By David Western

The Minister of the Environment, Professor Judi Wakhungu, officially launched Kenya’s Natural Capital: A Biodiversity Atlas at a breakfast ceremony in the Crowne Plaza, Nairobi, on 17th of November. The atlas was commissioned by the Ministry of the environment and produced by a team of government agencies, conservation organizations and academic institutions led by African Conservation Centre’s chairman, David Western and director, Lucy Waruingi.

Here are some excerpts from the opening chapter of the atlas:

Kenya is known as the safari capital of the world, a place where rhinos, lions and giraffe stroll by tourist vehicles within sight of bustling downtown Nairobi.Less publicized is Kenya’s majestic scenery. The nation’s rich collage of landscapes range from the Chalbi Desert in the north to the snow clad peaks of Mt. Kenya, from the white beaches of the Indian Ocean to the shores of Lake Victoria, and from the rolling plains of Maasai Mara to the floor of the Great Rift Valley. Kenya is also the foundry of varied cultures and lifestyles rooted in the productivity and diversity of its landscapes. Over forty ethnic groups spanning hunter-gatherers, herders, farmers, fishermen artisans and traders depended for eons on the providence of the land, soils, waters, plants and animals.

The interactions between topography, soils, hydrology, plants, animals and peoples within each eco-climatic zone create locally distinctive ecosystems, including forests, woodlands, shrub-lands, grasslands, deserts, wetlands, lakes and rivers, montane, afro-alpine and marine ecosystems. Kenya, ranks among the world’s richest biodiversity nations and hosts over 35 000 species, including more than 7000 plant species and many endemic, rare, endangered and threatened species.

Kenya’s Natural Capital:  A Biodiversity Atlas is a national endeavor commissioned by the Ministry of Environment, Water and Natural Resources to document the natural wealth of Kenya. The atlas gives provisional maps of Kenya’s biodiversity. It explains what accounts for the richness of its ecosystems and the survival of its unique mega fauna in the 21st century. The atlas also looks at the status and threats of Kenya’s biodiversity; the values it affords society; the steps taken to protect it and the challenges ahead. It further points to the need for Kenya to fully value its natural capital and provides a framework and case studies for how to do so.

Finally, the atlas points to a new vision and strategy for how Kenya can incorporate natural capital as one of the pillars of its national development alongside the economic and political pillars on which Vision 2030 is founded. It is intended above all to give Kenyans in all walks of life an atlas that recognizes and values the rich biodiversity of our country and lays the foundation for a sustainable future rooted in conservation and efficient use of natural capital.

At the launch, the African Conservation Centre, in collaboration with the African Centre for Technological Studies, released policy briefs on the use and applications of the atlas for national policy makers, country decision-makers, the business community and learning institutions.

The atlas will be freely available online and continually updated in digital form.

By Victor N. Mose

ACP, ACC, and NAU launched a NASA-funded One Health survey using GEDI and local monitoring for ecosystem health.

By David Western, Victor N. Mose, David Maitumo, Immaculate Ombongi, Sakimba Kimiti, Winfridah Kemunto, Samuel Lekanaiya, Paul Kasaine and Sunte Kimiti

The heavy prolonged El Niño rains boosted pastures across the Amboseli ecosystem

By David Western, Immaculate Ombongi and Victor N. Mose

Our study traces the transition from traditional livestock practices based on seasonal migrations to permanent

Kenya’s biodiversity atlas launched

Authored by : David Western
Posted on December 3, 2015

The Minister of the Environment, Professor Judi Wakhungu, officially launched Kenya’s Natural Capital: A Biodiversity Atlas at a breakfast ceremony in the Crowne Plaza, Nairobi, on 17th of November. The atlas was commissioned by the Ministry of the environment and produced by a team of government agencies, conservation organizations and academic institutions led by African Conservation Centre’s chairman, David Western and director, Lucy Waruingi.

Here are some excerpts from the opening chapter of the atlas:

Kenya is known as the safari capital of the world, a place where rhinos, lions and giraffe stroll by tourist vehicles within sight of bustling downtown Nairobi.Less publicized is Kenya’s majestic scenery. The nation’s rich collage of landscapes range from the Chalbi Desert in the north to the snow clad peaks of Mt. Kenya, from the white beaches of the Indian Ocean to the shores of Lake Victoria, and from the rolling plains of Maasai Mara to the floor of the Great Rift Valley. Kenya is also the foundry of varied cultures and lifestyles rooted in the productivity and diversity of its landscapes. Over forty ethnic groups spanning hunter-gatherers, herders, farmers, fishermen artisans and traders depended for eons on the providence of the land, soils, waters, plants and animals.

