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Executive Project Summary

Site Specific Management Plan

Community Participation Plan

Architectural Drawings

Environmental Impact Assessment

Biophysical description of Kereita Forest

For

_________________________________________________

August 2014

African Forest Lodges Ltd. P.O. Box 76307- 00588. Nairobi. Kenya.

Tel: +254 702961918 / +254 721205306. info@africanforestlodges.com

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AFRICAN FOREST LODGES LTD

Thaba Falls Eco-Lodge

Kereita Forest

Contents

Executive Project Summary .................................................................................... 5

Thaba Falls Eco-Lodge ................................................................................................................................ 6

The Day Visitors Centre .............................................................................................................................. 7

Activities ..................................................................................................................................................... 8

Sites demarcated by KFS + Activity Zones ................................................................................................. 11

(A) SITE-SPECIFIC FOREST MANAGEMENT PLAN .........................................12

Kereita Forest - Geographical Location & Background ......................................................................... 12

1 Description of the location and of the facilities within the site ............................................................. 12

a – Thaba Falls eco-lodge site ............................................................................................................... 12

Central Building ................................................................................................................................. 14

Accommodation Units....................................................................................................................... 14

Conference Facility ............................................................................................................................ 15

Spa Facility......................................................................................................................................... 16

Back of House .................................................................................................................................... 16

b – Day Visitors Centre .......................................................................................................................... 16

Restaurant ......................................................................................................................................... 17

Shop and Ticket Office ...................................................................................................................... 17

AFL Offices ......................................................................................................................................... 17

C – Zip-line Trekking zone ..................................................................................................................... 18

2 Use of eco-friendly low-impact materials and technologies ................................................................. 19

3 Minimal or no vegetation clearing ......................................................................................................... 20

4 Landscaping blending with the environment ........................................................................................ 20

5 Avoidance of invasive alien species ....................................................................................................... 20

6 Involvement in afforestation ................................................................................................................. 21

7 Soil and water conservation ................................................................................................................... 21

8 Water harvesting and use of renewable energy .................................................................................... 21

9 Solid waste management during the facility’s life cycle; Pre-construction, construction, operation ... 22

10 Wastewater management during the facility’s life cycle ..................................................................... 22

11 Pollution management including actions to avoid or minimize air, noise, soil and water pollution .. 23

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12 Nature of visitor and staff expected at the site and actions to minimize their environmental and

social impacts ............................................................................................................................................ 24

13 Employment policy or plan and its provisions for the environment ................................................... 24

14 Procurement policy or plan and its provisions for the environment ................................................... 25

15 Safeguarding the health and safety of construction workers, employees and visitors ....................... 25

16 Rehabilitation of impacted areas ......................................................................................................... 25

17 Project implementation plan ............................................................................................................... 25

(B) COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION PLAN ..........................................................27

1. Promotion of community participation ............................................................................................ 27

2. Promotion of local employment ....................................................................................................... 28

3. Procurement of goods, services and construction material locally .................................................. 28

4. Mainstreaming ecotourism to the local communities ...................................................................... 29

5. Corporate social and environmental responsibility (CSER)............................................................... 31

6. Management of the social and cultural impact of the facility and its operations ............................ 31

7. Implementation of the community participation plan ..................................................................... 32

(C) ARCHITECTURAL DRAWINGS.....................................................................33

1. Schedule of Drawings ........................................................................................................................ 33

Day Visitors Centre ................................................................................................................................ 33

Site Plan ............................................................................................................................................. 33

- Restaurant / bar / shop ............................................................................................................. 34

- Office ......................................................................................................................................... 35

Thaba Falls Eco-Lodge ........................................................................................................................... 36

Site plan ............................................................................................................................................. 36

- Central Building ......................................................................................................................... 37

- Conference Building .................................................................................................................. 38

- Cottages .................................................................................................................................... 39

- Spa Buildings ............................................................................................................................. 41

- Back of House ............................................................................................................................ 41

2. Environmental Considerations .......................................................................................................... 42

3. Type and source of construction materials....................................................................................... 42

4. Professionalism during design .......................................................................................................... 42

5. Approval status ................................................................................................................................. 43

(D) ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT ................................................44

1. EIA Report and NEMA License .......................................................................................................... 44

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2. Effective participation of KFS during preparation of the EIA ............................................................ 44

3. Relevance of the ESMP to sustainable forest management (SFM) .................................................. 44

(E) Biophysical description of Kereita Forest ..................................................45

Topography and Geology .......................................................................................................................... 45

Drainage ................................................................................................................................................ 45

Climate .................................................................................................................................................. 45

Geology and soils .................................................................................................................................. 45

Hydrology .............................................................................................................................................. 46

Natural Forest Vegetation ......................................................................................................................... 46

Sub-montane Forest type ..................................................................................................................... 46

Mountain Forest type ........................................................................................................................... 46

Indigenous Forest .................................................................................................................................. 47

Plantations ............................................................................................................................................ 47

Wildlife: ..................................................................................................................................................... 47

Ungulates .............................................................................................................................................. 48

Primates ................................................................................................................................................ 48

Carnivores ............................................................................................................................................. 48

Small Mammals ..................................................................................................................................... 48

Birds ...................................................................................................................................................... 48

Reptiles .................................................................................................................................................. 49

Butterflies .............................................................................................................................................. 49

Documents written and compiled by:

Signature:_____________________________________. Date:________________

Patrick Simkin

Project Manager for African Forest Lodges Ltd

Tel: +254 702961918 / Email: info@africanforestlodges.com

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Executive Project Summary

The Kenya Forest Service (KFS) has awarded African Forest Lodges three licenses for tourism development. These are Kereita, Sasumua and Mtwapa Creek. Initially, African Forest Lodges will develop Kereita Forest.

This Summary outlines the aims and objectives of African Forest Lodges within the 8km exclusive zone awarded to the company in Kereita Forest.

Located just 45 minutes’ drive outside of Nairobi, the clean mountain air, the fresh forest and the enthusiastic local community make this an ideal location for tourism development.

Kereita forest is a calving area for the Aberdares elephants, it has three globally threatened bird species and is one of the main water catchment areas for Nairobi.

It needs to be protected through sustainable use and this project is the perfect solution.

With a budget of Ksh178 million ($2.1 million), African Forest Lodges plans to build Thaba Falls Eco Lodge, a Day Visitors Centre and to operate a number of exciting and attractive adventure activities within the Forest.

After three years of operation, return on investment can be from 24% to 30%.

The primary market will be Kenyan Nationals and Foreign Residents, this is a large market which is currently not catered for. International Tourists will account for less than 20% of the over-night visitors, minimizing the risk in fluctuations of international arrivals. The overnight charge per person per night is expected to be Ksh9,000 ($100).

Location:

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Thaba Falls Eco-Lodge:

Will be a well-designed lodge, blending seamlessly with the thick indigenous forest on the Gatemayo River. It will be built on suspended ground floor slabs to reduce impact on the ground at the building’s footprint, and to give an elevated ‘tree house’ effect. Accommodation units will be private, simple, welcoming and clean, with large windows looking out into the forest.

A central building will house a restaurant, bar and lounge areas with viewing decks over the tops of the trees into the valley below.

A well-equipped Conference center will attract visitors during the early part of the week (Monday to Thursday). Combined with the Team Building in the adventure park, the lodge will be an ideal place for small corporate meetings. Conferences is the fastest growing sector in modern Kenyan tourism.

The Lodge will have a high end Spa offering diverse treatments for lodge guests. This will be operated by Aveksa Spa Consultants of Kenya.

Thaba Falls Lodge site planning diagram:

Ridge – site for Lodge Gatemayo River

= Thaba Falls

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Examples of ‘living’ / growing walls which AFL would like to replicate on all buildings at the Lodge:

Styles of accommodation units:

The Day Visitors Centre:

Will be the hub of operations and the outdoor adventure park offering a comfortable restaurant and bar, with views of the Aberdares forests.

All adventure tickets will be sold here at a central office and this will be the focal point for visitors during the day.

