The document discusses the Kikuyu Escarpment Payment for Water Ecosystem Services Initiative in Kenya. The Kikuyu Escarpment Forest Reserve provides important ecosystem services like water supply, ecotourism, biodiversity, and resources for local communities. However, the forest is facing increasing degradation from fuelwood collection, overgrazing, farming, and pollution. This is reducing water flows and quality, damaging habitats, and causing conflicts over water. The initiative aims to establish partnerships between stakeholders like the forest service, county government, and communities to promote conservation activities, sustainable farming, and private-public partnerships for payments for ecosystem services to address these issues. Achievements so far include new partnerships and associations between stakeholders working

1. Eco-Partnering: Kikuyu Escarpment Payment
for Water Ecosystem Services Initiative
(Building Partnerships for Co-investment in Conservation of
Kikuyu Escarpment Water Resources)
Importance
Provide important ecosystem services including:
• Water - forms the upper catchment area for watershed and feed
Thika Town, Nairobi City among others
• Ecotourism and Recreation - is a treasure of impressive views
and Cultural Value
• Key Biodiversity Area - host important birds, mammals and
plant species
• Local needs – is an important source of fuelwood and folder
for the local communities
• Education and Research - is an important research site for various
research and academic institutions
Conservation issues
The current situation is characterized by;
• Increasing pressures for fuelwood and timber
• Over grazing
• Poor farming practices - cultivation in riparian areas
• Pollution of water sources
• Weak enforcement of regulations among others
Effects of the deforestation and
catchment degradation
• Reduced water flow downstream
• Pollution of rivers
• Siltation in the dams and rivers
• Reduced amount of water in the water reservoirs
• Competition and conflicts over water resources (animals, farmers
and industries)
• Water rationing
• High cost of water treatment to industries and water
service provides
Interventions: Co-investment for the
ecosystem services
• Building of local partnerships with Kenya Forest Service,
County Government, Water and Forest Associations
and other stakeholders
• Development of Joint Action Plans
• Promotion of conservation activities at the farm level
• Promotion of local livelihoods at household level
• Strengthening ecotourism activities at landscape level
• Promotion of sustainable farming practices
• Establishment and nurturing of Private Public Partnerships at
landscape level (Main buyers are tea and flower farms and sellers
are Water and Forest Community Associations)
Achievements
• Partnerships between public and private sector have
been established
• Formation of successful Natural Resources Forums
Farmer, Water and Community Forest Associations
• Enhancement of the ongoing Nature Based Investment – mainly
bee keeping and eco-tourism
• Ongoing capacity building for various landscape stakeholders
• Multi stakeholders approach i.e. different stakeholders
working together
• Increased environmental conservation initiatives in the upstream;
tree planting, agroforestry, re-afforestation among others
Introduction
The Kikuyu Escarpment Forest Reserve is the southern most
block of the much famed Aberdare forest ecosystem. The
forest occurs largely within Lari Sub-county and straddle
the larger Kiambu County. It lies about 30kms North-west of
Nairobi and covers 37,000 hectares making it one of the main
forest areas within Kenya.
Kijabe Environment Volunteers (KENVO)
P.O Box 49-00221 Matathia
Tel: +254 721 980908
Email: keenvo@yahoo.com
www.kenvokenya.com
Fig 1: location of the Kikuyu escarpment landscape
Fig 2: Water issues at the escarpment
Photosby:KijabeEnvironmentVolunteers(KENVO)