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Arabuko-Sokoke Forest

Arabuko-Sokoke Forest

A Rocha Kenya (ARK) has established its base in Watamu, a village in the coastal district of Malindi, 100 km north of Mombasa.

Malindi District is home to some of the richest and most diverse habitats in the whole of Kenya - 10% of Kenya’s Important Bird Areas, considered internationally important for bird conservation, are found within a 30 km radius of Malindi. These include Arabuko-Sokoke Forest which is the largest remnant of dry coastal forest in East Africa and considered to be one of the most important forests for bird conservation in mainland Africa. It also includes Mida Creek, considered one of the most productive mangrove ecosystems on earth and of international importance for some of its bird species, and the Sabaki River Mouth with thousands of waders, gulls and terns regularly found on it.

Despite the richness and diversity of local habitats in this area, an exploding population and desperately high levels of poverty are putting a huge strain on the delicate relationship between the local people and the surrounding environment.

By working with the local communities, A Rocha Kenya (ARK) aims to achieve the long-term conservation of threatened habitats and species in the Malindi-Watamu area. ARK was formally established in 1999 and opened the Mwamba Bird Observatory and Field Study Centre in Watamu in 2002.

A Rocha Kenya’s work focuses on four main areas:

• Environmental Education: ARK’s Environmental Education Officer works with wildlife clubs in schools and trains local school teachers to coordinate and oversee educational activities and to teach about environmental care within existing national curriculum activities.
• Community Conservation: The Arabuko-Sokoke Schools and Eco-tourism Scheme (ASSETS) was set up by ARK in 2001 (see http://www.assets-kenya.org). The scheme uses money generated from eco-tourism to provide secondary school “eco-bursaries” for local children and also contributes to nature conservation.
• Scientific Research: ARK has been collating high quality baseline ornithological data in several of the major habitats since 1999, and is building on this to establish a research and monitoring programme which will eventually be extended to include other taxa. The knowledge gained from this work is vital for managing and protecting vulnerable or threatened sites.
• Mwamba Bird Observatory and Field Study Centre: Mwamba provides facilities for scientific training and workshops, accommodation for interested visitors and volunteers, and provides a forum for discussions on environmental issues and the relevance of Christianity in today’s world.