A community shop will offer quality local produce (arts and crafts as well as agricultural products) and African Forest Lodges merchandise.

Views from Day Visitors Center

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Example of turf used to hide buildings; to be replicated at the Day Visitors Centre;

Not only will it be a centre of fun, but the theme of the whole area will be about learning, experiencing and understanding the natural surroundings and their importance to the wellbeing of the nation.

Each activity will be themed (eg a zip line will be called Colobus monkey) and a number of facts will be learnt on that theme by participants.

For school (and other) groups, questionnaires will be provide at the start of their day, focusing on the environmental aspects of their adventures. Rewards (eg free t-shirts) will be given to those with the highest scores.

Activities:

The principle reasons to visit the forest will be the wide variety of exciting activities offered, catering for all, from adrenaline rides to soothing spa sessions.

African Forest Lodges plans to start operations with the following activities:

1) ZIP-LINE TREKKING – Steel cables stretching across valleys (known as zip lines) will provide exciting, safe rides with an unsurpassed adrenalin rush. There will be a total of seven zip-lines, creating a course which will take about 1.5 hours to complete. This activity will be operated by Flying Fox – an experienced company who run 6 zip line courses in India.

2) ARCHERY – Offering both range (shooting at fixed targets, at a fixed distance) and trekking archery (a walking trail with a number of varied targets). This will be set up and run in conjunction with The Kenyan Archery Association.

3) PAINT BALLING – Two sites will be set up for teams to battle it out with colour

paint balls as projectiles, a fun and excellent team building activity which causes no harm to the environment and can be re-located as need be (eg if KFS needs to harvest an area of trees).

4) MOUNTAIN BIKING – A series of graded courses (easy to hard) will be marked out using the existing network of forest trails for enthusiastic mountain bikers to explore the hills and forest. Detailed maps will be provided to show people the routes, which will be used only by mountain bikers. Mountain biking weekend events will be organized to attract larger numbers.

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5) TROUT FISHING – Once a famous river for its trout, African Forest Lodges plans to re-stock the Gatemayo River with fish for the local community to conduct fishing tours along stretches of this river (as they did in the past). It will be the community’s responsibility to maintain fishing trails and to deter poaching.

6) GUIDED WALKS – To continue to be operated by the community associations (particularly KENVO) who already offer this activity in the forest. African Forest Lodges will use the existing guides from these associations to carry out this activity, but will maintain control on bookings and provide feedback on quality to guides.

7) CAMPING – Simple campsites will be set up around the forest and above the tree line. These will be managed by community associations, bookings will be through African Forest Lodges main offices (this is to control numbers and quality).

8) DONKEY CART RIDES – To be run by individuals in the community, using

their own donkeys, with assistance to help modify their carts. This will be the primary source of transport around the forest – both ecologically friendly and providing income for local entrepreneurs.

9) COMMUNITY TOURS – Local guides will be encouraged to show the wonders

of nature in the forest and to take people around their communities, showing how they live, produce agriculture and interact with the forest.

10) TREE PLANTING activities are also to be offered. In conjunction with KFS and local associations, visitors to the area will be encourage to take part in tree planting and in the nurturing of that tree through the following years.

11) TEAM BUILDING – A series of challenging courses will be established, which

can only be completed if participants work as a team. This will be one of the main appeals for corporates to choose Kereita as their conference / team building centre.

Once these activities above have proved to be successful, African Forest Lodges will then introduce further activities such as a Canopy Adventure Course (bridges and walkways in the trees), Zorbing (rolling down a hill in a big plastic ball), clay pigeon shooting, overnight trekking and camping, and electric quad bikes.

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African forest Lodges also commits to work with local associations in the promotion of the Lari Marathon (the course is through the Kereita forest) and any other large social or sports event which will be suitable to this area.

With a wide variety of exciting activities on offer, African Forest Lodges hopes to put the beauty of Kereita Forest on the map for visitors from within Kenya and from abroad and aims for this forest to be one of the most visited in Kenya, encouraging people to learn about and to respect their natural heritage.

Map showing the zoning of activities in the Kereita Forest:

Activities KEY

Yellow areas = 1 – Adventure Canopy Walk-way

2 – Zipline trekking

3 + 4 – Paintballing

5 – Clay pigeon . shooting

6 – Archery

7 – Electric Quad . bikes

Blue area = mountain biking and hiking.

Green areas = community run activities; Walks, Fishing, Cart rides, Community Tours

Examples of a Zip-line

and

Canopy Adventure Trails

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Sites demarcated by KFS + Activity Zones:

The original Zip-line area was chosen for its large trees and ideal location for building an Adventure Canopy Walkway / adventure course. This activity will be initiated during the second phase of operation.

In the FIRST phase, a series of seven lines will be set up across the valley adjacent to the Day Visitor Centre Trees under the lines will not be affected in anyway.

Zip line to be operated by:

DAY VISITOR CENTRE

Ticket office, Restaurant, Bar, community shop,

AFL main offices

Original zip-line area.

Now to be used as the Adventure Canopy Trail area, in the second phase of development.

It will NOT be used during the first phase.

THABA FALLS ECO-LODGE, Spa and Conference Centre

NEW SITE for Zip-Line Trekking

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(A) SITE-SPECIFIC FOREST MANAGEMENT PLAN

Kereita Forest - Geographical Location & Background

Kereita Forest is 50 km from Nairobi in Lari District of Kiambu County. The forest forms part of the Kikuyu escarpment forests within the Aberdare Forest Reserve ecosystem. It lies within 10 03’ and 10 09’ South and 36 0 49’ East. The forest covers a total of 4,722 hectares. Kereita is a critical watershed and holds crucial intrinsic values that require long-term management and conservation strategies. Kenya Forest Service has jurisdictional mandate for the management and conservation of forest eco systems as stipulated in the Forest Act 2005. Aberdares Forest ecosystem is recognized as potential tourist destination and there is need to enhance tourism development by opening up the area through the development of eco-tourism facilities and activities.

1 Description of the location and of the facilities within the site

a – Thaba Falls eco-lodge site

Thaba Falls is on the Gatemayo River in Kereita Forest. (KFS map reference 243000 / 9893000 – see Pg.11).

Thaba Falls Eco-lodge site (1.12 ha) is to the west of Thaba Falls, and is located along a ridge. This site has been chosen for its proximity to the falls, because it is located on stable soils and for the outstanding beauty of the surrounding indigenous forest.

The original site surrounding the falls was rejected due to the steepness of the land, the risk of landslides and consequent negative environmental impact. Also Thaba Falls attract a number of public visitors (especially school groups). If African Forest Lodges were to build around the falls (as per the original site) then public access would become problematic and a potential source of

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conflict. With the new location, both the public and the guests of Thaba Falls Eco-lodge can share the natural beauty of these falls without disturbing one another.

Due to the presence of elephants and their tendency to rub themselves against buildings, an electric fence will have to be erected around the property to deter them. This will also provide greater security for visitors. This electric fence will be built in conjunction with KFS and with the Rhino Ark (the ones responsible to the Aberdares electric fence, under KWS).

The site will be accessed along a forest track which has recently been cleared of undergrowth by African Forest Lodges with permission from KFS. This is a well located track, following a ridge down the escarpment. In partnership with the KFS Road Maintenance Team (providing equipment such as graders), African Forest Lodges will maintain the roads used to a standard where a two-wheel drive vehicle can easily travel along them.

Public access to the falls will remain on the eastern side of the river, close to the Fishing Camp, which is run by the Fisheries Department.

Thaba Falls Eco Lodge site plan:

Forest views Gatemayo River Example of how plants are growing on trees – to be replicated on walls.

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UjenziBora, a modern, dynamic design and build Kenyan Company, has drafted architectural plans and prepared the bill of quantities for the proposed development. They will also be the contractors for construction of the facilities. Ujenzibora have committed to adhering to the strict practice of ensuring that the project is delivered within its time constraints, within budget and to the highest quality.

