Bio-diversity

The western side of Mt. Kenya is very dry and receives only 150 mm of rainfall per annum. It is difficult to do any farming under such conditions, and so the villagers depend on livestock for their livelihood. During months of severe drought, villagers resort to illegal logging and charcoal burning in the Mt. Kenya forest to supplement the little they have. This project is designed to reduce the illegal activities in the forest by re-excavating and de-silting an earth dam to create approximately 18,000 m3 of water storage. It will be used to water the livestock as well as enable some families to establish kitchen gardens. Trees in the village are few, so the project will start a tree nursery to raise indigenous seedlings for planting around the dam and exotics for planting in the homesteads. In the past, when the dam had water, bird species would spend time at the site. It is hoped that the presence of a water body will attract the birds once more to the site.

Kenya