BirdLife has secured agrant from the Nando and Elsa Peretti Foundation (NaEPF), to support conservation efforts in Eastern Africa over the next three years. The funds will help to restore two sites important for migratory birds, namely, Lake Elementaita in Kenya and Lake Ziway in Ethiopia, all located in the eastern part of the African-Eurasian Flyway (EAEF). In addition, the funds will support capacity building of BirdLife Partners and other project stakeholders in the two countries.
Stretching from the Arctic tundra to the southern tip of African continent, the African Eurasian Flyway is used by more than two billion migratory birds of more than 500 avian species. Further, the flyway includes numerous sites, which are vital for resting or stop over, feeding and breeding grounds for birds, and local communities’ livelihoods.
Located in the Ethiopian Central Rift Valley region, and covering a surface area of over 440 square kilometres, Lake Ziway is home to more than 20,000 water birds including the emblematic Great White Pelican and the Lesser Flamingo. The lake forms part of the backbone of the local economy, supporting the livelihoods of about two million people. Over the years, pollution, agriculture, urban developments, and invasive plant species have degraded this wetland, threatening its ability to provide critical ecosystem services.
Lake Elementaita, in Kenya’s Great Rift Valley, covers 18 square kilometres, and a Key Biodiversity Area (KBA) as well as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Further, the lake is a Ramsar Site or a wetland of international conservation importance, hosting major breeding colonies of the Great White Pelican and Lesser Flamingos in addition to being an important wintering ground for over 100 species of migratory birds. However, pollution, agriculture, infrastructure developments particularly powerlines, and climate change have negatively impacted the lake.
Through the project, two BirdLife Partners, Nature Kenya and the Ethiopian Wildlife and Natural History Society (EWNHS), will undertake various interventions at the site level, including raising awareness on the value of conserving flyways. Through the grant, BirdLife and its partners will reduce threats and support the sustainable management of these sites, build capacity of relevant conservation organizations and local communities for improved conditions of the sites for the benefit of nature and people.
Mengistu Wondafrash, Executive Director of the Ethiopian Wildlife and Natural History Society, said: “Not only is Lake Ziway the bloodline of the ecosystem of the Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia, supporting multitude uses, including irrigation, fishing, water supply and recreation, it is also one of the determining factors for the continuity of the lakes in the Ziway-Shalla Lake Basin system of the Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia, due to its great geochemical and hydrological significance to its immediate watershed and to all the nearby lakes.”
Paul Gacheru, Species and Sites Conservation Manager at Nature Kenya, said: “Lake Elementaita, an important migratory bird stop-over along the Rift Valley flyway in Kenya, face many threats, from power lines to road construction. This project is most welcome, as it will help us close a critical gap in our data collection for advocacy purposes. Having people on the ground gathering biodiversity data is invaluable.
“It is the foundation of everything we do. We rely on this evidence to guide our conservation actions and make the case for protecting places like Elementaita. This support from from Nando and Elsa Peretti Foundation gives us the opportunity to strengthen our fieldwork, and ultimately to amplify the voices of those who care most about this remarkable lake.”
Alex Ngari, Migratory Birds and Flyways Programme Manager, Africa at BirdLife International, said: “The pace of degradation of sites important for migratory birds in Eastern Africa is indeed worrying. Thanks to the funding from Nando and Elsa Peretti Foundation, BirdLife and the national Partners will work with stakeholders in Ethiopia and Kenya, applying our Flyways conservation model, to ensure that there is a secure future of the two sites for the benefit of migratory birds and local communities.”