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CEPF's grantees prepare to share the results of the US$ 7 million investment
On 25th and 26th February, over 100 people will gather in Dar es Salaam to review the achievements of CEPF's investment in the conservation of the Eastern Arc Mountains and Coastal Forests of Kenya and Tanzania. During a meeting to be held at the Courtyard Hotel, grantees, government representatives and conservation practitioners from four other Hotspots will assess the achievements of the investment and prioritise future actions that will sustain the achievements so far. For more information please contact Nike Doggart at ndoggart@tfcg.or.tz
Students present the results of the latest research in the Hotspot
On 27th February at the Starlight Hotel in Dar es Salaam, 18 student researchers who have been supported by CEPF to undertake biodiversity research in the Hotspot will be presenting their results. Some of the research topics that will be covered in the meeting include payments for water environmental services; a behavioural study of the Tanza Crested mangabey; vegetation response to climate change in the Eastern Arc Mountains; and invasive alien species in the Udzungwa Mountains. All are welcome. For more information, please contact George Eshiamwata e-mail: george@Birdlife.or.ke
Project Updates
Below are updates from some of the CEPF funded projects. Downloadable project publications are listed on the publications page.
EACF Biodiversity Status report available for comments
The BirdLife partnership have drafted a 'Status Report for the Eastern Arc Mountains and Coastal forests of Kenya and Tanzania Region, 2007'. The report is now available for comments and additional contributions. The report assesses the status of biodiversity in the Eastern Arc Mountains and Coastal Forests of Kenya and Tanzania (EACF) region against most of the 19 biodiversity monitoring indicators agreed upon by the stakeholders in the region. It uses information availed up to the end of 2007, and where possible comparisons made with past data to assess trends. It will be used as a basis for triggering further contributions for compilation of a final version that will cover 2008. This is done as part of an initiative geared towards instituting a standardised biodiversity monitoring system across the region.
Results from CEPF Grants for Student Research programme now available online
Some of the results of the research carried out through the BirdLife-led Grants for Student Research programme have been published in an exciting new edition of the Arc Journal. The journal includes articles on the success of participatory forest management in the Udzungwa Mountains; how mangabeys help to restore forest; a potentially devastating mite lurking in the Uluguru Mountains and threatened birds in Kenya's coastal forests. Posted 28/11/08
Conservation status assessed for 800 plant species
With support from CEPF, scientists from around the world have been meeting to assess the conservation status of the region’s endemic plant species. The third meeting concluded on 25th April 2008 and was hosted by the National Herbarium in Arusha. The meeting was attended by 30 botanists from Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, UK and USA. Almost 800 plant species have now been assessed. The project has been implemented through a partnership between IUCN and the Missouri Botanical Gardens. Additional funds are now being sought to assess a further 900 species endemic to the region. Posted 30/04/08
New species of sengi described with support from CEPF
Biologists have discovered a new species of giant elephant-shrew (also called "sengi") in the Udzungwa Mountains of Tanzania. Only three other species of giant elephant-shrew were known to science before this new one. The new species has been called the ‘grey-faced elephant-shrew’.
The elephant-shrew was discovered using automatic cameras set by Dr Francesco Rovero of the Trento Museum of Natural Sciences, Italy, during an expedition he conducted in 2005. During 2006, with funding from the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund, Dr. Rovero then worked with a team from the Tanzania Forest Conservation Group and the California Academy of Sciences to collect sufficient information to describe it scientifically. Posted 30/04/08
CEPF student grants benefit 23 graduates working in East Africa
BirdLife International recently announced that 23 students have received finance from the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund to conduct field research as part of their postgraduate studies. The grants were awarded as part of the BirdLife-led 'Student Grants' programme. Research topics have ranged from studies relating to climate change, participatory forest management, invasive alien species, pollination services, habitat requirements of endangered bird species and the ecology of an endangered land snail. All of the field research was conducted within the Eastern Arc and Coastal Forests of Kenya and Tanzania. Of the 23 successful students, 10 were registered at Tanzanian universities, nine at Kenyan universities and four were registered at universities outside East Africa. The Student Grants programme is now closed to further applications. A summary of each of the projects that received funding is now available for download.
Download the project list. 43 K (PDF)
TFCG Publishes Special CEPF Edition of The Arc Journal
In April 2007 TFCG published a special edition of The Arc Journal which focuses on CEPF's US$ 7,000,000 investment in the Eastern Arc and Coastal Forests of Kenya and Tanzania. This special edition of the Arc Journal opens with a letter from John Watkin, the CEPF Grant Director, descibes 18 CEPF funded projects and includes a full list of projects funded by CEPF to date, all accompanied by some spectacular photographs.