The proposed Eco-Lodge will consist of a Central Building, 30 (thirty) Accommodation Units, Conference, Spa and Back of House facilities. All buildings will have living walls to blend into the environment.

There will be a minimum of 10 (ten) meters of untouched forest between each building. This is not only for a senses of privacy, but also to minimize the impact on the environment in the area as a whole, by spreading it out over the licensed area.

Due to the density of the surrounding forest, inevitably some trees will have to be removed. When the site is being set out, the Kereita Forester will be invited to inspect each and every tree which is to be removed and to suggest alternative unit locations with less impact if necessary. To this end, the site plan provided in this document is a general guiding plan, which will be adapted to suit the location on site by the site manager in conjunction with the architect and KFS.

All buildings will maximize on natural light, with as much window area as possible. Each building will blend into the surrounding vegetation, by having the same plants growing on the walls, to create ‘living walls’.

Central Building:

This multi-story unit, will include a Reception, Lounge / Sitting areas, Dining areas / Restaurant and Bar.

One building has been chosen to house all these services in order to reduce the environmental impact and ecological footprint of the Lodge. The design of this building will be adapted to fit in around the trees which are growing on the site.

It is centrally located to be easily accessible by all and placed on top of the ridge to reduce potential environmental impact on the slopes. The height of the building will allow for visitors on the viewing deck at the top floor to have views over the surrounding indigenous forest.

Architects images of central building:

Accommodation Units:

Concept plan shows floor plates that have been split into narrow strips weaving in between existing tress.

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A total of 30 accommodation units will be built, totaling 60 (sixty) beds, as per the license agreement. This will allow for economic efficiency of the lodge, while minimizing the number of visitors into the area.

Each unit will be built on a suspended floor supported by pillars to reduce the impact on the ground (no large earth works will be necessary) and to create the feeling of a ‘tree house’ through elevation with views out into the surrounding vegetation.

The units will consist of two beds each, with a bathroom and a balcony.

A number of units will be connected by a joining wall with an access door. These will be ideal for groups and families. By joining these units, we are also reducing the footprint and services needed for the lodge as a whole.

Other units will have easy access for those with disabilities, thereby ensuring that the forest is open to all visitors.

Architectural concepts on accommodation units:

Conference Facility:

There will be a small conference unit, consisting of two conference rooms which can be combined to make one large space when needed.

The first conference room is to be able to seat 45 people and the second 15 people. By removing the separating wall, both rooms will be able to combine into one conference room which can seat 60 participants. There will be both male and female toilets. Large glass windows allow for maximum natural light whilst creating the feeling of a seminar in the forest. The Windows are designed to slide open giving was onto spill-out decks.

The conference facility will encourage visitors to the area during the low periods of the week (Monday to Thursday). Not only is it a tranquil environment close to Nairobi, but combined with the adventure and team building activities as well as the spa, Thaba Falls eco-lodge will be an ideal and popular venue for conferences.

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Spa Facility:

A bespoke spa facility will be constructed towards the Eastern side of the license area. This spa will offer a very high standard of service with well-trained local staff as therapists. While the spa will be owned by African Forest Lodges Ltd, it will be operated by a specialist third party on a contractual basis – this party will be Aveksa Spa Consultants Ltd.

The Spa will consist of a reception, two changing areas, four treatment rooms and a relaxation area. The design of the spa has allowed for the potential of future expansion, should the demand arise.

Back of House:

The back of house will be built as one interconnecting unit, to include Laundry, Storage, Staff Accommodation for up to 20 people (most staff will come from the nearby community which is within walking distance), a maintenance workshop and a staff canteen.

The back-up generator will also be located in the back of house, in a sound proof room.

b – Day Visitors Centre

The Day Visitors Centre is located outside of the electric elephant fence, in the open grass lands above the indigenous forest. (KFS map reference 238900 / 9894500 – see Pg.11).

It will consist of a Restaurant, Bar, Shop and Ticketing office and Restroom facilities. The Shop will be selling community produce and tickets for the adventure activities. Also on this site will be the central African Forest Lodges Offices, where all marketing, accounting and administration will take place.

This Centre is to be the focal point for all visitors during the day and those taking part in the Adventure Activities.

Site plan of Day Visitors Centre:

Bar

Kitchen + stores

Restaurant

AFL Office

Shop

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Views from Day Visitors Center over Kereita Forest:

Restaurant:

To be able to cater for up to 60 people at one time and to be open solely during the hours of day light (9am to 6pm). To offer reasonably priced meals from local produce and to be the central place for Day Visitors to relax.

To include a Kitchen, store rooms, a bar area (separate from the eating and children area) as well as male and female toilet facilities (including disabled).

Shop and Ticket Office:

To be the main ticket office for the Adventure activities offered in the area.

The main section of this shop will be for displaying and selling locally produced arts and crafts and locally produce vegetables, honey, milk and other agricultural products.

AFL Offices:

To be the Head Quarters for African Forest Lodges Ltd in Kenya.

This Office unit will include the following Departments; Executive Management, Marketing, Sales and Reservations, Accounting and Administration.

It will consist of four office rooms, toilets and two management temporary accommodation units.

Architect concept images Day Visitors Centre - turf used to hide buildings;

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C – Zip-line Trekking zone

The Zip-line area demarcated by KFS and marked as orange on the KFS Map (Pg11), will no longer be used as the Zip-line area. This area marked in orange is more suitable for a Canopy Walk way and Adventure Canopy Course, which will be developed in about two years’ time, during the second phase of activity introduction.

The Zip-lining activity will now take place close to the Day Visitors Centre (marked in green). This new location has been chosen as it is close to the Centre, is in an open area and will be easier to construct in. Also it will be more visible to potential clients and so hopefully more successful.

A series of seven lines will be set up across the valley adjacent to the Day Visitor Centre. It is estimated that it will take each client 1.5 hours to complete the course.

Aside from providing one of the best adrenaline rushes, the course will encourage participants to learn more about their surrounding nature and how the ecology interacts.

The Zip Trekking will be operated by Flying Fox, in an equal partnership with African Forest Lodges. With experience of building six successful zip trekking sites in India, Flying Fox will bring invaluable expertise and certified qualifications to this sport.

While this zip line will be ‘sistered’ with their activities in India, Flying Fox will open a reservations office in Kenya and train local guides to lead the zip tours in Kereita.

More information on Flying Fox and Zip Trekking can be found at: www.flyingfox.asia

Google Earth Map sowing new zip-line site (Zone 2 on the activities map, Pg10)

Minimal construction will be needed for these zip-lines. The only points which will need to be built will be the anchor points for the cables; where participants start and stop on each line. These will need to be secure points, built from reinforced concrete.

Day Visitors Center

Zip-line Trek

START

FINISH

Anchor points

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Examples of Foundations for Anchor points of the Zip-line cable:

2 Use of eco-friendly low-impact materials and technologies

The objective of African Forest Lodges is to build with minimal impact, yet making the buildings in such a way that they last a long time.

The altitude of Kereita makes it too cold and damp for a tented camp.

Due to the heavy presence of termites and moisture in the area, timber would be an unsuitable structural building material as it would require constant replacement. The same is true for thatching grass or palm leaves (Makuti).

After discussing in detail with various architects, it has been decided that the principle building materials will be interlocking blocks and reinforced concrete framing. Interlocking blocks do not require the mortar at joints, this will reduce the amount of sand and cement needed in construction and the building envelope can easily be dismantled and removed if the need arises. The original natural habitat can then be successfully restored in a short period of time. The building blocks will be made just outside the forest (to prevent adverse environmental damage within the forest) providing a source of employment for locals. The blocks are a product of a concrete mix poured into reusable molds hence minimal energy is required.

At the Lodge, buildings will be on stilts (or pillars) creating platforms. This will give the guests good views over the forest and will reduce the impact of the buildings on the ground.

External wall surfaces will be living plants (vertical gardens) by deliberate detailing. This is for aesthetic reasons, to make the buildings blend with the environment and also to create growing surfaces to compensate for any other areas which may have been disturbed due to the presence of the buildings.

