The Milgis Trust

Category: Desert warthog, Forest Fires, Water holes, elephants | Date: Jun 02 2009 | By: milgistrust

This picture shows things in the good times, plenty of water..

This is the Elephants favourite area, at Ol Donyo Waas.. This special salt water that they come to every day… And lots of cover around.. This is now completely dry, and the well than Nchan was rescued out of is in the middle of where the water is…

and this one shows another elephants favourite drinking spot in not so good times… I gather from the oldest people around that its never been this dry, at this particular spot, in there life time.. It must have been affected by the fires up stream…

And this picture shows just how bad it can get… There are about 200 cat fish, in this stinky mud hole, and each day it gets dryer.. They have their head up to breath… You see them open there mouths, and the air goes in and muddy bubbles come out through there gills… Every two minutes there is a complete frenzy to try to get to the cooler mud below ..Imagine how hot it must get at mid day, in that disgusting smelly mud hole….. yesterday I got a report that they are nearly all dead now… Shame, shame.. nature is cruel…

This beautiful little young animal, the desert warthog is just another victim of these dry times, he was found stuck in the mud, on the Milgis Lugga.. The scout cleaned him up and brought him 15 kms to try to save his little life but he was not lucky… I just wanted to point out the incredible defences he has, at this very young age!! They can draw blood quite substantially with a quick side swipe!…

2 responses so far

Category: Conservation Awareness, Education, Forest Fires, Samburu | Date: Apr 09 2009 | By: milgistrust

I just wanted to show you to what lengths the headmaster of Latakwen primary school took to show their appreciation of having water piped to his school, and for the New Nursery building… As I said before the people of Latakwen ‘pulled out all stops’ to celebrate, and these children, where no exception…. Below is the all the older pupils, about 300!, leading the youngsters about 100 past the old Nursery building before they lead them to their new building!!… They gave us a wonderful show of old Samburu traditional songs, and dances…

A goodbye dance past the old nursery school by by the primary school children…

Lesiantaam the nursery school teacher, could not resist a last sit, for old times sake!, with his pupils in the old Nursery school… This is how he has been teaching them for years!!… But I can assure you Lesiantaam, with his co-worker, madame, in the picture on the left, with their enthusiasm, eccentricity, superb supervision, and ability to make life fun in any circumstances, have never missed a beat even if the kids were sitting on the floor!! As he lead his little children, all having been dressed up for the occasion… [where they got it all from I don’t know!] down towards the new school, dancing and chanting sweet songs already you could see it in the childrens eyes… They were so excited!!

Lesiantaam, to the chorus of the children blessed the school, the people who gave it to them, TOTO TRUST, all the animals and trees in the picture above them, and last but not least a full tank of ‘VOSS’!!

The chief, sub chief, councillor, head master of the primary school, the chairman behind, Lesiantaam in front, and Madame in amongst the kids… It was such a show we were all speechless…

The crowds in Latakwen on this day… on this self pronounced holiday!, so that the people could celebrate, was larger than they have ever known… All to show their gratitude for the VOSS water, and TOTO TRUST Nursery building… What a wonderful day was had by all…

To round the days celebrations off, a little more of a serious moment, the leaders, the headmaster, the KWS based at Latakwen, myself, and others made use of the fact that there was such a crowd, and all had a few minutes to talk.. Having done all the thanking, and mentioning that ‘don’t forget us’, sort of talk, we went on to the most serious issue, the current fires being the most important one, we all sat under this tree, and each person that spoke ‘droned, and drilled’ on and on about the harm they are doing to them selves!! The response was good, and the meeting on 31st march was organised, which lead to the formation of committee members, who’s job it is to STOP the fire madness… So far so good… all quiet, and cold on the Northern front!! Nobody wants to have his wife taken away!!, or get a curse put on them!!..

TOTO TRUST have also paid for two other classrooms in the Milgis primary Eco-school… THANKS SO MUCH… Happy Easter every one!