The interactions between topography, soils, hydrology, plants, animals and peoples within each eco-climatic zone create locally distinctive ecosystems, including forests, woodlands, shrub-lands, grasslands, deserts, wetlands, lakes and rivers, montane, afro-alpine and marine ecosystems. Kenya, ranks among the world’s richest biodiversity nations and hosts over 35 000 species, including more than 7000 plant species and many endemic, rare, endangered and threatened species.

Kenya’s Natural Capital:  A Biodiversity Atlas is a national endeavor commissioned by the Ministry of Environment, Water and Natural Resources to document the natural wealth of Kenya. The atlas gives provisional maps of Kenya’s biodiversity. It explains what accounts for the richness of its ecosystems and the survival of its unique mega fauna in the 21st century. The atlas also looks at the status and threats of Kenya’s biodiversity; the values it affords society; the steps taken to protect it and the challenges ahead. It further points to the need for Kenya to fully value its natural capital and provides a framework and case studies for how to do so.

Finally, the atlas points to a new vision and strategy for how Kenya can incorporate natural capital as one of the pillars of its national development alongside the economic and political pillars on which Vision 2030 is founded. It is intended above all to give Kenyans in all walks of life an atlas that recognizes and values the rich biodiversity of our country and lays the foundation for a sustainable future rooted in conservation and efficient use of natural capital.

At the launch, the African Conservation Centre, in collaboration with the African Centre for Technological Studies, released policy briefs on the use and applications of the atlas for national policy makers, country decision-makers, the business community and learning institutions.

The atlas will be freely available online and continually updated in digital form.

By David Western

The Minister of the Environment, Professor Judi Wakhungu, officially launched Kenya’s Natural Capital: A Biodiversity Atlas at a breakfast ceremony in the Crowne Plaza, Nairobi, on 17th of November. The atlas was commissioned by the Ministry of the environment and produced by a team of government agencies, conservation organizations and academic institutions led by African Conservation Centre’s chairman, David Western and director, Lucy Waruingi.

Here are some excerpts from the opening chapter of the atlas:

Kenya is known as the safari capital of the world, a place where rhinos, lions and giraffe stroll by tourist vehicles within sight of bustling downtown Nairobi.Less publicized is Kenya’s majestic scenery. The nation’s rich collage of landscapes range from the Chalbi Desert in the north to the snow clad peaks of Mt. Kenya, from the white beaches of the Indian Ocean to the shores of Lake Victoria, and from the rolling plains of Maasai Mara to the floor of the Great Rift Valley. Kenya is also the foundry of varied cultures and lifestyles rooted in the productivity and diversity of its landscapes. Over forty ethnic groups spanning hunter-gatherers, herders, farmers, fishermen artisans and traders depended for eons on the providence of the land, soils, waters, plants and animals.

The interactions between topography, soils, hydrology, plants, animals and peoples within each eco-climatic zone create locally distinctive ecosystems, including forests, woodlands, shrub-lands, grasslands, deserts, wetlands, lakes and rivers, montane, afro-alpine and marine ecosystems. Kenya, ranks among the world’s richest biodiversity nations and hosts over 35 000 species, including more than 7000 plant species and many endemic, rare, endangered and threatened species.

Kenya’s Natural Capital:  A Biodiversity Atlas is a national endeavor commissioned by the Ministry of Environment, Water and Natural Resources to document the natural wealth of Kenya. The atlas gives provisional maps of Kenya’s biodiversity. It explains what accounts for the richness of its ecosystems and the survival of its unique mega fauna in the 21st century. The atlas also looks at the status and threats of Kenya’s biodiversity; the values it affords society; the steps taken to protect it and the challenges ahead. It further points to the need for Kenya to fully value its natural capital and provides a framework and case studies for how to do so.

Finally, the atlas points to a new vision and strategy for how Kenya can incorporate natural capital as one of the pillars of its national development alongside the economic and political pillars on which Vision 2030 is founded. It is intended above all to give Kenyans in all walks of life an atlas that recognizes and values the rich biodiversity of our country and lays the foundation for a sustainable future rooted in conservation and efficient use of natural capital.

At the launch, the African Conservation Centre, in collaboration with the African Centre for Technological Studies, released policy briefs on the use and applications of the atlas for national policy makers, country decision-makers, the business community and learning institutions.

The atlas will be freely available online and continually updated in digital form.

By Victor N. Mose

ACP, ACC, and NAU launched a NASA-funded One Health survey using GEDI and local monitoring for ecosystem health.