Through the use of sky-lights and sun-tunnels, natural light use will be maximized to reduce the demand on electricity during the day.

Sanctioned local wood and arts and crafts will be used in the furnishing and finishing of all the buildings, promoting local art and culture.

Trees under the zip-line trail will not be affected as participants fly over the top.

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3 Minimal or no vegetation clearing

The goal of Thaba Falls Eco-Lodges is to provide a unique forest experience. The density of the vegetation is exactly what the lodge wants to preserve.

Minimal clearing will be done where the buildings’ reduced footprint are set out. Utmost care will be taken to avoid felling existing trees. Where it becomes practically impossible to avoid cutting a tree the approval and collaboration of KFS will be sought.

The central building at the lodge has been designed specifically so that it can be adapted to not hinder any valuable or old trees.

At the Day Visitor location, the area has already been cleared by KFS, apart from a few exotic pines. African Forest Lodges has agreed that for every pine tree cut down in this area, two indigenous trees will be planted as replacements.

The activities which are to be offered in the area will not require any vegetation clearing and will in fact help to protect the forest through regular use.

4 Landscaping blending with the environment

The design of the buildings at Thaba Falls are to be on stilts or pillars (so that the building is off the ground). This means that there will be no need for any heavy excavating on site and vegetation under the buildings can continue to grow unhindered.

Thaba Falls eco-lodge will have living (growing) walls, making it appear part of the forest and ecosystem.

The Day Visitor Centre will blend in seamlessly with the surroundings, primarily by using the local Kikuyu Grass turf to help cover buildings and walls. This will make the buildings virtually invisible.

The main path and service lines for the lodge will follow the ridge line, minimizing on environmental impact and maximizing on efficiency.

Examples of ‘living’ / growing walls and blending into the enviroment, which AFL would like to replicate on all buildings at the Lodge:

African Forest Lodges will undertake the maintenance and construction of public pathways around Thaba Falls to improve the access for both guests and the public. Currently these paths are inaccessible, with soil erosion evident at several areas.

5 Avoidance of invasive alien species

No alien plant species will be planted or used by African Forest Lodges in the forest.

For the ‘living wall’ effect on the buildings, only locally growing indigenous plants (ferns, grasses and mosses) will be used.

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There are no plans to introduce a vegetable garden or herb garden. Instead, the local community will be provided with relevant seeds (and, if necessary, farming methods) and will be encouraged to grow fresh produce to sell to the lodge.

6 Involvement in afforestation

Apart from the commitment to plant two indigenous trees for every exotic tree felled, African Forest Lodges will offer tree planting as one of the team building and school group activities – where by visitors are not only invited to plant trees, but to regularly return to the same tree to check progress and to tend to it each year. Through this method, there will be a great deal of afforestation, and awareness in the importance of trees and how to grow them will be achieved.

African Forest Lodges will not set up its own tree nursery. Instead, it will support and work closely with the existing community association nurseries which are already producing large numbers of indigenous trees. In particular the Kijabe Environmental Volunteers (KENVO).

African Forest Lodges will work closely with these associations and with KFS during special tree planting days such as World Environment Day (5th June) or the International Day of Trees (21st March).

Guests will also be encouraged to visit these nurseries and to purchase indigenous seedlings for planting elsewhere, such as in their gardens at home.

International tree planting day held at Kereita

7 Soil and water conservation

Minimal disturbance to the existing ground levels will be adhered to during construction using foundation details which allow limited excavations and result in ground floor slabs suspended on pillars.

Where disturbance takes place – such as grading roads, utmost care will be taken to put in effective, long-lasting drainage. All work such as road repairs will be undertaken in partnership with KFS and their specified road engineers.

Gatemayo River conservation; in partnership with the ‘Gillies’ (fishing guides) from the local community, African Forest Lodges plans to restock this river with fingerling trout. Close monitoring of fish stock, water quality and the general health of the river will be carried out, with regular reports to KFS and the Fisheries Department.

8 Water harvesting and use of renewable energy

Water for the Lodge, spa and Day Visitors Centre will be harvested from the nearby streams with the use of pumps and stored in tanks. The water will be filtered before being piped to the guests accommodation units and the service centres.

Water meters will be installed to keep a record and control on water harvesting.

Drinking water will be purchased from a local community association (KENVO) who plan to open a bottling plant using spring water.

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The Day Visitor Centre will have rain harvesting facilities from some of its roofs, but at the location of the Lodge, the debris created by the thick forest prevents this from being an option.

Solar and wind power will be harnessed for lighting and for heating water at the Day Visitors Center. Once again this will not be possible at the Lodge site due to the thick tree cover and lack of sunlight / wind, unless large amounts of vegetation clearing was to take place.

Instead of solar, at the Lodge, sustainable wood briquettes (made from the saw-dust of local mills) will be used to heat water at one central boiler. This is an effective use of a forest industry by-product and will provide income to a local women’s association, who are making the briquettes.

Saw-dust from milling is converted in to Briquettes for efficient burning and water heating

Fire places will be used to heat central areas, made from metal (‘jikos’) for maximum effectiveness. The wood needed for this will be collected from the forest under license issued by KFS. Only dead wood will be collected and this will provide a good source of income for KFS and local community employed in the collecting.

The option for water turbines to be installed in the near-by streams for the creation of electricity is currently being explored.

9 Solid waste management during the facility’s life cycle; Pre-construction, construction, operation

Reduce and Reuse; - The principle objective of the waste management program is to minimize the pollution of the environment as well as to utilize the waste as a resource (recycle). The goal should be achieved in a way that is environmentally and financially sustainable.

Solid waste (including construction material) will be minimal through efficient use. That which is created will be re-used where possible (eg hard core for pathways and roads), otherwise it will be re-sold off site.

The Contractor will work hand in hand with private refuse handlers and the Kiambu County Government to facilitate solid waste re-sale handling and disposal from the site to approved dumpsites during the project stages.

During operation, where possible, waste will be recycled: bio waste to compost, combustible waste into briquettes for fires, glass and tin to be transported to recycling plants in Nairobi. Anything else that can be re-used or re-sold, will be.

Waste that cannot be treated in the ways listed above will be disposed of in accordance with the rules and regulations of Kenya.

10 Wastewater management during the facility’s life cycle

Once ‘used’, the water will be separated into ‘grey’ and ‘black’ water. The grey water from showers and sinks will be diverted through grease traps, a reed bank and filter system ensuring that the water is clean before being released into nature or stored in reservoir tanks for reuse in cleaning

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and fire-fighting. Black water from toilets will be collected in bio-digesters which will separate and breakdown solid waste into usable compost. During this process, methane gas will be harvested for heating and/or cooking.

Through these methods, no water will be wasted or transported outside of the forest, all waste water will be cleaned and returned to the environment and any black waste is turned into a beneficial compost.

This treatment system separates black waste to be used in methane production and uses gravity to treat grey water in an effective manner by passing it though gravel and an integrated plant system. No chemicals or electricity is needed in this process. Once treated, the water can be re-used around the lodge to water the garden and tree nurseries.

Because the property has the benefit of a slope, we will incorporate a Wetlands System to dispose of the above. This system does not produce any obnoxious smells, gases or other atmospheric pollutants. Only bio-degradable soaps will be used by guests at the Lodge and Spa. The waste management systems will provide for environmentally sound re-use or removal of waste. Appropriate technologies will be used for treating organic wastes, such as composting, digesters, biogas tanks. All water will be recycled.

11 Pollution management including actions to avoid or minimize air, noise, soil and water pollution

Relatively low air and noise pollutants are expected during construction due to the construction systems planned for. These include, but are not limited to:

I. Reduced foundation excavations. Instead of strip footing trenches, column / pillar spot excavations will be employed.

II. Maximum off-site fabrication of building components which require large work spaces and energy. Use of less materials and bringing to site the amount of material needed as accurately as possible.