3 responses so far

Category: Conservation Awareness, Forest Fires, Matthews range, Milgis lugga, Ndoto Mountains, Samburu | Date: Apr 03 2009 | By: milgistrust

I gather the fires burning in Kenya one week ago became world news… I have never seen any thing like it… We heard on the news that the Mau forest, and Mt Longonot, where burning and we witnessed the terrible fires on Mt Kenya… Too awful, and then I fly up to the Milgis and this is what we were greeted with… A complete frenzy of fires all over, from the Matthews right across to the Ndotos… This tends to happen at this time of the year, just before the rains..Its some how related to the fact that they think that the smoke makes clouds, and looking at the fire in the Ndotos it looks as though it could be possible! but NO rain to be seen!!

The beginning of a fire down on the Milgis Lugga.. Although it looks ferocious, luckily it burnt out before it did too much damage to the all important Tortilis trees, further up stream..

The same fire gaining momentum… the main trees to be burnt were Tamarix……. not so important as a food tree, although, the goats can feed on it when there is not much else, and the Elephants chew on the roots… The big advantage is the cover for hundreds of different animals… Bush pig, warthogs, civets, caracals, genets, mongooses… etc to name a few

Massive fire on the southern flank of Upe peak, of the Ndotos… Re burning an area that had a desperate fire a few years ago and I showed you the results of in my recent blog on the klipspringer being caught out… I’m afraid I also have to give the very sad news that it died after a month…

On the 25th March we flew up to the Milgis with two women representing VOSS, to hand over the ‘WATER’ to the Latakwen community… It was quite a party and will give you the news in my next Blog… Also present was Stella, who will be introducing herself to you soon! BUT the celebrations were marred by people burning the forests, an embarrassment to all… This led to the following meeting which is yet another attempt at stopping the slow ‘eating’ away of their recourses… You note I say THEIR… Yes these guys are cutting their own throats by burning, and yet they continue???? The Original Samburu fought long and hard to keep these mountains as their land, why are the men of today not respecting their ancestors who saw the value of them… Really what has happened…

As a result below is a report from Moses Lesoloyia… The Milgis Trust Manager..

The meeting took place on 31/3/2009 at Mpelengos. the meeting was attended by elders from Nkare Narok 12, Ngwe entome 23, Latakweny 23, Sererit 3.. Milgis Trust scouts 10, chief 1, councillor 1 and KWS rangers from Latakwen at the beginning..

The meeting was chaired by the councillor from the Ndoto ward who asked elders from each of these areas to talk and say what thoughts they have on the fires and whether they are willing to stop burning or should the burning continue??. Each group talked against burning and all agreed that they are ready to stop burning. the councillor asked the elders to tell what methods and punishments are there traditionally to deal with those who burn the forest. the following methods were mentioned;

1. cursing by elders

2. banishment from the area

3. fining

4. taking their wife away ( even if it is children or women all the blame goes to the man, he should have told them about it.)

5.being refused to graze in other areas.

The councillor asked the elders to decide on which methods to use to stop this menace. The elders agreed that one or more of the methods can be applied together. The elders said that because the people are becoming stubborn they will use cursing and fining. They will put a fine of 5000 and goats for the elders when they meet to discuss the perpetrators. The number of goats depend on the number of elders who meet. …18 men were identified to have burnt the forests and were to bring this money which will be used to pay bursary for school children. The councillor promised to present the issue during their full council meeting and bring councillors from Nkare narok and Nairimirimo. He will inform us of the dates so that we can organise for a meeting and the plan according to the situation by then.

The elders cursed whoever will burn the forests again and the message seems to have gone through as there has not been any fires except for one on Ndoto that evening and one at Ndonyo nasipa yesterday, maybe the message hadn’t reached them yet… We sent two scouts, grants Gazelle and lesser kudu to ndonyo nasipa to find out what happened.

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Category: Forest Fires, Ndoto Mountains | Date: Mar 13 2009 | By: milgistrust

Ndoto mountains… You can imagine the scenario… The peaks are around 8000 feet, and with in a very short distance, a few kilometres, the surrounding country is about 3000 feet, they are incredibly steep, very dramatic mountains, you can walk along the ridge from north to south, over the two main peaks, Allimission, and Upe, with a 360 degrees views all round…Its fabulous…But with a good wind you can imagine what happens if a fire [SO SAD that one match can do so much damage..] gets going on the slopes, in the thick brush… Its extremely dangerous, and this Klipspringer, was caught out with NO WHERE to run… The scouts presume there was two, as they are always two?, but this one walks carefully, and stiffly, and has been singed all over, but amazingly is still alive, more than two weeks after the fire!! We decided NOT to try to catch this animal as to take it off the mountain to treat would be impossible, also he had already got through the worst… incredible..

