World Land Trust raises funds to purchase 810 acres in Dakatcha Woodland!

In June 2019, World Land Trust (WLT) launched an appeal to help purchase and protect 810 acres of one of Kenya’s threatened coastal forests: Dakatcha Woodland. Within a matter of weeks, the appeal had reached its target, giving the small wonders of the forest hope for a safe place to call home.

Nature Kenya alerted World Land Trust to the plight of one of the world’s rarest birds, Clarke’s Weaver, whose survival hangs in the balance. Its only known nesting site was discovered as recently as 2013, deep in the Brachystegia forest of Dakatcha, near Malindi on Kenya’s north coast. Less than 2,000 pairs of Clarke’s Weavers are thought to exist.

Illegal activities such as logging of indigenous trees and charcoal production have destroyed large tracts of forest vegetation in Dakatcha. Uncontrolled pineapple farming and outside investor and land speculation have also put immense pressure on this vulnerable habitat.

Most of Dakatcha Woodland is not protected. Land purchase is considered to be one of the few viable options of preventing the extinction of the Clarke’s Weaver and other threatened species such as the Golden-rumped Sengi (elephant-shrew) and Sokoke Pipit.

While it cannot be claimed that Clarke’s Weaver and the other globally threatened species that live in the forest have been saved from extinction, 810 acres will at least be protected for the wildlife that has chosen to live there.

World Land Trust is grateful to African Bird Club for supporting the appeal by making a generous donation as part of their 25th anniversary celebrations. The Trust hopes to continue supporting Nature Kenya to purchase more land in Dakatcha in the near future.

We at Nature Kenya say ‘asante sana’ to WLT for their generous support towards saving threatened species and conserving key habitats.

Link: World Land Trust/www.worldlandtrust.org