Youth Committee organised AJ curobis K i\z£A" B omav Talk by Achim Steiner - UNEP Executive Director TJua/ 22 feb-. ‘07 at the Forester s House, Nairobi Arboretum 5:00 p,m. - ksh 100/- W inds in/ tTue T musical performances by schools Sat24 Teh-. ‘07 at the Nairobi Arboretum 2:00 - 5:00 pm Free entry Cope'TcywwOpercv A Kijani Trust Musical Event Sun/25 Teh-. ‘07 at the Nairobi Arboretum at 5:00 p.m, adults ksh 3000/- children ksh 500/- february at a glimpse Sat 10 Tree Walk - Sun 18 Sunday Birdwalk Thu 22 4 rhim Steiner on Nairobi P.i ver Basin --- Sat 24 Wind in the Trees Sun 25 Onoe Town Opera an 26 ■dwalks every Wednesday Morning *d ringing every Thursday morning Editorial Team CT\ior Catherine Ngarachu Tvov\\v\s^ Sfdc-? Fleur Ng’weno NafvraIkf's Corner Dino Martins Action Serah Munguti 5p.ui!s - ' CctwTp E l Tri/23 fehruary l O 7 . Birdwatch, visit Kariandusi Prehistoric site and nearby hot springs. Cost is Ksh. 1600 inclusive of transport, food, camping and guiding fees. Book at Nature Kenya- by 16th Feb. '07. Bring tent, sleeping bag, walking shoes, water bottle <4 warm clothing Western/ Kenya/ Tr06 - Morv 9 M an. ‘07 Visit Saiwa Swamp National Park, Kitale and Kapenguria Museums and the Kitale Sanctuary. Cost is 5000 Ksh per person - more details will be in the March issue of Nature net library located at the Natural Sciences Building, National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi (next to the Langi Langi cafeteria) INTERNET AVAILABLE Now available at the library! - The 22 volume set of World Book Encyclopedias kindly donatedby the US Library of Congress and the US Embassy - Handbook of the Birds of the World Volume 11 55 colour plates, 343 colour photographs, 733 distribution maps. Contents: Order PASSERIFORMES Family Muscicapidae (Old World Flycatchers) Family Platysteiridae (Batises & Wattle-eyes) Family Rhipiduridae (Fantails) Family Monarchidae (Monarch-flycatchers) Family Regulidae (Kinglets & Firecrests) Family Polioptilidae (Gnatcatchers) Family Cisticolidae (Cisticolas & allies) Family Sylviidae (Old World Warblers) NATURE KENYA, P. O. Box 44486, 00100 GPO Nairobi Tel: 3749957 / 3746090 Fax: 3741049 E-mail: office@naturekenya.org WILD BIRD TRADE banned by EU Conservationists applaud the European Union decision to ban permanently wild bird trade The EU Commission has announced that the ban on imports of birds caught in the wild is to be made permanent throughout the European Union later this year. The move comes after a temporary ban was imposed within the EU in October 2005, after birds in a UK quarantine centre were found to have avian influenza. “We fully applaud the decision made by the EU Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health." said Dr Clairie Papazoglou, Head of European Division at BirdLife International. "Banning the imports of birds caught in the wild is great news for bird conservation, even though the ruling has been made to limit the spread of disease, and not to conserve species. Only if laws are made on the basis of conservation can we have more confidence in protecting those species that are threatened by trade.” The ban is to take effect from the 1 July 2007. request newsletter by email? It would be a PDF of below 1 MB. Please confirm this preference by sending a note and your current email to office@naturekenya.org Due to spam filters yahoo, hotmail and other such address will not normally deliver emails sent in bulk, so please do not give email addresses with these extensions. Thank you. Direct Debit/ Pay subscriptions this way Request an authorizing form from Nature Kenya Society offices at the Museum You will find Nature Kenya offices at the Ford Hall and at a prefabricated building. The prefab building is located enroute to the Snake Park and is the office for the Nature Kenya membership shop and subscription desk. action Nature Kenya's Executive Director, Paul Matiku. & the Forestry Dept. Chief ConservcjfLr of Forests, DK Mbugua, launch ^w,e latest Important Bird Areas Status Report which is now available at www.naturekenya.org The EU’s decision will heavily impact the illegal or unsustainable trade in wild birds that has decimated many species across the world. Trapping for the bird trade is a threat for one in ten Globally Threatened Birds, and 57% of threatened parrot species. Some are close to extinction, such as the Yellow- crested Cockatoo Cacatua sulphurea of East Timor and Indonesia; others are already Extinct in the Wild such as the Spix’s Macaw Cyanopsitta spixii of Brazil. Further examples of species threatened by exploitation for the bird trade include the Red Siskin Carduelis cucullata in northern South America, Java Sparrow Padda oryzivora of Indonesia and the African Grey Parrot Psittacus erithacus. BirdLife Partners across Europe and Africa have been campaigning against trade in wild birds for up to 20 years. Visit www.birdlife.org for updates DOWNGRADING AMBQSELI NATIONAL PARK Nature Kenya goes to court Since November 2005, the Amboseli case