The Blue Mountains…Ndotos…

Whole side of the mountain is burnt

One fire killed all these ceders in a shot, just below Upe, the second highest peak of the Ndoto Mountains and this is only one slope that has suffered this fate… There are many others..

THE BIG QUESTION IS… HOW MANY MORE ANIMALS DON’T GET AWAY… We have a scout crossing the mountains tomorrow.. I hope he has news of our Klipspringer…

4 responses so far

Category: Forest Fires, Ndoto Mountains, Samburu | Date: Jan 22 2009 | By: milgistrust

Unfortunately the rain last week was very disappointing…After that incredible show of dust from the desert….. There was light rain for a couple of days in the mountains… Slightly more in the Ndoto’s which was good news as they needed it more, and there was a fire up on the slopes so hopefully that was doused… We had a little drizzle, in the plains.. thats all… So much for not cleaning the dust off all the surfaces!!!… The sky became crystal clear again…But the wind is unusually cold.. We have been told that the Samburu fortune teller from Mt Nyiru, who reads the planets and stars says that it is going to rain at new moon… The cloud build up for today and yesterday makes us all feel that me may be right… I heard an interesting story to day from a man we met on safari, that this same person who has predicted this rain, read into that wonderful sight of the moon between the two planets, Jupiter and Venus, back nearly 2 months ago… I will put a picture on the blog when I can, but he sees it as peace between the Samburu and Turkana??… That would be wonderful!!

Other news…We have received a report down in the lower Milgis, that there is a wounded Elephant that killed a cow… Two scouts have left this morning to investigate..Cheetah cub doing very well indeed…

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Category: Conservation Awareness, Forest Fires, Grevy's Zebra, Lions, Livestock, Mt Nyiru, Overgrazing, Samburu, elephants | Date: Dec 21 2008 | By: milgistrust

Before I start!… News on the cheetah cub is good, getting better… very playful…no more fits!!

This is written by the manager of the Milgis Trust… I like his traditional way of thinking… it may be quite long… but its interesting!!

Lately there has been a real increase in elephant’s movement to the north. For the first time in almost 30 years elephants visited Mpatpat area in the northern side of the Ndoto mountains, also keleswa to the west of the ndotos and are now permanently in Seren, Kasipo and Ura areas of the ndotos. A single elephant track was seen in the aparen area in the desert. He, the elders in the area said followed an old elephant route. This elephant could be a surveyor and could soon be leading others to this area. The north is now a strategically important region for the elephants as with the human population pressure and many fences being erected throughout Laikipia, the Elephants are beginning to feel safe in the north and are starting to “spread their wings”

It is because of this situation that our focus is on the north and a team of 9 scouts and the manager went for a 5 days awareness creation in the Ldonyo Mara area. The awareness involved community meetings, video shows and slides shows. The team conducted awareness in Tunguu, Arge, Kurungu, and Gorle and many informal stop overs in Keleswa, South Horr, Ngilai and Barsaloi.

All meetings started with a short traditional blessing, recited by one of the elders. The manager then introduced the Milgis team and the purpose of the meetings and started by telling the communities about the work Milgis Trust does, explaining why the conservation work is so important, and the communities that are trying will benefit from education, medical and water projects… The manager stressed that all these benefits are coming to the community because of wild animals. He then invited each of the scouts to talk about the animal he is named after. The approach is to talk about the animal, what it is like, and its importance in the Samburu community and its role in natural environment.

Elephants. Samburu.. Ltome . scouts name…Lentukunye.

He mentioned that elephants are the biggest land mammal. They can be friendly and will co-exist with human beings if not disturbed. He said they used to be almost everywhere within Samburu but were killed for ivory by the shiftas and the Lkishili generation of the Samburu, elders concurred on this and even pointed at places where some elephants were killed just near some of the meeting venues. He pointed out how important it is now to “welcome” them back in these areas.. They are under pressure in the south and they are starting to look for places where they can be safe, probing old routes and our predictions are that very soon they will be here in ldonyo mara, and Mt Nyiru.. We are here to announce their return so that you are prepared for them. He cautioned them that when the elephants return, please do not shout or shoot at them this makes them wild.. We have had reports from Ura that elephants are destroying trees. Of course they are a big animal and need food so they will break trees… thats their food…, but if they are not scared they do less damage…

Importance to the community; the manger asked the community what they know as the importance of elephants to their culture and the following were mentioned.

