Nairobi River Basin Environmental Tourism Advocacy Program

Presented by Milla Menga ( Program Secretariat) April 2014 Stakeholders Forum

Watkins Glen State Park —Schuyler County (Finger Lakes Region)

Nairobi River — Rocky Escarpments

Presentation outline

Background – Nairobi City & Nairobi River Basin

River/ Environmental Tourism Potential & The Gap

Program - Nairobi River Waterfalls Conservancy

Problem – River Pollution & City Waste Management

Program progress needed resources & Sustainability

Involved Stakeholders ( Partners & Sponsors)

Support Contact information - Program secretariat

Background: NairobiNairobi takes its name from the Maasai phrase “enkare

nairobi”, which means “a place of cold waters”. Nairobi was previously known as ‘the city in the sun’ because

of its appealing environment.

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Restoring the glory

Nairobi, Mathare and Ngong rivers, and their tributaries –

Gitathuru, Kasarani, Riara, Kamiti, Mbagathi, Mutuari and Ruiruaka

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Water Basin Management, Slum Improvement, Employment Generation, waste management

CITY OF NAIROBI ENVIRONMENT OUTLOOK

Potential –Environmental/ River Tourism The city of Nairobi is a

major center of tourist in the region. Its relative proximity to many tourist attractions both in Kenya and Eastern Africa makes it an asset of great importance in the tourism sector. As the capital city and a commercial center it attracts many businessmen and leisure tourist.

The tourism Sector is dominated by nature based tourism underpinned by the rich animal biodiversity in Kenya national Parks.

Tourist Destination

Tourist destinations are characterized by natural or cultural attractions, often both, together with infrastructure which facilitates and promotes their economic exploitation. Among the essential services which a tourist destination provides are food and shelter necessary for an extended stay.

Perhaps only two or three waterfalls come into the category of tourist destination -Niagara, Victoria and possibly Iguassu Falls.

Is Nairobi a Tourist Destination? YES!

Nairobi Rivers Tourism HotspotsWaterfallsImportant Bird AreasUrban FarmingSlum CultureNature TrailsTree WatchNatural CavesLandscape beautyRodents chaseRocky EscarpmentsEcological Zones

Nature Walk along Nairobi River

Tourist Attractions

Tourist attractions have been defined by Goodall (1990) as "place characteristics, often unique.

There are three major unexploited waterfalls within the Nairobi Rivers and several Minor ones that are yet to be well documented ( in Dandora, Mwiki, Ruai).

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Situated within Nairobi, are above hotspots Tourist Attractions or Destinations? Both!

The Gap - Recreational AreasNairobi City lacks recreational open spaces- significantly lowering the city’s environmental quality, aesthetic value, improved quality of life and social needs of urban dwellers.

Aquatic recreation (swimming, fishing) , outdoor pursuits, park land, municipal depots, playing fields, golf courses, parks, picnic sites, scout halls, landscape buffers and community paths.

CITY OF NAIROBI ENVIRONMENT OUTLOOK

Program GoalNairobi River Waterfalls Conservancy (NRWC) is a community initiative that aims to protect and conserve the Nairobi River 30 meters riparian zones and assess the development impact. – Focal intervention location is Dandora Ponds IBA KE 35. The project pilot site is located along the Nairobi River from Outer ring Road Bridge to Dandora Sewerage Facility in Ruai.

The Falls at Clarendon—Orleans County (Greater Niagara Region) Fallsea - Dandora(Nairobi County)

On- going Activities (2008 to Date)• Daily cleanup and garbage reuse & recycle within target area• Conserving variety of bird species roosting in the area• Advocacy to produce over 50,000 tree seedlings annually in schools

tree nurseries & planting along riparian reserve.• Educating community members on community based tourism and

Ecotourism• Developing a 20 km Nature Trail and ecological zones, • Marketing natural resources including waterfalls rehabilitation to attract

50:50 home and foreign tourists, • Institutionalizing 20 community digital desks to professionally administer

the program • Organizing monthly special cultural & environmental events to expose

the public to the facility.• Riparian Protected Areas gazettment for recreation like picnics• Research on water quality and program impact Assessment

Problem - Pollution Intensity

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Wet season Pollution hot spots

Dry season pollution hot spots

Trends in waste generation and recovery of recyclables between 2005- 2015

Garbage Recycling Trend

Population trends in Nairobi 1985-2025

Nairobi’s historical and projected population , 1950-2025 (Source: KNBS 2008)

Short-term Administrative Projects (2014-15)Reconnaissance studyBaseline Survey ( Tourism hotspots)Nairobi Rivers Tourism feasibility studyCapacity Building of Eco–Ambassadors NRWC Institutional structuring & Registration NRWC Strategic & Action Planning (2014-2017)Riparian Zone Tourism Development Master planFormation/Strengthening of Riparian Conservation Committees

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Program Progress InputProvision of Advocacy PlatformAdvocacy Equipment and materialsInitial three years administrative CostsCommunity capacity Building ExpensesTourists hotspots development resources

In MacCannell’ s model the tourist can be interpreted as a user of a product the creation which involves a process that involves, among other things, a resource (the "sight") and information about it (the "marker"). This presentation focuses on the resource, in this case, waterfalls as the "sight"

Sustainability - Number of visitors to parks and other conservation areas in Nairobi

Assumption: Waterfalls can attract about 100,000 tourists annually

Conservation Fees 2013

100,000 tourists X KES 150 = KES 15,000,000 only annually

Involved Stakeholders Local Communities Civil Society: Community Without Borders Association, Wafuraha Group,

Hope in Friendship-Kenya, Shanty World Film Production, Fanikiwa Afrika, Brotherhood Foundation, Tuchanuke Group, Jamrock Ushiriakiano Group, KOEE, Youth for Tourism Kenya, CRME–Kenyatta University, UON Alumni, NCBA-CLUSA, Nature Kenya, National Museum of Kenya, Safer Nairobi Initiative, Kenya Red Cross, Kenya Scouts & Girl Guide Association, RUBICOM, Galaxy Community Trust, Mother Earth Network, Miss Tourism Kenya, NAREWEMA, MKUNEC

Government: Ministry of Environment & Natural Resources, NEMA, NETFUND, Ministry of Tourism & Education, Directorate of Youth Affairs, Kenya Tourists Board, Kenya ICT Board, TARDA, Kenya Forest Services, Kenya Wildlife Services, Nairobi City County, WRMA, , Nairobi River Basin Program, Greening Kenya Initiative, Brand Kenya.

Private: KEPSA, KMA, FKE, KUONI Architects, KTIO, Soipogh Gateway Camp, CUEA Consultancy, Various Private Companies.

International Institutions: UNEP, TUNZA, UN Volunteers, UN Habitat, IFRC & Red Cross Crescent Societies.

Proposed NRWC Advisory Board

To Support ContactEmail: savenrbwaterfalls@gmail.com

Cell: +254 721 062 393 Lukania

+254 724 509 491 Kariuki

+254 713 257 570 Shakespear

+254 720 273 218 Milla

Model of a negotiated riparian buffer for section of Mathare river (Kosovo village)

Asante Sana

Falls at Fillmore Glen State Park—Cayuga County (Finger Lakes Region)

Sustainable regional development along the Sava River

Team