Kenya Wetland Biodiversity Research Team (KENWEB)
The concept for the Kenya Wetland Biodiversity Research Team (KENWEB) was developed in May 2010 bringing together a multi-disciplinary group of wetland experts and strengthening existing linkages among member institutions.
The team so far consists of five permanent members from the National Museums of Kenya, University of Nairobi and Kenya Wildlife Services, three temporary members from the French Institute for Research in Africa (IFRA) and the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (UK). Students in the project include: two undergraduates; two Master’s and four PhD students mentored by various members of the team. Plans for linkage with the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology are also under negotiation. Members of KENWEB are also involved in outreach to secondary schools science clubs through collaboration with programmes by the French Embassy in Kenya.
Kenya Forest Service
Kenya Forest Service is a State Corporation established in February 2007 under the Forest Act 2005 to conserve, develop and sustainably manage forest resources for Kenya’s social-economic development.The KFS management structure comprises 10 conservancies that are ecologically demarcated, 47 Ecosystem Conservancy Offices, 150 forest Stations, and 250 divisional forest extension offices located countrywide, and critical in forest management and surveillance.
To participate in forest management, forest adjacent communities have formed Community Forest Association groups and are currently working with KFS to sustainably manage forest resources. In total, there are 325 community forest associations. The major activities are to assist in mobilizing of community forest resource users to be capacity build on issues pertaining to sustainable exploitation and conservation of forests.
The National Environment Management Authority (NEMA)
The National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), is established under the Environmental Management and Co-ordination Act No. 8 of 1999 (EMCA) as the principle instrument of Government for the implementation of all policies relating to environment . EMCA 1999 was enacted against a backdrop of 78 sectoral laws dealing with various components of the environment, the deteriorating state of Kenya’s environment, as well as increasing social and economic inequalities, the combined effect of which negatively impacted on the environment. The supreme objective underlying the enactment of EMCA 1999 was to bring harmony in the management of the country’s environment.Mandate of NEMA The National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) is a government parastatal established to exercise general supervision and co-ordination over all matters relating to the environment.
Water Resource Management Authority
The Water Resource Management Authority (WRMA) is a state corporation under the Ministry of Water and Irrigation established under the Water Act 2002 and charged with being the lead agency in water resources management.The major activities are to assist in mobilizing of community water resource users to be capacity build on issues pertaining to water conservation and sustainable use. WRMA as per Article 8 of the Water Act has initiated the formation of Water Resource Users Associations (WRUAs) for the co-management of water resources and catchments.
The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS)
It is a state corporation that was established by an Act of Parliament (Cap 376), now repealed by WCMA (2013), with the mandate to conserve and manage wildlife in Kenya, and to enforce related laws and regulations.
KWS undertakes conservation and management of wildlife resources across all protected areas systems in collaboration with stakeholders. It is our goal to work with others to conserve, protect and sustainably manage wildlife resources. The community wildlife program of KWS in collaboration with others encourages biodiversity conservation by communities living on land essential to wildlife, such as wildlife corridors and dispersal lands outside parks and reserves. The premise is that ” if people benefit from wildlife and other natural resources, then they will take care of these resources.”