock slab habitats are on private 
land and deemed suitable for infrastructural 
development. Their plant communities are therefore 
doomed. Information on the distribution and 
conservation status of rock slab plant communities in 
the Nairobi area would thus contribute to informed 
decision-making in the management of biodiversity. 
A survey of rock slab wetlands at 'he proposed 
Biodiversity Park, a privately-owned plot near the 
The EANHS wishes to thank the following for their support in 1998: 
Sponsors of the Society: 
Brooks Childress 
Arturo Foresti 
Edward Vanden Berghe 
John Fox 
J.H.E, Leakey 
Mary K. Minot 
C. Kathurima 
Norman Searle 
Corporate members; 
Pat Colbert 
Elsa Conservation Trust 
Benny Bytebier 
Monsanto 
Lucile Ford 
U.T.C. 
Jayant Ruparel 
Major Donors: 
Radha Ruparel 
Royal Society for the Protection 
Seeta Ruparel 
of Birds (RSPB) 
Narinder Heyer 
Global Environment Facility 