at the High Court has been severally mentioned or adjourned. A full hearing for the Amboseli case has now been scheduled for 14 March 2007 at the High Court. H5hJl Update Newcastle disease in domestic and wild birds In September '06, widespread deaths of doves were reported in various parts of the country, including Olorgesailie, Magadi and North Eastern. All birds tested negative for bird flu. The cause of death for those doves collected from Magadi and Olorgesailie is confirmed to be Newcastle disease (this was also true for the dead birds from North Eastern as reported in the Dec06/Jan07 issue of Nature net). Newcastle disease is a highly contagious, common viral disease of domestic poultry and wild birds. Surveillance work for avian flu in Kenya continues. To report unusual die-offs in wild or domestic birds call this hotline: 0722 726682 AlWEb - The Avian Influenza, Wildlife and the Environment Web - new web site launched The AEWA Secretariat together with its mother Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) has recently unveiled AlWEb - The Avian Influenza, Wildlife and the Environment Web (www.aiweb.info). AlWEb is a web-based platform for inf ormation exchange and communication on current and emerging topics relating to avian influenza, the environment and migratory birds. Funding Opportunity Natural Environment Research Council Forestry-based climate mitigation project Proposals are invited for research projects to examine and test the principles for forestry-based climate mitigation projects that will identify verification methods, design principles and guidelines intended to maximise benefits for climate, social welfare, the environment and biodiversity. For further information: www.nerc.ac.uk/research/programmes/ q uest/even ts/ao070130-forestry, asp Sustainable Forestry and Bioenergy Proposals are invited for research projects to quantify the worldwide potential of different plant-based option's to mitigate climate change, accounting for their environmental, biodiversity, economic and social consequences; a primary objective will be to provide information to decision makers involved in international climate policy negotiations. For further information: www.nerc.ac.uk/research/programmes/ quest/events/ao070130-bioenergy.asp ¥- 'm 'f ' \ V- *• :•/:’•.■;■;■/ up» s • V "' ^ '4c^ ( \\ V*tf /vYV/-\ vK \/—7 \ / ■• •'V>. COt-UMBA W /•:•:•. w^in. \ C 1750/- • with image +500/- PLANT INDIGENOUS TREES AND SHRUBS ATTRACT WILDLIFE FANTASTIC SELECTION OF OVER 100 SPECIES TREES AND SHRUBS, 1-2M IN LARGE POLYPOTS. CONTACT FOR TREE LIST, ADVICE & DIRECTIONS : Trees can be delivered CROPWATCH LTD TREE NURSERY “LANDSCAPE" TREES & YELLOW NANDI FLAMES AVAILABLE BRIAN WILLIAMS 0733 923990 bvwilliams@swiftkenya.com CAROLE HEMMINGS chemmings@zamnet.zm Go Places ENTERTAINMENT • TRAVEL • RESTAURANTS ■ SHflPPIKS A BIS608NTS For more Chris Madden cartoons buy his book "The Beast that ate the Earth" from his website www.chrismadden.org Up & about P^UAKATION Nature Kenya does not accept any responsibility whatsoever in respect of negligence of any of its staff, volunteers or members organising the outings/trips or for any loss, injury, death or damage to property. WEDNESDAY MORNING BIRDWALKS Bird watching walks at sites in and around Nairobi. Meet at the National Museum car park near Langi Langi cafe, every Wednesday at 8:45 a.m. Return about 12:30 p.m. Those who are not members can get temporary membership at Ksh 100 per birdwalk, payable on arrival at the car park. tree walks Guided tree walks in the Arboretum on the second Saturday and last Monday, i.e. 10 and 26 Feb 07 from 9-30 a.m. Meet at the Arboretum gate. Those who are not members of FONA or Nature Kenya pay Ksh 100/- fee on arrival at the gate. SUNDAY BIRDWATCH Members meet at the National Museum, Nairobi car park near Langi Langi cafe at 9:00 a.m. the third Sunday of every month, i.e. 18 Feb '07. The members decide where to go. Bring lunch BIRD RINGING Meet at the Museums' Nairobi Botanic Garden, at 7:00 a.m. every Thursday. SAMAKIDAYS Guided fish excursions on the first Thursday, i.e. 1 Feb. '07 from 9:00 a.m - 12:30 p.m. Meet at the Nairobi Museum car park. Pay Ksh 50/- per person on arrival KINANGOP GUEST HOUSE Perched on the Kinangop Plateau with incredible views across the Rift Valley, the farm combines tussock-grass pasture, indigenous forest, and attractive gardens. The guesthouse is comfortable and fully furnished. Visitors can enjoy hikes and walks on the farm or go further afield with local guides. For more information, brochure and non¬ member rates please contact Nature Kenya. Guest House rates: Day visit 3507- MEMBER nos Overnight Weekend 1 to 2 pax 4000/- 6500/- 3 pax 4,900/- 7,400/- 4 pax 5,800/- 8,300/- 20% OFF ACCOMMODATION AT THE DRIFTWOOD On presentation of your membership card, you can get this discount off accommodation (if paying by cash or cheque) at the Driftwood Beachclub. This is a charming beachfront property with great food and service. Contact: