The National Museums of Kenya initiated the innovative volunteer-based waterbird counts in 1991; the first of its kind in Africa as a cheap and efficient way of collecting data on waterbird populations and monitoring the health of key wetlands. The data has facilitated designation of five Ramsar sites, influenced government policy on wetlands, and guided monitoring, conservation, site management plans and advocacy programs. The museum designates a member of staff to coordinate the counts; about 50 volunteers participate in the counts over several weekends in January and July every year. Over the years, we have noted a marked decline in the pool of experienced volunteers and this is partly attributed to lack of equipment and inadequacies in follow up training. This has greatly affected the quality of monitoring data and overall coverage of sites. It is now urgent that this trend is reversed and this project represents an important first step to safeguard future counts.

At least 150 youths and community scouts at five key wetland sites (Lakes Nakuru, Baringo, Magadi, Naivasha, and Elementeita) will be trained during January and July 2010 counts and recruited as volunteers to strengthen the current constituent of counters. The project will target a growing number of youths and community scouts at national and site levels for training and encourage them to actively engage in wetlands monitoring.

Aside from providing new recreation and employment opportunities for the trainees, the project will make a long lasting contribution to nature conservation, including:

(i) Enhancing monitoring and conservation of Kenya’s key wetlands;

(ii) Provision of reliable data on population trends for many resident and migratory water birds;

(iii) Supporting effective advocacy for the conservation of threatened wetlands at national and international levels, and informed prioritization of wetlands for conservation;

(iv) Influencing government policies on wetlands and associated sites and species;

(v) Promotion of sites for the rapidly growing avitourism industry in Kenya with spin-off impacts in eradicating poverty at grassroots’ level, increasing local communities’ awareness and support for conservation of wetlands;

(vi) Increased surveillance of incidences of avian influenza at local level and other aspects of public health interest.