The permanent glaciers of Mount Kenya have been diminishing due to the effects of climate change. 
Site Support Groups inspire 
communities to tackle climate change 
# By Barasa 
C limate change has many negative impacts 
on natural ecosystems, agriculture and 
food supplies, human health, forestry, 
water resources and availability, energy use, and 
transportation. Nearly all rural communities' 
livelihoods are directly linked to natural resources 
and are therefore vulnerable to the impacts of 
climate change. For example, prolonged dry 
spells have frequently resulted in food insecurity, 
displacement of communities and intercommunity 
conflicts. 
In September 2012, at a workshop for Site 
Support Groups (SSGs), participants presented 
evidence of the impacts of climate change in 
different Kenyan Important Bird and Biodiversity 
Areas (IBAs).The negative impacts included: loss 
of most of Mount Kenya's permanent glacier, 
extreme weather conditions including frost being 
observed in some of the IBAs such as the Kinangop 
Grasslands, unpredictable or erratic rainfall, 
increased mean temperatures, prolonged drought 
and perennial flooding in some of these sites. 
During that workshop it was noted that most 
rural communities'livelihoods were directly 
linked to natural resources and hence they were 
vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. As 
a way forward, each SSG was asked to identify 
the impacts of climate change on livelihoods, 
ecosystems, habitats and biodiversity within their 
area of operation, and hence assist to plan for the 
adaptation strategy that needs to be employed. 
The discussions on climate change also led to the 
development of a climate change strategy for SSGs 
in 2015. (SSGs are local conservation organizations 
working with Nature Kenya to conserve IBAs while 
helping neighbouring communities.) 
Since the development of the climate change 
strategy, several SSGs have undertaken measures 
to counter the effects of climate change in some of 
the IBAs. These include reduction of deforestation, 
restoration of degraded habitats, reforestation 
and on-farm forestry. To date, over 6 million 
tree seedlings have been raised and planted by 
members of SSGs in various parts of the country to 
assist in protecting and restoring water catchment 
areas. In addition, over 300ha of papyrus have 
been planted to rehabilitate degraded areas 
around Lake Kanyaboli, Bunyala, Usenge and Bar 
Olengo areas of the Yala Swamp. 
SSGs have been in the forefront in promoting 
the use of energy-saving cooking devices amongst 
communities as a means of reducing firewood 
and charcoal use. Through the SSGs, over 5,000 
energy-saving 'jikos' and slightly over 1,000'fireless 
cookers' have been installed at various sites in the 
country.The SSGs have also been encouraging 
the use of biogas as an alternative source of clean 
energy. 
On livelihoods, the SSGs have adopted 
sustainable income generating activities such 
as bee keeping and butterfly farming. These 
activities are friendly to the environment and 
enable communities to earn a living sustainably. 
To date over 1,400 beehives have been supplied 
to communities through the SSGs, enabling 
communities to earn over eight million shillings 
annually from sale of honey and other hive 
products. 
The climate change strategy for SSGs recognizes 
the need of establishing partnerships between 
SSGs, national and county governments and 
other stakeholders. As part of implementing their 
climate change strategies, some of the SSGs are 
working with their respective county governments 
and other stakeholders in implementation of 
their activities. Good collaboration with other 
stakeholders has been reported in Baringo, Kitui 
and Siaya counties, providing a good platform 
for the SSGs to achieve their climate change 
strategies. 4. 
Scientists in efforts to 
save frogs in Kenya 
The National Museums of Kenya 
(NMK) and a US university are working 
together to develop technology that 
will help track amphibians with a 
view to protecting them. The project 
targets amphibian species (frogs, toads, 
newts and salamanders) listed by the 
International Union for Conservation of 
Nature (IUCN) as endangered. 
Researchers have expressed 
concern over the rapid decline of frog 
population in Kenya and Africa in 
general, citing disease and destruction 
of natural habitats have been cited 
as major threats. The situation has 
been further compounded by lack of 
information on the species. Data from 
IUCN shows 1,800 species of amphibians 
across the world face extinction. 
Human activity such as logging 
and agricultural expansion, climate 
change and alien species invasion 
have been blamed for the decline of 
frog population in Kenya. Poor waste 
management leading to pollution of 
water bodies, home to amphibians, 
has also been contributed to this 
population. 
The first major goal of the project 
will be to collate information about 
amphibians in Kenya. This information 
will be built from existing records. A 
digital inventory will then be created 
and updated from time to time. 
Using cutting-edge technology to 
detect the presence of species in the 
environment, researchers hope to come 
up with a better documentation method 
that will enhance the protection of 
amphibians that live in the soil, water 
and any other habitats. 
A common reed frog 
For updates go to 
www. natu rekenya.org 
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