Buffer Zone Plans for Lake Nakuru National Park and for Njoro River in Kenya.
This thesis is about protection of Lake Nakuru in Kenya and is part of the CABULAG cooperation project between the Municipal Council of Nakuru (MCN) in Kenya and the City of Hämeenlinna in Finland. The project works under the North-South Local and Regional Authorities’ Cooperation Programme. It is coordinated by the Finnish Association of Local and Regional Authorities (ALFRA) and is financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland. Environment is one of the main focus areas in cooperation. One of the targets was to make a proposal for a buffer zone for Lake Nakuru to increase its conservation level. A buffer zone means creating a green belt which protects the water from different types of negative impacts like pollution and nutrient loads. The CABULAG objectives for a buffer zone include reforestation with indigenous trees and commercially attractive exotic species. The zone should also be able to provide sources of fuel wood, construction timber and other materials for local communities. As in many developing countries, the population growth and continuous expansion of the town have a harmful effect on the lake’s ecosystem. Lake Nakuru is threatened nowadays by negative impacts caused by agriculture, industry, solid waste and sewage. Through conservation efforts it is possible to save Lake Nakuru’s important economical value and natural diversity. The research was carried out in Nakuru, Kenya, during the period from October 2009 until the end of January 2010. Two data collection methods were used in surveys, interviews and observation. Interviews were held with three main partners and a questionnaire was used as a basis. Information was gathered during the field surveys through observation. As a result of the research two buffer zone proposals were drawn up. The first is for Njoro river which is one of the five biggest rivers draining into Lake Nakuru. The land along the river is mainly under agriculture. The second proposal is for a buffer zone to be created inside Lake Nakuru National Park (LNNP). The land of the LNNP is protected by the government and its management is entrusted to the Kenyan Wildlife Service (KWS). The buffer zone for Njoro River would be realized with the participation of local communities in order to ensure more effective results. Planted trees would offer food and materials to the local population and give them the opportunity to earn revenue by selling some of their products. A buffer zone between the city and the National Park would protect the main tourist site in Nakuru resulting in revenue for local residents and for the whole of Kenya. A planting project would also provide an opportunity to increase knowledge about conservation of Lake Nakuru among stakeholders and catchment residents. Both buffer zones would improve the conservation level in Lake Nakuru and tree planting would also have a positive impact in the battle against global warming.
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| Format: | Thesis/Dissertation biblioteca |
| Language: | English |
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Laurea University of Applied Sciences
2010
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| Subjects: | Protected resources, Freshwater parks, Resource conservation, Urbanization, |
| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/1834/6832 |
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