III. Interlocking blocks will reduce on-site concrete mixes and will hasten the processes of erecting masonry walls.

IV. Utmost care will be taken to avoid spills of concrete mix, paints and other construction chemicals onto the soil and into rivers. Use of water sprays to ensure that dusty routes across the site are maintained in a damp condition when in use.

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V. Dust generating activities to be reduced on very dry and windy days. VI. Use of non-toxic paints, solvents and other non-hazardous materials as much as

possible. VII. Cement, sand and other powders will be stored in locked containers where they will not

be washed into waterways or the surrounding soil. VIII. All vehicles will be well maintained with minimal emissions.

Once constructed, due to the very nature of the eco-lodge, the place will be virtually silent. The only potential noise pollution will be from a backup generator, which will be housed in a sound proof room to mitigate this noise.

Through the above mentioned water and waste treatment, it is envisaged that there will be no soil or water pollution.

Never the less, African Forest Lodges commits to undertake annual inspections by either or both the NEMA and KFS authorities, and to implement any reasonable actions they suggest.

12 Nature of visitor and staff expected at the site and actions to minimize their environmental and social impacts

The primary market will be the Nairobi residents, coming to experience the clean air, fresh forest and the activities on offer. The very reason they will be visiting is to enjoy successful forestry and conservation in an area so close to Nairobi. This is what African Forest Lodges will help them to see at affordable prices with excellent service from locally trained staff.

All visitors will be ecologically minded and wanting to learn more. Each and every activity on offer will have a theme of forestry and conservation, so that visitors become more aware of the importance of this forest and how to conserve it.

Knowledgeable guides will help to guarantee the learning experience and will ensure that the visitors respect both the environment and the local communities. Visitors will be briefed at the start of tours to dress appropriately and follow the etiquette instructions of the guide.

Roads to be used by visitors in the forest will be well maintained by African Forest Lodges in partnership with KFS.

Day Visitors will be concentrated around the Day Visitor Centre, where suitable roads and path ways will be constructed. Rubbish bins will be place in appropriate areas to minimize the possible litter pollution.

African Forest Lodges intends to work closely with school groups (including offering discounts to local schools) to encourage the future generations to learn about and to respect their natural heritage.

13 Employment policy or plan and its provisions for the environment

African Forest Lodges has made a commitment with the local community that at least 75% of the expected 100 staff will come from the local community.

Guides for the adventure activities, staff at the lodge and Day Visitor Restaurant as well as therapists for the spa will be trained in-house by African Forest Lodges. This training will encompass high standards of service and respect to the environment.

The main office for marketing, bookings, accounting and general management of African Forest Lodges will be located at the Day Visitors Center. This will offer well paid position to qualified people living nearby.

As most staff will be expected to come from near-by villages, minimal overnight accommodation will need to be constructed, reducing the overall environmental impact of this project.

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14 Procurement policy or plan and its provisions for the environment

Where possible, the aim is to purchase as much as possible from the local communities. The farmers in the area are very productive and already produce a large variety of agricultural, commercial and dairy products. It is estimated that at least 50% of the supplies needed to run this project will be source from the local community.

At the Day Visitor Centre there will be a Shop to sell produce from the community, such as vegetables, honey, milk, tea and arts and crafts. This is expected to be a highly lucrative outlet for community produce.

If the area is suitable to grow a certain crop which the Lodge or Restaurant requires, then through the African Forest Lodges community liaison officer, seeds and growing methods can be supplied.

By purchasing locally, and encouraging organic production, African Forest Lodges aims to achieve a low carbon foot print on its supplies and supply line.

15 Safeguarding the health and safety of construction workers, employees and visitors

All staff and visitors will be provided with appropriate insurance, safety and clothing equipment for them to undertake their activities confidently and without risk of harm. This applies to staff during construction and during operations.

Emergency reaction plans will be clearly written down and displayed in appropriate places. All staff will be well trained in these reaction plans. Nearby hospitals will be clearly noted, with contact numbers and the quickest way to reach these medical centres.

A helicopter landing pad will be located and marked out in a cleared area should there be a need for an emergency medical evacuation.

Selected staff will undergo professional First Aid training every two years, including safety rules and specific safety requirements needed for the adventure activities.

The company will have full insurance to cover all eventualities for both staff and visitors.

It has been agreed with the Forester at Kereita that at the Lodge site, a rangers hut will be built to house two KFS rangers. This will help KFS with patrolling the area and will provide added security for visitors.

An electric elephant fence will be installed to keep elephants out of the grounds of the lodge, this is for safety of guests and workers and also to prevent damage to buildings.

16 Rehabilitation of impacted areas

The aim is that each and every building should blend into the environment seamlessly. To create this effect, all the areas impacted through construction will be rehabilitated to their original condition as much as possible.

In conjunction with KFS and local community associations, African Forest Lodges will assist, and will promote visitors to assist, in planting trees in areas selected by KFS and the local associations.

17 Project implementation plan

Should all approvals be timely received, African Forest Lodges would like to break ground on 1st October 2014.

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It is estimated that the Day Visitor Centre and the associated activities will take 5 months to construct. If this is achieved, then Kereita will be open for day visitors from March 2015. Ideally we would like this to co-inside with the Lari Marathon which takes place on 1st March.

The Lodge will take up to 12 months to construct followed by a further month of final training for the staff. This means that the Lodge will open in about December 2015.

UjenziBora Ltd have the contract for ‘Design and Build’. They are an experience firm with a desire to make something special at Kereita, both ecologically but also as a ‘wow’ factor to pull in the visitors to this special place.

~

Day Centre

Lodge Open

Open

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(B) COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION PLAN

Sustainable forest management can only be achieved through involvement and active participation of KFS, the local communities, private sector and co-operation of the government administration.

There are over 5,000 households within 3km of the Kereita forest boundary. In the past, there has been a great deal of unlicensed and destructive activity in the forest. This is currently under control, but for it to be sustained the need for the forest adjacent communities to benefit from tourism activities is now more apparent than ever.

African Forest Lodges is fully committed to working closely and alongside KFS, Local NGOs and Local Community Associations, to ensure that this tourism project improves the livelihoods of the local communities, and sets the standard for other tourism establishments to follow.

1. Promotion of community participation

From the outset, African Forest Lodges has maintained good and close communication with the local communities, consulting with them on every major decision, including sharing drafts of these management plans.

This has so far resulted in two significant partnerships:

First, some tourism activities such as guided walks and overnight camping already take place within the forest. These activities are run by members of the local community, most notable is the Kijabe Environment Volunteers, KENVO. African Forest Lodges has stated that it will not compete with KENVO in these activities, rather, visitors will still use the same guides and camping sites run by KENVO, but bookings will be made exclusively through African Forest Lodges. This is to ensure compliance with the KFS license, simplicity for visitors, to control numbers and monitor quality of services.

Financial partnerships will be developed with KENVO (and / or other associations) to set up these campsites. Similar arrangements will be created for locally run donkey cart rides and trout fishing tours.

Second, after detailed discussions with members of the community, the local government officials (MP, DCC and Forester), lawyers and with assistance from a local NGO, Capacity Africa; the forest adjacent community created a company called Lari Investments Company Ltd. This company is offering shares to the residents of Lari District at Ksh10 per share, with a minimum purchase of 1000 shares (Ksh10,000). Their objective is to raise Ksh8 million. Promotion for investment has been made through fliers, local radio, national TV and press. With the funds raised, Lari Investments Company Ltd will be able to purchase shares in African Forest Lodges at a preferential rate. For example, Ksh8million accounts for 5% of the total budget, but the community investment will receive approximately 8%, this is to encourage community investment, acknowledgement of their importance to the existence of the forest and to mitigate their risks of investing in a ‘start-up’ project.

Not only does African Forest Lodges promote the community participation in the tourism development project, but also for the company to become involved in the communities projects. To this end, African Forest Lodges is a fully paid up member of Kereita Forest and Wildlife Conservation Association (KFWCA), which is in effect the umbrella representative association for all the 39 community associations that exist in the area.

The main objective of African Forest Lodges is to maintain clear and open communication channels, to hear what the local people have to say and to help to transmit our aims and goals.