• When a Samburu marries the first fire is lite using elephant dung.
• Some families can not conduct circumcision ceremonies without a piece of ivory
• Elephants are useful in opening up routes in bushy areas
• Creation of water pans
• Seeds dispersal….

Lion, Lng’atuny—-Lolokuria

The lion is the king!! Please respect him!!…. Although we know the lion kills our livestock we need to take care of them, we must conserve wild animals so that the lion can find food in the bush. If you take your livestock into the bush, and you see predator tracks, or the birds warn you, then you are the one that needs to take precaution.. We need to avoid giving our livestock to very young children to look after, and at night we need to make proper fences around our homes to prevent them from getting in.

There used to be many lions in the old days but now there is serious reduction due to introduction of poisons, said an elder; though we use to kill lions with spears the impact was not as serious as the use of poison. We should stop using poison and report any person who uses it.

Importance to the community; one elder said though the lion is a killer to our livestock it is very important in our culture as follows

• No ritual can be conducted without a lion’s skin, be it marriage, or circumcision.
• If lions were not there wild animals would be too many and we would not get enough grass for our livestock.

Wild pig ,Lguiya…..Letura

The wild pig is similar to the warthog but according to the Samburu it is blessed, because of its colouring. This animal did not exist in many places but has been on the increase in the recent years and is now found in many places. There is no serious threat to him as the Samburu do not eat its meat. However destroying its habitat is a problem for any wild animal..

Importance to the community;

• The wild pig skin is used to make colours for cow’s bells.
• Its teeth are used as totems for certain families.

Grevys Zebra…Loibor kurum..Lenegwesi

This is one of the most endangered animals. Though the Samburu do not eat it’s meat loss or competition for essential resource is causing the deaths. This wild ass is endemic to the northern part of the country and the Samburu should be happy and feel lucky to have them within their area. The elders pointed out that they still have a lot of the grevys in the desert but they said the problem is water shortage.

Importance to the community;

• Early warning system. When the nomads do not see grevys where they are usually found they know something is not normal, either enemies or predators are there.
• Zebra hide is used as medicine for a certain cow disease caused by rats.

Gerenuk, Riko …..Lemagas

This is also a rare species. He asked how many people have never seen a gerenuk, the response was that all have seen but immediately said nowadays not so often. They said after the recruitment of a scout in the area there has been an increase and two months ago they came to feed on acacia pods near the villages. He said when he was young the elders use to say a prayer to NGAI that the herders, and travellers would stumble over an animal that has been killed by a predators. He says these days this is rare, and we must reverse this… He told them that should the gerenuk be extinct predators will be coming after the livestock.

• It is believed that if you keep a gerenuk with your goats you will become very wealthy.

The manager talked on general conservation in the area and asked the community to be serious on conservation as they are very lucky, they still have what the rest of the world does not have. They need to take conservation very seriously because the human population is increasing and very soon there will be no enough space to keep livestock in large numbers. He asked them to revert to their culture which was very rich in conservation education. Traditionally the Samburu have systems that ensure ecosystem balance. The Samburu have put in place taboos that prohibit the killing or eating of meat from certain wild animals and even cutting of certain trees. The elders in the meeting gave the following feed back on these taboos

Traditional conservation mechanisms of the Samburu

The Samburu community prohibits the killing and eating of meat from the following animals;

• All grey looking animals, donkeys, lesser kudu, wild pigs, elephants, rhinos, dikdik, hare, klipspringer, female ostrich
• All black animals and birds, male ostrich, wild dogs, crows,
• All gazelles with black patches on the sides, Thomson gazelles,
• It is a taboo for grown ups to kill a young animal that is still dependant on the parents or to kill a lactating animal. Usually young boys are allowed to kill them because it is known that they rarely succeed.

The manager cautioned that this culture is slowly eroding and is part of the cause for the disappearance of wild animals in the area.

He then browsed through the following areas which he said will be part of the video and slides shows.

Erosion…… Pastoralists are entirely dependant on the environment for survival. The livestock that they depend on for food entirely depend on the environment. Conserving the environment for the pastoralists is conserving their life. Destroying the vegetation is the major cause of soil erosion. Vegetation is destroyed in the following ways

• Over grazing…keeping too many livestock
• Careless cutting of trees— for fencing, for fodder
• Forest fires
• Human settlement-clearing land for farming.

Traditionally it is a taboo to completely cut or fell a tree, “in the old days if by mistake one cuts all branches of a tree a goat is slaughtered and fat is poured round that tree trunk”, said an elder. This culture is disappearing as sights of huge trees cut down are all over. It is important that we encourage these positive cultural practises. The main reason given for the destruction of the environment is livestock survival, the manager urged the community to start thinking of keep fewer livestock that have better value in terms of milk production and meat so that they can fetch better returns. He showed the community clips showing the effects of soil erosion in many parts of the district and warned that if they don’t take care their area will soon be affected too.

Fires…. The manager also talked about forest burning and the dangers that it causes to human survival. He gave examples of many places that used to have flowing rivers and now among the driest areas in the district. The elders gave further places and one elder of the Nkimaniki age group said when they were youths, about 1950s there was plenty of water everywhere unlike this days. The manager stressed that the main cause of water shortage is destruction of the catchments areas in the mountains especially by fires. He showed clips of fires destruction in the milgis lugga.

Human wildlife conflict……. In many incidents conflicts with predators is caused by human negligence or carelessness. Some of the circumstances that can lead to conflict are as follows;

• Poor/improper fencing
• Not taking precautions with livestock in dangerous places
• Using young children to look after livestock
• Leaving livestock to stray.

We desire to see a community that grazes their livestock with the wildlife together. In this way the community will start to benefit from both the livestock and the wildlife. The moment we start benefiting from wildlife then we will start to love them.

Conclusion…. The general feeling of the community was very positive and awareness on conservation is low but with very high expectations on immediate benefits of conservation. The leaders in the area were positive and already involved in the conservation effort through Lonjorin conservation group, which is in the early stages of forming a conservancy.

Our patrol trip to the sitan area of the desert was very good and there were many tracks of gazelles and grevy zebra in the lower muran area. This area needs another trip in the future especially Lonjorin area.

3 responses so far

Category: Forest, Forest Fires, Matthews range, Northern Frontier District | Date: Dec 07 2008 | By: milgistrust

Richard, Thank you for your support on this Matthews Saga… I am delighted that you have brought these valuable forests in Northern Kenya to the lime light… This whole thing with Luca managing to get a licence to cut a substantial count of fully grown indigenous trees for research, will funnily enough I hope, end up helping these forests, I’m not sure about the reason for cutting the trees for research??, BUT.. below is more from Luca to try and convince us…What is more exciting hopefully the Kenya forest service will show more interest in these forests… Instead of only taking money from them, IE this research permit, and camping fees up at Mt Nyiru, etc….Each time they come for fees, I ask what the forestry are doing about the forest fires, they can not answer… I even wrote to them to ask them, and have had no reply… A couple of comments from your blog, for the record… Re the size of the gaps made in the forest…either Samburu, do not know what a meter is, or Lucas meters are long…We will send somebody to check again!.. so the record is strait.. BUT to me this is not the issue… The issue is the fact in this day and age a researcher was able to get a licence to cut, live indigenous trees…After all that has been said and done in Kenya lately about cutting trees… I actually thought there was a total ban… The Matthews range is Samburu district!! And the amount he paid or promised to pay to the community about a month or so after they had evicted him, and after the forestry had suspended his research, because he had not agreed with the community, is in the region of 100000/- not 150000/-… Just for the record.. Any way your support on this issue is very very much appreciated, and Wildlife Direct is is an unbelievable help to conservation… Thank you for the idea and for setting it up.. .. salaams Helen..

Matthews peak, taken from the north…

Lucas Justifications….

