Subproject

E01 - Conservation and sustainable use of East African rain forest ecosystems

Workpackage

WP1: Kakamega Biodiversity Information Centre (BIC) and expansion of the forest station

Project leader(s)

Prof. Dr. J. W. Wägele
Dr. R. Bagine
Prof. Dr. G. Schaab
Dr. W. Freund

Project description

Following the recommendations from the evaluation, we apply for additional funds to establish a Biodiversity Information Centre (BIC) in the vicinity of Kakamega Forest in co-operation with KWS, FD and E02 (WP1). The major part of funding for the BIC will cover the equipment and further facilities and is part of the exit strategy initiated for all counterpart institutions involved. The BIC should include a GIS room, a library, and a conference/meeting hall. It therefore will provide the necessary facilities and infrastructure to ensure for long-term transfer of data transfer and local use of information, making BIOTA results available to a wide range of stakeholders and policy makers and further promoting communication between scientists, the local community, and forest visitors. The Kakamega BIC will be an important contribution towards other capacity building measures, since it will provide for a long-term infrastructure. After the next phase the BIC will be maintained and occupied by a KWS officer and KWS has agreed to take over the funding part which will now be covered by BIOTA East. The BIC is targeted for and will be open to multiple user groups, including scientists and researchers, NGOs, schools, tourists as well as the general public and the library, GIS laboratory and meeting room will be available and open to all interested parties.

But especially for tourists and school classes an additional room at the KWS main gate will be established and equipped with information like posters, booklets, post cards, maps etc. This room is meant to increase public awareness for biodiversity and forest conservation in the local population.

This WP includes also measures for the additional improvement and extension of the existing research station in Kakamega forest, kindly financed through the KWS. These will significantly improve working conditions at the Buyangu camp site and will allow researchers to work during the wet seasons, following recommendations of the evaluation committee that visited the camp site in September 2005.

Keywords

printed and digital educational media, information centres

Contribution to
cross-cutting themes (CCT)

• Capacity building and information policy at local, national,and international levels (Theme5)

Link to Subproject