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Meetings held on 2nd April 2014, with Local Government, Chiefs and Community Stake holders to establish Lari Investments Company Ltd;

2. Promotion of local employment

African Forest Lodges has pledged that at least 75% of the estimated total 100 staff will come from the forest adjacent villages. Employment will be offered to both male and female applicants on an equal basis.

Guides for adventure activities and staff for the services to be offered will be trained on site. Therapists for the Spa will be trained in Nairobi and on site by Aveksa Spa Consultants.

If qualified, top chefs and managers will be sourced locally, if they are not available locally, recruitment will be extended further afield within the country, and skilled workers will be employed with the specific aim of training local staff.

Through these practices, over Ksh1,000,000 million will be injected into the local community each month through salaries alone.

Partnerships in activities and camping sites will generate further employment opportunities and income streams for local residents.

3. Procurement of goods, services and construction material locally

Around Kereita Forest there is fertile land and highly productive farmers. A lot of the produce from the area supplies Nairobi. African Forest Lodges plans to exploit this production to the maximum and will source as much of its supplies locally as possible. This will guarantee freshness, reduce transport costs and carbon footprint and will create local income.

At the Day Visitors Centre, there will a Community Shop to work as an outlet for quality local produce, such as vegetables and fruits, honey, milk, tea and crafts (produce is currently only sold on the sides of the highway or through manipulative middle-men).

Arts and crafts and Farm produce, currently sold on the side of the road:

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Drinking water will be purchased from KENVO who plan to open a bottling plant for spring water.

Fuel – Water for the lodge and spa will be heated via a highly effective boiler system, using pellets made from saw-dust. This is an off shoot of the timber industry and has already been set up as a small business for local women.

During construction, the interlocking bricks will be locally made on rented land outside of the forest. This is not only to reduce environmental impact in the forest, but also to encourage local employment.

Where possible and qualified, all construction staff will be from the surrounding areas.

Tailoring work and other skilled cottage industry demands will all be outsourced to local skilled workers and businesses. The finishing’s of the buildings will all be done with locally made traditional materials (e.g. pottery, sheep skins and woven grass).

Trees for the planting and team building activities will be purchased from existing tree nurseries run by community associations and by KFS.

Existing community owned honey, tree nurseries and briquette industry

4. Mainstreaming ecotourism to the local communities

The local communities are already involved in local tourism and currently offer guided walks and overnight camping trips. In the past, the people of Gatemayo were famous for their trout fishing skills, many of which have been passed on to the younger generations.

African Forest Lodges plans to work alongside these existing initiatives and to enhance them through training and reward. Under the license agreement issued by KFS; for ‘sub-contractors’ to operate in the same exclusive tourism zone, bookings will need to be made through the central reservations office of African Forest Lodges. By doing this, it will be much simpler for guests to make and pay for reservations, and will enable African Forest Lodges to guarantee that quality service is provided.

KENVO currently offer walking and camping in the forest, with knowledgeable and qualified guides. It is planned that they will continue to do so, under the above mentioned conditions.

Two camp sites will be set up near to the Day Visitors Centre. They will be managed by community associations. By encouraging this to happen, the associations stand to benefit financially and African Forest Lodges will be able to cater for a far great variety of client (especially school groups) – this will contribute to the overall financial sustainability of the project and the objective of spreading awareness.

Enterprising individuals who own healthy donkeys and carts, will be encouraged to upgrade their carts with comfortable chairs and sun shades. Once they have been deemed to be suitable, they will be allowed to operate an eco-taxi service around the forest and between adventure activities.

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Guided Tours of the community, their co-operatives, tea rooms and points of interest will all be open to visitors travelling by foot, in a donkey cart, on a mountain bike or by car. The guides will not only show the visitors the details of local life, but will also ensure that there is mutual respect between both visitor and community members.

The Gatemayo River will be restocked with fingerling trout (baby fish). Regular monitoring will be undertaken to check health and quantity of these fish which used to thrive in this river. The local community who also used to thrive off the fishing business the river produced, will be encouraged to do so again. They will work as ‘Gillies’ (fishing guides), keeping pathways clear, knowing the best spots and controlling illegal fishing.

All of these examples will provide excellent opportunities for community members to make a respectable income from the forest and show the commitment African Forest Lodges has towards partnering up with the communities where possible.

Another area of potential strong collaboration is the Lari Marathon, organized by Capacity Africa and held in Kereita forest; with the aim to raise money towards the conservation of the forest. The first event was held on 1st March this year and it is expected to become an annual event, attracting over 4000 visitors and participants.

Lari Marathon – probably Kenya’s toughest Marathon, held in Kereita Forest.

“The marathon has a primary objective of raising funds for the conservation of Kereita forest while educating the local community on the importance of conservation and sustainable forestry. Kereita Forest is the main water tower for Kiambu County and parts of Nairobi. The marathon is the only event in Kenya where participants run inside the forest to demonstrate commitment to conservation.” – Capacity Africa

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5. Corporate social and environmental responsibility (CSER)

For every bed-night sold at Thaba Falls Lodge, African Forest Lodges commits to donating Ksh500 ($6) to a Trust Fund, which will be utilized by local community associations with the ultimate goal of conserving Kereita Forest. With a 50% average room occupancy (Kenya national average in 2013 was 42.3%), this will raise Ksh5.5 million ($64,000) per year for the Trust fund and will have significant impacts on the local community.

Capacity Africa (the NGO behind the organization of the Lari Marathon and who also assisted with Lari Investments Company Ltd) will soon be registering a trust under the name ‘Friends of Kereita Forest’. This Trust has the very same goals as African Forest Lodges. Rather than duplicating trusts, the Friends of Kereita Forest Trust will be the preferred recipient of funds raised and close collaboration is anticipated.

Monitoring of the activities and achievements of the Trust carried out with funds donated by the company, will be done by the Board of Directors for African Forest Lodges, with clear goals and objectives laid out.

African Forest Lodges will work closely with the ‘Adopt A Plot Project’ – “Friends of Kereita Trust invites corporate organizations and individuals to support Adopt-an- Acre by planting 100,000 tress in Kereita Forest and increase the forest cover acre after acre. The concept is a simple way of getting corporates involved in efforts to revitalize a community and national resource, restore its past dignity and beauty, and preserve it for generations yet to come.”

Visitors to the area, especially corporate team building groups, will be encouraged as part of their activities to do something for the local communities, such as painting a school or repairing a communal building. Responsible eco-tourism is exactly what African Forest Lodges intends to ‘sell’, encouraging not only staff, but clients too, to contribute to the bettering of the local community.

Local School groups will be offered heavily discounted rates to come and experience the forest, the fun activities and to learn about the nature and the importance of this eco-system. This will allow those who may not have the finance to visit Kereita the opportunity to experience and learn about all that it has to offer.

6. Management of the social and cultural impact of the facility and its operations

There will be a clear management structure to African Forest Lodges, which will be easy to reach and open to all communication. Coupled with this, the main company offices will be located within Kereita forest. This will all allow for regular and frequent communication with the neighbors, during which time concerns and wishes can be raised.

African Forest Lodges is already a member of the umbrella community Association KFWCA, and expects to continue to have good dialogue in the years to come.

Through the unique opportunity offered to Lari Investments Company Ltd and the fact that community members will have a seat on the African Forest Lodges Board of Directors; the community will be able to directly influence the manner and method of this tourism development. They themselves will become directly involved in the overall management and strategic vision of tourism development in their area.

African Forest Lodges realizes the importance of managing the impacts of the company, both positive and negative. For this reason, a full time Community Liaison Officer will be employed to monitor development projects, and to resolve any potential conflicts that may arise with the community.

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With these communication channels in place, it is expected that the negative impacts can be prevented and the positive ones amplified. Through the promotion of traditional culture, dance and music for visitors, it will greatly enhance the interest and ultimate preservation of these longstanding traditions.