By David Western, Victor N. Mose, David Maitumo, Immaculate Ombongi, Sakimba Kimiti, Winfridah Kemunto, Samuel Lekanaiya, Paul Kasaine and Sunte Kimiti

The heavy prolonged El Niño rains boosted pastures across the Amboseli ecosystem

By David Western, Immaculate Ombongi and Victor N. Mose

Our study traces the transition from traditional livestock practices based on seasonal migrations to permanent

Posted on December 3, 2015

By David Western

The Minister of the Environment, Professor Judi Wakhungu, officially launched Kenya’s Natural Capital: A Biodiversity Atlas at a breakfast ceremony in the Crowne Plaza, Nairobi, on 17th of November. The atlas was commissioned by the Ministry of the environment and produced by a team of government agencies, conservation organizations and academic institutions led by African Conservation Centre’s chairman, David Western and director, Lucy Waruingi.

Here are some excerpts from the opening chapter of the atlas:

Kenya is known as the safari capital of the world, a place where rhinos, lions and giraffe stroll by tourist vehicles within sight of bustling downtown Nairobi.Less publicized is Kenya’s majestic scenery. The nation’s rich collage of landscapes range from the Chalbi Desert in the north to the snow clad peaks of Mt. Kenya, from the white beaches of the Indian Ocean to the shores of Lake Victoria, and from the rolling plains of Maasai Mara to the floor of the Great Rift Valley. Kenya is also the foundry of varied cultures and lifestyles rooted in the productivity and diversity of its landscapes. Over forty ethnic groups spanning hunter-gatherers, herders, farmers, fishermen artisans and traders depended for eons on the providence of the land, soils, waters, plants and animals.

The interactions between topography, soils, hydrology, plants, animals and peoples within each eco-climatic zone create locally distinctive ecosystems, including forests, woodlands, shrub-lands, grasslands, deserts, wetlands, lakes and rivers, montane, afro-alpine and marine ecosystems. Kenya, ranks among the world’s richest biodiversity nations and hosts over 35 000 species, including more than 7000 plant species and many endemic, rare, endangered and threatened species.

Kenya’s Natural Capital:  A Biodiversity Atlas is a national endeavor commissioned by the Ministry of Environment, Water and Natural Resources to document the natural wealth of Kenya. The atlas gives provisional maps of Kenya’s biodiversity. It explains what accounts for the richness of its ecosystems and the survival of its unique mega fauna in the 21st century. The atlas also looks at the status and threats of Kenya’s biodiversity; the values it affords society; the steps taken to protect it and the challenges ahead. It further points to the need for Kenya to fully value its natural capital and provides a framework and case studies for how to do so.

Finally, the atlas points to a new vision and strategy for how Kenya can incorporate natural capital as one of the pillars of its national development alongside the economic and political pillars on which Vision 2030 is founded. It is intended above all to give Kenyans in all walks of life an atlas that recognizes and values the rich biodiversity of our country and lays the foundation for a sustainable future rooted in conservation and efficient use of natural capital.

At the launch, the African Conservation Centre, in collaboration with the African Centre for Technological Studies, released policy briefs on the use and applications of the atlas for national policy makers, country decision-makers, the business community and learning institutions.

The atlas will be freely available online and continually updated in digital form.

Recent Posts

By David Western, Victor N. Mose, David Maitumo, Immaculate Ombongi, Sakimba Kimiti, Winfridah Kemunto, Samuel Lekanaiya, Paul Kasaine and Sunte Kimiti

The outlook for livestock and wildlife in the short dry season normally stretching from January to the long rains

By Victor N. Mose

ACP, ACC, and NAU launched a NASA-funded One Health survey using GEDI and local monitoring for ecosystem health.

By David Western, Victor N. Mose, David Maitumo, Immaculate Ombongi, Sakimba Kimiti, Winfridah Kemunto, Samuel Lekanaiya, Paul Kasaine and Sunte Kimiti

The heavy prolonged El Niño rains boosted pastures across the Amboseli ecosystem

By David Western, Immaculate Ombongi and Victor N. Mose

Our study traces the transition from traditional livestock practices based on seasonal migrations to permanent

By Victor N. Mose, PhD, ACC/ACP, Nairobi, Kenya.

The MOSAIC field mission to the Amazon region, following a previous mission to East Africa

By Victor N. Mose, PhD, ACC/ACP, Nairobi, Kenya.

In a recent community meeting held at the Amboseli Ecosystem Trust offices in southern Kenya.

By Victor N. Mose and David Western

The Amboseli Conservation Program (ACP) has conducted regular aerial sample counts of Amboseli and eastern Kajiado

By Victor N. Mose, David Western and the ACP Team

The Amboseli Conservation Program (ACP) continued to monitor the conditions of the rangelands, livestock and wild

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A notable discussion at the forum focused on disparities in data availability between the Global North and South.

By Victor N. Mose, David Western and the ACP Team

The effects of the good short rains have been felt in the Amboseli area.

Contact Us

Amboseli Conservation Program
P.O Box 15289-00509 or 62844-00200
Nairobi, Kenya.

Tel/Fax: +254 20 891360 / 891751
Email: acc@acc.or.ke