Ondiri Swamp is Kenya’s only quaking bog, making it a unique ecosystem. It is a major source of Nairobi River and a catchment area for the Athi Water Services Board. It is a major habitat and breeding ground for both local and migratory birds. By conserving this swamp, the community will have made a contribution by reclaiming the swamp as an important birding area and conserving its other flora and fauna. The conservation will also ensure that the Nairobi River, which the Nairobi Metropolitan Authority is planning to clean of pollutants, will be a clean river free of pollutants. The conservation and rehabilitation of the swamp will go a long way towards conserving and enhancing the ornithological biodiversity by increasing the nesting sites and habitat for various bird species. The swamp will be able to serve better as a breeding and resting ground for migratory birds as well as local species. In order to make the effort self-sustaining, the swamp will be developed into an important birding area where local and international tourists can go for bird walks for a modest fee. Reforestation of the swamp and community participation will also help in absorbing carbon dioxide, thus contributing to reducing global warming.

The overall aim of my project is therefore to develop a proactive community conservation group for Ondiri Swamp. The project will rehabilitate the swamp as a bird conservation habitat as well as encouraging ecotourism activities such as bird watching. The project will establish an environmental conservation resource centre that can be replicated by other groups. It will publish a guide on the birds of Ondiri Swamp and its environs and disseminate information on the project progress by publishing a bi-monthly newsletter to be circulated in Kikuyu District.

The project will also facilitate the formation of a Water Resource Users Association (WRUA) so that the water from the swamp can be monitored and any conflicts on water use resolved.