Implicit in much conservation thinking is the idea that the activities of local human peoples are damaging to the environment. The direct consequence of this is that local people are often excluded from protected areas, sometimes with little regard for their rights, but also with little appreciation that - as any other species - humans might have a role in the balance of natural ecosystems. Let me clarify with an example: we all agree that lions have a key role in controlling herbivore populations in African savannas. When lions disappear, chances are that the entire ecosystem will suffer. Now, my question is: given that humans have lived in Africa for longer than anywhere else, why can’t we hypothesize that local peoples might have a key role in the preservation of African ecosystems - including forests? Are we sure that a forest without human impacts is by default better that a forest whose structure is partly affected by the activities of local peoples living in that area? I guess that we are not at all sure. Research is badly needed on this subject.

I studied local nomadic peoples and their effects on Afromontane forests for some years. Let me summarize a few key facts. First, forest area in the Mathews range is 26,300 ha. Assuming 1% yearly growth, this means that approximately 36,000 cubic meters of wood are produced each year in the forest.

My estimates suggest that about 10,000-20,000 trees are *dropped by local people in the Mathews range during drought years. In normal years it is less than half, about 3,000-6,000 trees.

On average, a tree in the Mathews range forest has a diameter of 9.8 cm and a height of 8.3m. These data are from 800 trees that I measured in the forest in 2006-2007. With these measurements, we can calculate that an average tree has a volume of 0.25 cubic meters, which means that even in drought years, local people drop less than 5,000 cubic meters of trees in the forest. This is much less that the average yearly natural growth. Of course, I have not considered forest fires (which, however, are much less frequent now than a few years ago), and my estimates are very rough, but a case can be made that after all, human use of forest resources in the Mathews range might still be within sustainability levels.

Ecological knowledge tells us that Afromontane forest canopies have a discontinuous, “gappy” structure. This is not the Amazon: trees here are comparatively small. In Afromontane forests, 10-30% of the area is actually made up by gaps in the canopy, whose diameter is on average 29 meters (n = 232 measures). More than 50% of these gaps show signs of human activities, therefore I hypothesize that humans have an important role in the creation of canopy gaps in Afromontane forests.

Forest gaps are also important for wildlife. Herbivores preferentially graze in the gaps. Endemic chameleon species might be gap-specialists, and bird diversity in a gap is approximately twice as much than in “undisturbed” forest.

Now, I am not jumping to the conclusion that we should conserve the Afromontane forest by dropping trees. Much more humbly, I am asking whether the activities of local human peoples might be important in the maintenance of forest species diversity. If that was true, then by managing these activities in the proper way, we will achieve a win-win outcome, in which local people could maintain their lifestyles and at the same time contribute to the conservation of species diversity. Wouldn’t this scenario be enticing?

This is the theoretical justification of my research; now let me describe the experimental settings. In my experiment, I selected 20 small plots within an “undisturbed” tract of the forest. For two years I studied ecosystems processes and structure before the creation of a gap. Then, last August, I (with the help of two friends) created gaps in ten of the survey plots. The remaining ten plots will be left undisturbed to provide experimental control. The ten artificial gaps are 24m diameter (i.e. 12m radius), that is, approximately similar to the “average” forest gap in an Afromontane forest.

Concerns were raised over the ecological impact of my “destruction”. Please consider that the total area of my artificial gaps is tiny - 0.45 ha in all in a forest that is 60,000 times larger. Also consider that gaps are natural components in this ecosystem, nothing alien is being introduced here.

If you are thinking that this could have been done in “natural” gaps without the need of dropping any trees, you are wrong. There is too much variation in size, shape and age within natural gaps. By using an experimental approach I have zeroed many sources of variation: all my gaps were created at the same time, they have the same size and shape. This will allow to record changes in ecosystem processes with a detail that has probably never been achieved before in tropical forest research.

Now let me conclude. Readers of this blog called me “idiotic” “inconsiderate”, and used words as “catastrophe”, “madness”, “destruction” etc. Some snubbed at the “findings” of my “research”. Those people might want to reconsider their judgment. I am a serious naturalist, I spent years working in this region and I think I am in my rights when I ask to be judged on the basis of truth and not rhetoric. Nothing in my research is a secret. Those who wish to come and see are welcome at any time.