Local traditional singing-dancers at Kereita (International Forest Day 2014)

7. Implementation of the community participation plan

In practice, this plan has already been initiated. African Forest Lodges is already a member of KFWCA. Many and various discussions have already been held with different groups of the community and Lari Investments Company Ltd will become a shareholder and board member of African Forest Lodges Ltd.

The employment policies, of trying to keep it as local as possible, will be implemented once all permissions have been obtained and recruitment for construction can start.

Once the Day Visitors Centre and Adventure Activities become operational (March 2015), a full time Community Liaison Officer will be employed to primarily assess the needs of the local communities and secondly to work closely with the KFS, Friends Of Kereita Forest Trust, and all the local community associations concerned with the Kereita Forest, to ensure that this project reaches its full potential and Kereita is preserved for generations to come.

~

___________________________________________________________

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(C) ARCHITECTURAL DRAWINGS

1. Schedule of Drawings Showing the type of facilities that will be constructed including the bed capacity.

Day Visitors Centre:

Aerial view

Site Plan

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- Restaurant / bar / shop building: plans, sections elevations and details.

Front Front left

Back left (entrance) Back right

Back

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- Office building: plans, sections elevations and details.

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Thaba Falls Eco-Lodge;

Site plan + Typical cross section: showing the ridge with service lines and the slopes on both

sides with buildings.

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- Central Building: plans, sections elevations and details.

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- Conference Building: plans, sections elevations and details.

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- Cottages: 3 types (Air / Quadrant / Y); plans, sections elevations and details.

‘AIR’ COTTAGES

AIR DETACHED COTTAGE

ENTRANCE ELEVATION

AIR DETACHED COTTAGE

DECK ELEVATION

FLOOR PLAN

FLOOR PLAN – INTERCONNECTED COTTAGES

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‘QUADRANT’ COTTAGE

‘Y’ COTTAGE

FLOOR PLAN; SEMI-DETACHED COTTAGES

DETACHED COTTAGES

‘Y’ COTTAGE

CROSS SECTION

‘Y’ COTTAGE

FLOOR PLANS

DETACHED

AND

SEMI-DETACHED

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- Spa Buildings

- Back of House facilities: plans, sections elevations and details.

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2. Environmental Considerations The drawings show how the environmental management has been taken into account at the design stage.

I. Site location – using the ridge line to limit environmental impact II. Typical foundation details III. Construction details of suspended ground floor slab IV. Details of live walls external finishes V. Natural lighting tunnels VI. Mortar-less masonry walling VII. Eco-Lodge dining areas roll-up walling envelope details (timber or bamboo) VIII. Heat insulations to window and door openings and ceilings.

3. Type and source of construction materials The drawings show the type of construction materials that will be used for the different structures and these blend with the environment.

I. Interlocking block masonry walling with ‘naturalized’ external surfaces. Blocks prefabricated at a designated site just outside the forest.

II. In-situ reinforced concrete columns and beams are structural frames. III. Green roofs and walls (living) from the surrounding flora. IV. Central buildings’ main walling envelope: crafted feasible roll-up ‘mats’ or timber

louvres.

4. Professionalism during design

Demonstration of Professional Knowledge and Ability through issuing of drawings and information relevant to the project.

Ethics and Conduct: The design team is mandated by the board of registration of architects and quantity surveyors to act with professionalism. The architect and QS have a general obligation to maintain and advance their knowledge of the art and science of architecture, respect the body of architectural accomplishment and contribute to its growth, and give precedence to learn and uncompromised professional judgment over any other motive.

The scope of the project has been defined by the client brief. All relevant drawings and information will be prepared and issued to all relevant parties.

Intellectual Property and Copyright: All drawings and details for the proposed development shall be purposefully designed and not lifted from other schemes.

Building Project Deliver Systems: Best practices to deliver the project on time and within budget will be pursued diligently.

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UjenziBora certifications:

5. Approval status

Preparation of sets of architectural drawings for preliminary submission to KFS and County Council Planning department underway.

~ ___________________________________________________________

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(D) ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT

1. EIA Report and NEMA License

Under process with Sustainability Kenya – submitted to NEMA on 06/06/2014.

To date no response from NEMA.

2. Effective participation of KFS during preparation of the EIA

Visit to the site by the Forester in charge of Kereita and the Eco-Tourism Officer for KFS to discuss concept ideas before approaching architects.

Draft Management Plans submitted to Forester and Eco-Tourism Officer for KFS.

3. Relevance of the ESMP to sustainable forest management (SFM)

The aims and objectives of African Forest Lodges will help and enhance the overall goas of KFS and the forest adjacent communities to make Kereita more sustainable and more beneficial for those who are involved in the forest.

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(E) Biophysical description of Kereita Forest

Topography and Geology The forest lies within the Upper Highland Zone and forms an extension of the Aberdare range lying at an altitude of 1,800 meters above sea level. Numerous dissected ridges and valleys characterize the region. Geological information indicates that volcanic activities of the Aberdare ranges greatly influenced the existing formation. This resulted in a series of lava flows that were eroded over the years to form rich volcanic soils. The soils are very fertile, well drained with dark-reddish brown coloration.

Drainage The relatively high altitude landform has influenced the existing drainage pattern. Most of the rivers and streams emerging from the area, among them Bathi, Kiruiru and Nyanduma have their sources in the forest. The streams and rivers flow in a south easterly direction before joining Nairobi River, which drains, into Athi River. The drainage system traverses settled farming areas, which are endowed with rich agricultural land.

Climate The high altitude plays a significant role in influencing climatic conditions of the region. Temperatures range from 20oC in March and/or April to 12oC in July or August.

The average annual rainfall is 1373 mm, towards Uplands Forest; precipitation reaches 1409 mm (Farm Management Handbook of Kenya vol. 2, 1982). The area experiences two rainy seasons, i.e. long rains (March-May) and the short rains (October-November). The rainfall distribution pattern in the area is reliable and has considerable influence on the agro-economic activities in the area.

The rains between October and November. The driest months are January and February with the windward side (where Kereita Forest is found) experiencing the strongest effects of the trade wind system.

The temperature range in January and February may be as high as 15C. This variation causes warm air to fall down the mountain during the night and early morning and rise up the mountain from mid-morning to evening. As a result, the upper part of the forest is usually clear in the morning, clouded over from about 11.00 am to 5.00 pm and clear again shortly before dusk.

Geology and soils Kereita forest has the same geological features like the larger Aberdares Forest ecosystem, which has been strongly influenced by volcanicity. This consists of basic and intermediate rocks including phonolites, trachytes, basalts, kenytes and syenites. Pyroclastic rocks and volcanic ash originating from various secondary eruptions especially on the northern and northeast slopes characterize the landscape. These rocks have also been extensively eroded overtime.

Soil in Kereita forest and immediate surrounding are mainly influenced by altitude. On the highly raised regions, the soils are moderate to high fertility. According to Spec 1978 and Sombroek et al. 1982, the soils:

On the upper slopes above 2,400 have dark surface horizons and low bulk density. They are also rich in organic matter and are mainly formed from young pyroclastic rocks.

On the lower slopes (below 2,600m), the soils are significantly influenced by the amount of rainfall received in the area. In the forested mountain areas where there is plentiful rainfall;

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the soils are volcanic in origin, intensively red with considerable amount of clay as well as fairly rich in organic matter.

Soils on the western plains and to the northwestern of the mountain (Grassland zone with low rainfall) have dark top horizons and high proportions of clay minerals.

Hydrology Kereita Forest is one of the forests in Aberdares Forest ecosystem with major economic and ecological importance in Kenya due to its value as a watershed and catchments area. There are numerous streams that provide catchment for the main rivers that support the local community with abundant water.

Natural Forest Vegetation

The forest is surrounded by five main villages these are Kambaa, Bathi, Gatamaiyu and Nyanduma. A significant proportion of the population in these villages relies on the forest to meet various needs.