Down load the Arc Journal here. 2650 K (PDF)
CEPF Funded Student - Christopher Sabuni speaks to readers
Christopher Sabuni, 46, of Morogoro, a student of Sokoine University of Agriculture, is one of seven successful applicants who secured funding for postgraduate research. “Funding from CEPF has made it possible for me to conduct fieldwork for my MSc thesis in Sadaani National Park. Without the funds, it would not have been possible for me to gain such experience”, says Christopher, who is currently writing up the results of his 6 months of field work on the small mammals of Saadani National Park. The Park, gazetted in 2005, which includes the Zaraninge forest, one of the last coastal rain forests remaining in Tanzania, is well known for its diversity of vegetation, yet little is known about the small mammals that exist within the park. This is a knowledge gap that Christopher is helping to fill.
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CEPF Investigates Future Sources of Funding for the Hotspot
Under Strategic Funding Direction 5, CEPF allocated funds to develop and support efforts for further fundraising for biodiversity conservation in the hotspot. In order to identify the best way to achieve this, the CEPF Coordination Unit have recruited a team of consultants to assess potential opportunities. Some of the funding opportunities that are being explored include payments for the ecosystem services provided by the hotspot's forests such as clean water, carbon emission reductions, health and biodiversity conservation. The strategy will be completed by September 2007.
Once the current portfolio of CEPF projects in the hotspot has been completed - end of 2008 - CEPF will provide support to other hotspots, in urgent need of investment.
Amani Butterfly Project gets a boost
In 2006 the Amani Butterfly Project sold around US$ 50,000 worth of pupae to live butterfly exhibits, providing an income to approximately 400 households of the Amani area. CEPF funding helped this community-led project to expand its office and to send staff to training camps on community based saving and loan programs. Click here read more about the Amani Butterfly Project.
15 Community Biodiversity Grants Awarded
15 community Biodiversity Grants, amounting to US$ 38,000, have recently been awarded to community groups across seven districts of main land Tanzania, and the islands of Unguja and Pemba that make up the Zanzibar Archipelago. The successful applicants are carrying out conservation and livelihoods activities ranging from butterfly farming, beekeeping and tree planting. Community groups are still being encouraged to apply for these grants.
Community Biodiversity Conservation Grants
Community based organisations can now apply for grants to undertake activities that will improve their livelihoods and contribute to the conservation of the Eastern Arc or Coastal forests of Kenya or Tanzania.
If you know of any community groups that could benefit from a Community Biodiversity Conservation Grant please help them to apply. Click here to find out more.
Southern Udzungwa Workshop
On 23rd March 2007 more than 50 people attended the second workshop concerning the Conservation and Management of the Southern Udzungwa Mountains. After Dr. Tango, Acting Director of the Forestry and Beekeeping Division of Tanzania had opened the workshop, attendees received presentations from projects that have been conducting biological and socio-economic research in the Southern Udzungwa Mountains landscape. Working groups then formed to discuss suitable ways forward for conservation activities within the landscape. The workshop was organised by WWF Tanzania through CEPF funding secured by Museo di Tridentino di Scienze Naturali.
US$ 6,688,758 Allocated to 84 Projects
84 CEPF funded projects are currrently underway or have been completed in the Eastern Arc and Coastal Forests of Kenya and Tanzania. The CEPF portfolio of projects has been designed to conserve the 333 globally threatened species from five taxa (mammals, birds, amphibians, gastropods and plants) that occur in 160 key biodiversity areas across the Eastern Arc and Coastal Forests Hotspot. The 84 projects target 311 of these threatened species at more than 50 sites.
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September 2006 Forest Connectivity Grantees Workshop - documenting lessons learnt
In September 2006 a two day workshop held at Amani Nature Reserve brought together grantees working to restore and increase connectivity among fragmented forest patches in the hotspot. The workshop was a forum for grantees to present the progress of their projects but most crucially gave participants an opportunity to discuss and document lessons learnt during project implementation.
The workshop proceedings may be accessed through the publications page.
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June 2006 Increasing Biological Knowledge Grantees Workshop - documenting lessons learnt
On the 27 and 28 of June 2006 a workshop was convened to document lessons learnt during the implementation projects funded under Strategic Direction Three - Improving Biological Knowledge of the Hotspot. Workshop participants presented their project findings and through group sessions recorded lessons learnt during project implementation.
The workshop proceedings may be accessed through the publications page.
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