With my best regards, Luca

Helens comments on your justifications… *The trees that the Samburu people cut down for there cows are usually pretty small.. Or they prune big ones… We are working hard on teaching them how to prune, so that next year, that same tree can help them…Don’t get me wrong, we don’t support any one cutting trees, but I do understand that people will tend to ‘destroy’ if there livelihood is on its last legs…

2 responses so far

Category: Forest, Forest Fires, Matthews range, Northern Frontier District | Date: Dec 04 2008 | By: milgistrust

Ok every one… Here’s more of an explanation?… and a contact… The University as you saw from the first two blogs, don’t seem to beable to give us any info, as per my emails to the Head of Dept., Mr Kay, and to his Thesis adviser…Henry Howe… Lucas contacts below…

From: “Luca Borghesio” <borghesio@gmail.com>
To: “Helen” <helendd@uuplus.com>
Sent: Thursday, December 04, 2008 10:31 AM
Subject: Re: Research in Kitich forest

> Dear Helen
> thanks to you too. So please let’s decide when we can meet so that we can
> talk. Of course I propose that talk means discussing, so I hope that in
> our meeting you will at least give me a chance to convince you.
> You said you have waited almost three months and tried a few channels to
> contact me. This is good because this inconveniences would have been
> avoided had we talked form the beginning. However, you could have found me
> very easily, by just typing “Luca Borghesio” on google - in this way you
> can get more information on me, my full contact details as well as
> descriptions of some of the other projects on which I am working in
> Africa.
> You and I are working on the same things, simply we have two different
> approaches to conservation. You perhaps believe that conservation means to
> remove human impacts from natural ecosystems. My point is instead that
> there is no such thing as a “natural ecosystem” as all ecosystems
> (especially in Africa have been modified and reshaped by humans for
> thousands of years). In my opinion, conservation means management of
> natural resources, including sustainable use, which is an essential point
> in a country like Kenya where 80% of energy resources are provided by
> fuelwood.
> Finally, I would ask you why not rewriting a bit you postings on Wildlife
> Direct. I wrote you and I repeat that much of what you wrote is plainly
> wrong. My plots are 12m radius, not 30m , I have no problem with maths.
> And “money talks” is simply an insinuation that is not appropriate to
> describe a honest person, as I am. I have proofs for what I am saying and
> you are welcome to visit my study area at any time to learn more about my
> research.

Readers… please take note of the above..

4/12/08 14.30…Luca, Thanks for this and I will post it on wildlife direct, so that all
the other people that need convincing can read… Alot of people have been
in contact with me about this… It is not just Milgis Trust… Soo I hope
you can convince us all…
I have been walking in and around the Matthews for 23 years… And
before then we used to go to the area above Kittich often, after Mills
Burton died and when they started Kittich camp up again…
Up in the Milgis we have very limited satelite internet, and I did
actually write an email to you, Ian Craig gave me your address… he was
the first person I contacted when this all started…which you didn’t
answer, I also sent a letter to Ngelai, which was mean’t to be given to
you…And several messages, via radio… Maybe you could have contacted
us.??.. You know we exist.. Maybe because of your contact with Julio, you
shrug, us off, but actually we are very serious, in trying to stop any
destruction in these northern forests, and I am happy to say, the fires are
much less these days esp. in the Matthews……Actually it was the fire
problems in the Matthews that sparked the Milgis Trust off… Many years
ago, we did a walk across the mountains from the north, into the Ngeng
valley, and we walked though a big area that had just been destroyed by a
fire… I decided on this walk that, something had to be done to stop this,
we started the ball rolling, and the’ Milgis Trust’ was formed..
Any way… The fact is that tree cutting in the Matthews by a
responsible person like you has left alot of people shocked, and saddened,
because this place before Julio took over the camp, and stopped people
camping, was visited by many people, and it is fairly well known…I used to
start all my camel safaris in the area just above Kittich camp…In fact I
spent many weeks up there…
I understand that people think in different ways as far as conservation
is concerned, and I am not the person to stop your research, or argue with
you…I just don’t want to see any more trees being cut down, in the
Matthews forest.. And with what is already cut down, I feel that is quite
enough.. If money doesn’t talk then why have the community who stopped you
cutting trees, agreed to you cutting more down…I hope you can finish your
research, and give us some interesting facts!!.. What comes to my mind is
… There is not a fire wood problem up there in the north, except where
people are beginning to settle in one area, ie Ngelai, Wamba, I would hate
to think that they would resort to going into the forests to find fire
wood??..Julio would love that!! Or are you going to come up with a better
idea…
I am away for a few days and will be back at the Milgis from the 14th
December… Where are you based??.. salaams Helen

