From: Colin Jackson <colin.jackson@arocha.org>
Date: 2009-01-12 13:30
Subject: Tana River Delta still threatened
It's now a full year since the EIA for the Mumias sugarcane project for
the Tana River Delta was released and a number of us were making
comments on it hoping and praying that we could get the development
stopped - which otherwise will totally destroy the delta. From our
January waterfowl counts there, we've confirmed that it is hugely
important for birds, both our own breeding populations of herons,
crakes, storks, etc as well as a foraging ground for passage and
wintering Palaearctic birds.
The pressure is still very much on regarding the sugarcane threat - and
if anything, is worse with a second company, Mat International, also
threatening to put in over 50,000ha of sugarcane in and around the
delta. We cannot afford to go quiet on this issue and let the
government / developers steamroller the issue and get away with
destroying one of Kenya's most important and awesome wetlands.
The Tana River Delta website has been updated and improved and provides
a lot of good background information about the issue. Please explore
it, use it, and give us feedback and forward the link to anyone who
might be interested: www.tanariverdelta.org
A documentary of the Tana Delta is in the process of being finalised
for showing spearheaded by NatureKenya. Interestingly Mumias, TARDA and
NEMA declined NatureKenya's invitations for interviews. But the
NatureKenya and KWS Directors, and the Dean of the Environment faculty
at the Kenyatta university gave excellent interviews. K24, a local TV
station has agreed to air the film once it is finished. It is also
planned to show it widely in the Delta, using mobile units. Once ready,
copies of the film will be available to anyone who wants it including
online at www.tanariverdelta.org.
Please help us protect this amazing part of our country - someone who's
spent time in the Okavango Delta and who has joined our January
waterbird counts on the Tana Delta said the latter was far more
spectacular as regards a birding experience than the Okavango...
-----------------------------
Colin Jackson
A Rocha Kenya
www.arocha.org / www.assets-kenya.org
Blog: http://arochakenya.wildlifedirect.org
eml: colin.jackson@arocha.org
tel while in South Africa:
+27 (0)79 258 9615
+27 (0)21 715 3912 (home)
+27 (0)21 650 2422 (office)