This project will make Nairobi’s residents more aware of the opportunities with nature at City Park and establish this urban park as a catalyst for conservation engagement in the city.
Nairobi has a population of 4 million people and has one of the fastest urban growth rates. The increased appreciation and engagement to be brought about by this project will reinforce City Park’s vital environmental role as integral to the quality of life in Nairobi.
Butterfly house also in the Boscowen area adjacent to the pollinator garden.
The objectives of this project are to
1) Strengthen the communication network of those engaged with the Park
2) Increase the number of supporters and people who make use of the Park
3) Create a new park attraction - a butterfly and pollinator garden and
4) Further protect the park by enhancing its value as a natural resource of the city
Activities include a new website and blog to encourage people to get to know, support and visit the park. Poster displays on trails will add value to visits by wildlife clubs, bird-watching groups and schools by providing instructional markers and information. Together with the current guided nature walks at the park, participatory activities will be organised as part of a volunteer scheme. The scheme will contribute to greater community interaction by providing opportunities for schools, people and businesses to take part and get involved in hands-on activities.
A proposed butterfly exhibit and pollinator garden will contribute not only to a better understanding of ecological aspects of City Park, but also to people’s appreciation of nature and learning by school groups. Altogether, the website, walks, volunteer activities, the pollinator and butterfly garden and display materials will provide an opportunity to learn first-hand about nature and ecology – nurturing and producing in young people a real love for nature that will have an impact on the city for years to come.
City Park is more than 60 hectares of evergreen forest, gardens and wildlife in the heart of Nairobi, but it has been plagued by neglect, insecurity and the threat of private development. Friends of City Park is a group of individuals dedicated to save and help rejuvenate the park. We operate as a project of Nature Kenya, a local membership-based conservation charity, established in 1909. Project leader Catherine Ngarachu helped start the Friends in 1996 and has been active over many years in the Friends’ efforts to save the park. The National Museums of Kenya has now listed 60 hectares of City Park as a national monument.