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Category: Conservation Awareness, Errosion, Forest Fires, Grevy's Zebra, Mt Nyiru, Northern Frontier District, Overgrazing, elephants | Date: Nov 18 2008 | By: milgistrust

Every things happening up in the Milgis this month!! Usually a quiet sort of place…except when the wind blows!…

2 weeks ago, ‘The Landrover’ left for the Milgis Lugga, from our workshops at Naro Moru… We were very kindly given this series 2 landrover by Marika Beckman, who came on a camel safari in March..She decided this was the place for this beautiful old car to spend her last days… We picked her up in April, she was a wreck as she had done many Rhino Charges with Donna Hurt!!.. But after a thorough going over, in the workshop, and a paint job, shes out in the bush again… What a lovely vehicle, just so quiet compared to these modern cars and yet so much power.. She cruises up Elkanto hill in second gear!!..

We want to find out more of the probably 40 year history of this car, I’m sure its interesting!..But what we know is its already done alot for CONSERVATION!!… Immediately the land rover got to the Milgis, we organised an awareness campaign up in the north…Ten scouts went ahead by foot to gather every one for meetings, all round Mt Nyiru, and Ol Donyo Mara.. The manager and some of our “clever talking” scouts from the Matthews area, have gone to meet up them, so as to inform the communities about the inevitable return of the Elephants, what its like to live with them, and please to welcome them home… They also have lots more to tell the communities…. water for the wildlife, erosion issues, the result of too much stock, tree cutting, the value of wildlife, especially the Grevy zebra and how rare they are, ideas of how to protect there bomas [ thorn enclosure] against predators, killing the predator is not the answer!! Of course one one of the major topics is the burning of the forests…He has a small inverter, which will work off the Land rover battery and he has many pictures on his computer to show them …and a small film on how to live with predators..

Last but NOT least… Andrew thank you for your donation….Its greatly appreciated….Lots more news tomorrow

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Category: Forest Fires | Date: Nov 03 2008 | By: milgistrust

On the 30th October… During the scouts meeting we noticed a contingency of elders arriving at the hill, with a purpose in there stride… It looked serious!! And it was…They wanted to fine our scouts for trying to stop the burning of the forests!! for ‘doing their job’… Some months ago one of them had lit a whole lot of fires, which has done a considerable amount of damage…especially to the valuable tortilis trees, that I have mentioned several times during the dry season… Nobody did a thing.. Neither the elders who had told us to leave it to them, nor the KWS [Kenya wildlife service] who we had called in to help… Finally after frustration had filled all us ‘on lookers’ minds, the scouts went to visit the man in his manyatta… He threatened them, and attacked one of them with a knife, and things could have got quite out of control… But they managed to talk him into coming to the base and talking things through.. When he went back, he laughed at the scouts, told them they were useless, and that he would continue burning……which he did.. He also managed to convince some of the trouble causers in the community that they could make money out of his burning!! This was the purpose of their visit… This is not the first time, that the scouts have been spoken to in this way… Over the last few years we have been desperately trying to get help from the administration, or KWS to stop this idiotic burning…The acting chief from Latakwen has tried, but he found himself in the same situation… ANYWAY!! … I had invited the KWS district warden to the meeting, and he came!!… That was a good start, and the scouts asked him to come to the meeting with the elders… As soon as they saw the Warden, they calmed down, and as soon as he mentioned that… BURNING IS ILLEGAL!! and for that you can go to jail!… Things went very quiet.. The new district warden, Mr Mwavita is a man true to his word.. We are very happy to finally have somebody who can help… I told him…all we need is SUPPORT… Its as simple as that.. He told the elders there are places in Kenya, ie Turkana land, where there is hardly a tree, and no wildlife.. you have every thing here… its a beautiful place…Why are you destroying it, what are you achieving?? Please ‘cradle’ it… please ‘hold hands’ and look after what you have, even more now than you ever had, because of the increase in population… If you insist the scouts pay a fine, then the man who burnt the forest will come with me to the cell…. Even the acting assistant chief who was hoping for his part of the bounty… stood up and made a sensible speech… We really hope that we are finally turning into the ‘ home strait ‘ as far as progress on the burning issues… It has been extremely frustrating, with no help from anyone..

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