Available information on vegetation types depicts what is concentrated in the forest reserve with scant information on the tree species found in the farmlands. Gatamaiyu ridge has a pure stand of indigenous trees while Bathi ridge is composed of a mixed forest of indigenous and exotic tree species. Some parts of the indigenous forest were hived off to create the Nyayo Tea Zones designated to serve as a buffer for the protection of indigenous forests from encroachment. The tea buffer zones form an intermittent belt around the forest managed by the Nyayo Tea Zones Development Corporation still within the gazetted forest area. The forest has an area cover of 4,722 ha. that is categorized as follows:

Vegetation Area (Ha)

Indigenous Forest and glades 3,768.02

Plantation Forest 812.02

Bush Land 80.94

Bamboo 20.23

Grassland 40.42

The above vegetation types are further classified into two ecological zones; Sub-montane and Montane. Within these zones, about six forest types are identified and sub-divided into several plant communities:

Sub-montane Forest type

i) Evergreen seasonal forest: Albizia gummifera/Croton macrostachyus community and Cassipourea malosana/Setaria community

ii) Evergreen forest: Cassipourea malosana/Olea capensis , Olea hochstetteri community and Cassipourea malosana/Podocarpus latifolius communit

iii) Evergreen xeromorphic forest Juniperus procera/Podocarpus falcatus community

Mountain Forest type

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i. Evergreen xeromorphic forest Juniperus procera/Mysine africana community and Juniperus procera/Podocarpus latifolius community

ii. Evergreen riverine forest Afracania volkensii/Dombeya torrida community iii. Evergreen bamboo forest Arundinaria alpina community group

Large tracts of bamboo forest occur between 2,400 and 3,150 meters above sea level at the area near Kereita Forest Station. Pure bamboo stands are rare; it is in most cases found mixed with trees such as Podocarpus latifolius and Noxia congesta with patches of Erica excelsa in wetter areas. At the limit of altitudinal distribution, bamboo becomes dominant under story shrub and forms shrubby patches. This is evident at the peak of Kereita range.

Indigenous Forest:

This accounts for more than 75% of Kereita Forest. The total area under indigenous forest is 3,722 ha with Bathi covering 800 ha, Gatamaiyu 1,200 and Nyanduma 1,722 ha. Camphor, Ocotea usambarensis that once dominated the forest. On the edges of the forest roads and in places where charcoal burning was carried out the landscape is dominated by Croton macrostychyus and Neubutonia macrocalyx.

The under growth is generally thick and undisturbed in parts where no human activities have taken place. Other common indigenous tree species found in include:

Podocarpus latifolius, Gracia volkensii, Prunus africana, Macaranga kilimandscharica, Olea africana and Aningeria adolfi friedriccii

Plantations:

Most plantations are in Kambaa and Bathi ridge. The species raised in the plantations include the following:

Species Area (Ha)

Cypress (Cupressus lusitanica) 469

Pines (Pinus patula) 30.4

Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus Saligna) 28

Acacia melanoxylon and meansii 15.1

Non Resident Cultivation (NRC) farmers carried out silvicultural operations like pruning, weeding and taking care of seedlings under the supervision of the then Forest Department. The forest guards were responsible for the supervision. However, since the ban of the shamba system, the operations have been carried out by casual labourers. KFS is re-introducing involvement of CFAs in plantation establishment through PELIS.

Timber sales in Kereita Forest were suspended following the 1999 ban on timber harvesting from government forests.

Wildlife:

Kereita Forest is home to the African elephant (Lexodonta africana) and also a wide diversity of fauna and flora which attracts tremendous conservation interest. Species found in the forest ecosystem include:

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Ungulates These include the duiker (Neotrragus moschatus), bushbuck (Tragelaphus scriptus), deffassa water buck (Kobus ellipsiprymnus), mountain reedbuck (Redunca fulvorufula), bush pig (Potamochoerus porcus), Cape buffaloes (Syncerus caffer). Others species include the common zebra (Equus burchelli), eland (Tragelaphus oryx), steinbok (Raphicerus campestris), Harveys red duiker (cephalophus Harveyi); a forest sub species and the common duiker (Sylvicapra grimmia altivallis).

Primates Several primates are found in Kereita Forest, the most common being the black and white colobus (Colobus guereza) and Sykes monkey (Cercopithecus mitis). These primates are widely spread within the ecosystem regardless of forest disturbances. The olive baboon (Papio anubis) is common on the forest margins where it is a nuisance to farmers from nearby communities. The lesser bush baby (Galago senegalenses) and greater bush baby (Galago crassicaudatus) have also been recorded in the ecosystem.

Carnivores The only large carnivores other than the leopard (Panthera pardus) found in Kereita Forest are the spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta), which is found mostly on the northern and western slopes, and the striped hyena (Hyena hyena). On the grasslands carnivores such as wildcat (Felis lybica), serval (Felis serval) and black backed jackal (Canis mesomelas) have been recorded. Other small carnivores found in the forest include; genet (Genetta tigrina), civet (Civettictis civetta) and several species of mongoose including the slender mongoose (Herpestes sanguineus), marsh mongoose (Atilax paludinosus), the white tailed mongoose (Ichneumia albicauda) and Egyptian mongoose (Herpestes ichneumon).

The following carnivores are endangered mainly from human poisoning, these include:

Stripped hyena

Spotted hyena

Baboons

Leopard

Small Mammals Kereita Forest is a suitable habitat for several small mammals. The most commonly sighted include; the giant pouched rat (Cricetomys gambianus), giant cane rat (Thryonomys swinderianus), mole rat (Tachyoryctes rex), zorilla (Ictonyx striatus albescens). The tree hyrax (Dendrohyrax arboreus) is common through out Aberdare Forest ecosystem. The squirrels found in the forests include the Huet’s bush squirrel (Paraxerus ochraceus kahari) and the red-legged sun squirrel (Heliosciurus rufobrachium). Others are the aardvark (Orycteropus afer), porcupine (Hystrix cristata), Dik dik (Rynchotragus kirkii and Baboon (Papio anubis).

Birds Kereita Forest is an important bird area (IBA) and home to the threatened and little known Abbott’s starling. 53 out of Kenya’s 67 African highland biome bird species, at least 35 forest specialist species and six of the 8 species from Kenyan Mountains Endemic Bird Area reportedly occur in Aberdare Forest ecosystem. Some of the bird species found in the Forest include;

From documentation compiled by Nature Kenya and the National Museums of Kenya's ornithology department, about 138 species of birds have been recorded in both this forest and the Aberdares, of which 31 are forest specialists and 20 are considered rare. The forest is a strong hold for the globally threatened Abbott's starling and some restricted range species like Jackson francolin and Hunter's cisticola. There is a significant number of regionally threatened birds' species that include:

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African green ibis, Ayres hawk eagle, Crowned hawk eagle and Red- chested owlet (Taylor and Taylor, 1998)

Ayres’ hawk eagle (Hieraaetus dubius), crowned hawk eagle (Stephanoaetus coronatus), hartlaub’s turaco (Turaco hartlaubi), Jackson’s francolin (Francolinus jacksoni), scaly francolin (Francolinus squamatus), silvery cheeked-hornbill (Ceratogymna brevis), bronze-naped pigeon (Columba iriditorques), rufous-breasted hawk (Accipiter tachiro). Other birds include the harmercop (Scopus umbretta), green ibis (Lambribis olivaceae), olive pigeon (Colomba arquatrix), giant kingfisher (Megacerryle maxima), crowned hornbill (Tockus alboterminatus) and grey-headed kingfisher (Halcyon leucocephala) among other common birds.

Reptiles Reptiles have also been recorded in Kereita Forest. Some of the common ones include monitor lizard (Veranus niloticus), Agama lizard (Agama agama), African python (Python sebae), Spitting cobra (Najas nigricollis). Most of these reptiles are scare and are found on the lower side In addition, several insects are found in the forest including tse tse flies, beers and grass hoppers among others species.

Species with conservation interest that are found in the forest include the following, which are either rare or threatened species.

Butterflies:

The forest provides a breeding ground for three near endemic species of butterflies namely; Charaxes nandina, Neptis kikuyuensis and Neptis katama (Larsen 1991).