THE VIEWFINDERNEWSLETTER : ISSUE NO 23, March 2001 [How the year has started] [New Visa regulations] [Forest scandal] [Amboseli News] [Waste not, want not...] There seems to be a general feeling among wildlife film-makers that business is down, but we wonder. By early March we are on 36 film crews which, as anyone in their right mind will agree, is pretty crazy. Several of them were hit by unexpected heavy rains as a result of a number of cyclones off the coast of Madagascar. Nairobi’s rainfall in January measured 430 mm, as against an extraordinarily dry 637 mm for the whole of the year 2000.
With effect from 1st March, 2001, most visitors to Kenya require a visa. Countries affected are United Kingdom, France, Switzerland, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxemburg, Germany, Italy, Spain, Austria, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, United States of America and Canada. Since half way through 1999, most tourists were exempted but this ruling has now been reversed. It is possible to get single entry visas on arrival in Kenya, but multiple entry visas must be obtained in advance from Kenyan embassies and high commissions. Cost for single entry is US$50, and for multiple entry US$100. Transit visas cost US$ 20. The Kenya Government is being loudly criticised for announcing its decision to excise large sections of several forest reserves for ‘resettlement’. Forests earmarked for destruction include the Eastern Mau, Western and South-western Mau, Nakuru, Nabkoi, Mt Kenya, Marmanet, North Tinderet, Londiani, South Nandi, Molo and Kapsaret. The total area is 67,185 hectares (167,000 acres), more than one eighth of Kenya’s forest cover. The Kenya Forests Working Group and the East African Wildlife Society are leading a campaign to have this decision rescinded. Petitions are flying through cyberspace (email eawls@kenyaweb.com). Such destruction of Kenya’s already depleted forest reserves would have cataclysmic effects on biodiversity, climate, water supplies, electricity production, agriculture, unemployment, tourism, etc. and would not even come close to solving the problems of landlessness and famine. It is widely believed that only a very small proportion of this land would actually be used for resettlement, but that the majority would end up in the hands of unscrupulous politicians and well-connected individuals. Cynthia Moss, after many years with African Wildlife Foundation, has set up her own independent organization to run the elephant project in Amboseli. This is known as the Amboseli Trust for Elephants, and forms part of the African Elephant Conservation Organisation. Website http://www.elephanttrust.org/. Sad news from Amboseli is that ‘Vee’, who starred as the matriarch ‘Torn Ear’ in the IMAX film, Africa’s Elephant Kingdom, has not been seen for a long time and is presumed to be dead. With effect from 1st March, 2001, the Kenya Wildlife Service has introduced the ‘Smart Card’ system for entry into Amboseli. The system appears to be getting over its teething problems, and is now in place in Nairobi, Nakuru, Aberdares, Tsavo and Amboseli National Parks. An ingenious and environmentally friendly use has been found for recycled plastic bags and sheeting. In a joint effort between Kenya Wildlife Service and the Rhino Ark, old plastic is being collected and processed into fence posts. The advantages over traditional wooden posts are that plastic is not eaten by insects, is not desirable as firewood or charcoal, and is cheap to replace. When used with electric fencing, no additional insulation is required. So far, over 1,000 poles have been made, and are being used on the fence around the Aberdare National Park. The machine is in production at Lake Naivasha, where there are mountains of plastic from the many flower farms around the lake. The machine is in two parts – first, an agglomerator which cuts the plastic into small pieces; then an extruder which melts the plastic (at a temperature which does not release poisonous gases) into a fence post mould. When the plastic has cooled, the post is ready. Processing at the moment is slow (2 poles per hour), but funds are being sought for a larger machine which would make the process quicker. Poles made from low density plastic tend to be a bit ‘whippy’, but when spaced 10 metres apart with a traditional cedar post at every 100 metres, the result is an efficient fence. |
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