Reports Leo Odera Omolo
The European Union will fund the rehabilitation of the Cheranganyi and Mt Elgon water towers program in Western Kenya to the tune of 2.5 million Euros {K shs 278 million.
The two water towers are reported to have been massively depleted of the indigenous trees by illegal loggers threatening the survival of the rivers that depend on them including the world famous Nile River.
The project is to be undertaken by the Moi University, Eldoret in collaboration with the Forest Research Institute {kefri}
This was disclosed last week by the Dean of the Environmental Studies at the Eldoret based University Vinah Vindoi who disclosed that the project will be implemented over a period of six year and will benefit the local communities through the creation of jobs and rehabilitation of the much vandalized and depleted forest resources.
He said there has been discrimination in dissemination of information to the local communities leaving the room and vacuum which has turned into wanton destruction the two important water towers.
He said once the key objective of the project in sensitizing the local communities to the real need of conserving and protecting the towers, this could turn out to be the most important part of the rehabilitation objectives.
The local communities will then aide the conservation efforts by the government and other stakeholders.
Prof Sindoi said that KEFRI will conduct further research and recommend the type of tree seedling that will be suited for the area. The tree will be replanted in the area set aside as the commercial areas or zones and will be sourced from the local communities.
HE urged the local communities to take the conservation work seriously. The locals have bee accused of destroying hr forest through charcoal burning and illegal loggers.
Meanwhile another important project to get rid of Lake Victoria water hyacinth is also taking shape soon. The project is just about to take off in Homa-Bay and Kisumu Counties.
And this time around the Kisumu based Lake Victoria Environmental Program LVEMPI is determined to ensure that the dreadful weeds, which invaded the lake two decade ago, and since caused problems for the fishermen, and made navigation of small vessels well as ships difficult, is permanently eradicated.
THe weed which has been a menace to fishing expedition in the areas affected like Homa-Bay and Kisumu Counties will be removed manually and biologically.
This comes after all the previous effort to clear the lake of the weed had flopped. LVEMP is expecting to receive a machine for this purpose from the Kenya Marine and will also use the weevils to feed on the weeds.
Ends