Mwamba Marine Conservation Project 

 

Background  

 

The coastal ecosystem of Kenya is rich in biological resources including long white sandy beaches, diverse coral reefs and mangroves, a rich cultural history and traditions, and abundant marine and terrestrial wildlife. It is listed as one of the top 25 Global Biodiversity Hotspots - harbouring more species of plant and animal life than anywhere else on Earth. The natural resources have provided livelihoods for local communities for hundreds of years and more recently have supported a major tourism industry. At present, much of this area is under 'Reserve' status, meaning there is a combination of environmental protection with controlled use of the natural resources. However, Kenya has been unable to give adequate emphasis to the development of its marine and coastal environments, although this contributes significantly to its national economy.

 

 

Why do we need to conserve our coral reefs? 

 

Coral reefs (or 'mwamba' in Swahili) are one of the most beautiful, diverse and important habitats on earth and thus, their preservation are essential because:

 

 

• They provide homes for more than a third of all known fish species
• They are nature's own front-line defence, protecting 100,000 km of the coastline from storms and floods
• They provide the main source of animal protein
• They are a source of medical compounds for treating various medical conditions
• They provide an important source for fishing, tourism & other related incomes for local communities

 

Threats to coral reefs  

 

The close link between coral reefs and the natural events and human activities that take place means any disturbance has the potential to change their distribution and diversity forever. Coral reefs are made up of living plants and animals but are threatened by climate change, which may lead to a rise in sea temperatures, which are lethal to corals. The main issues threatening our coral reefs are:

 

 

• Pollution , which is often related to increase in population and industry
• Commercial over fishing , which may force subsistence fishing communities to resort to destructive fishing methods such as poison or dynamite fishing
• Irresponsible boating, diving and other coastal activities such as seashell collecting
• Deforestation , which is often related to agriculture and leads to an increase of sediment, which smothers the coral reefs and ultimately results to the death of corals

 

 

We play a vital role in protecting some of the world's most threatened areas of coral reef. Links with our Community Projects that address social and economic issues have allowed our Mwamba Conservation Project to primarily focus on promoting conservation education and awareness of coastal and marine environmental issues. Conservation education and awareness is underscored by the assumption that a well educated and environmentally aware population is more likely to adopt approaches which favour sustainable resource use, and is therefore a fundamentally important process within the management of a marine conservation project. Consequently, we contribute to changing attitudes and behaviour of the local communities which help to develop personal lifestyles, adopt wise-use principals on natural resources, and preserve unique marine environments for future generations. In addition, we also assist in areas of scientific research.

 

 

How you can help  

 

The Camp Kenya Trust aims to provide financial and technical support to achieve the following objectives and continue existing vital projects currently run by Camp Kenya , namely:

 

• Conducting regular International Beach Clean Up s to reduce the amount of litter pollution in the area
• Developing a sustainable marine conservation project
• Training international volunteers to gather data by carrying out underwater surveys, which is linked to scientific research institutes that aim to catalogue and map marine biodiversity which further contributes to increasing the knowledge of the marine life of the area
• Informing volunteers of coral reef conservation and how to informally teach and hence proceed to raise conservation education & awareness through educational activities within local communities, specifically among the youth

 

 

• Providing local 'apprenticeships' in marine conservation, which contributes to employment and the development of local responsibility and stewardship for the marine environment and project
• Providing and raising internal conservation education & awareness
• Encouraging volunteers to learn new skills alongside the local fishermen such as making baited fish traps and fish trapping fences, which revitalizes traditional and more sustainable fishing methods as well as promote cultural traditions
• Working in partnership with governments, scientific bodies, NGOs, local communities and businesses to ensure an effective conservation process meets the needs of the people and wildlife
• Establishing and maintaining a positive local community involvement in all projects undertaken
• Supporting initiatives that will provide alternative employment to the local people, especially sea shell collectors

 

 

Without your help, we would not be able to sustain the level of progress that we have already made in this project. By contributing to the Mwamba Conservation Project, you are playing a crucial role in safeguarding our coral reefs and the biological richness of our coastal environment for future generations to enjoy.

 

 

 

 

East African Whale Shark Trust  

 

The Camp Kenya Trust also supports the East African Whale Shark Trust which is located at Diani/Kinondo Beach, Kenya. In November 2002 worldwide public concern about the unrestricted hunting of whale sharks prompted a further proposal to list the whale shark as an endangered species under CITES. E.A.W.S.T. aims to provide a research centre for collecting and analysing data regarding the local whale shark population, its habits and movements. The trust will work with other regional projects with the long term goal being to promote conservation and increased protection of the biggest fish in the ocean.