From the Ramsar Forum

International Conference on Shallow Tropical Waters and Humans

(posted to the Ramsar Forum, 28 October 1998)

International Conference on Shallow Tropical Waters and Humans, 11-16 April 1999, Naivasha, Kenya

From: Bas E. van Helvoort
Conference Organising Committee
KWS Training Institute
P.O. Box 842
Naivasha, Kenya
Tel.: +254 (311) 20 267, 20 577, 21 329
Fax: +254 (311) 21 328
e-mail: kwsti@users.africaonline.co.ke

FIRST ANNOUNCEMENT AND CALL FOR PAPERS

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE: SHALLOW TROPICAL WATERS AND HUMANS

The management of shallow tropical freshwater, alkaline, brackish, saline lakes and lagoons and their catchments for sustainable human benefit

Kenya Wildlife Service Training Institute, Naivasha, Kenya

11-16 April 1999

KEY THEMES

• Hydrological controls on ecosystem functioning
• Sustainable water use
• Catchment processes
• Socio-economics of water management
• Conservation of biodiversity
• The role of long-term and coordinated monitoring in management processes
• Promoting education and awareness of conservation needs and methods
• Lakes of Eastern Rift Valley of Africa (including practical case studies of management issues)

ORGANISERS

• Lake Naivasha Riparian Association (LNRA)
• Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS)
• KWS Training Institute, Naivasha (KWSTI)
• World Conservation Union (IUCN)
• Kenya Marine and Freshwater Research Institute (KMFRI)
• International Centre for Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE)
• International Institute for Aerospace Survey and Earth Sciences, Netherlands (ITC)
• National Museums of Kenya (NMK)
• Universities of Leicester and East Anglia (UK), and Nairobi
• The Earthwatch Institute

SHALLOW TROPICAL WATERS AND MAN

The often-unpredictable natural dynamics of catchment hydrology drives the ecology of shallow tropical lakes and lagoons, more than of any other ecosystems. Over the past few decades, considerable scientific research and conservation effort has been devoted to shallow tropical waters, many of which are of international importance for wildlife, biodiversity and ecotourism. Yet they are also often essential for human activities including agriculture, industrial and urban development. This conference will consider the ecology, socio-economics and sustainable management of such ecosystems in the 21st century and beyond.

PROVISONAL TIME TABLE

• Saturday, Sunday, April 10 and 11: Arrival and registration
• Sunday evening: informal social mix-in and introduction
• Monday morning: opening ceremony, keynote addresses
• Monday afternoon to Tuesday afternoon: oral and poster presentations on themes 1-3
• Monday and Tuesday evenings: workshops on themes 1-3
• Wednesday: excursions to eastern Rift valley lakes
• Thursday morning to Friday afternoon: oral and poster presentations on themes 4-7
• Thursday and Friday evenings: workshops on themes 4-7
• Saturday morning: workshop on theme 8
• Saturday afternoon: closing ceremony
• Saturday evening: conference banquet

CONFERENCE SITE

The KWS Training Institute, Naivasha, Kenya, is located 90 km northwest of Nairobi, Kenya's Capital, at an altitude of 2,000 m. The Institute overlooks Lake Naivasha, Kenya's 2nd Ramsar Site and one of the few freshwater lakes in the Great Rift Valley of Africa. The 150 sq.km. lake, not a conservation area, supports a high biodiversity (e.g., over 350 bird species), an important tourism industry and a large horticultural industry, generating a sizable portion of Kenya's foreign income. Lakes Elementeita, Nakuru (Kenya's 1st Ramsar Site) and Bogoria, all alkaline lakes, are within 2 hours drive and support significant portions of the world population of Lesser and Greater Flamingos. Also within a 1-3 hour's drive are important national parks: Mt. Longonot, Hell's Gate, Lake Nakuru, and Aberdares.

CONFERENCE WEB SITE

PARTICIPATION

To offer an oral or poster presentation, to participate in a theme or workshop, and to receive the second circular, send information (name, address, fax number, e-mail address, presentation title) by mail, fax, or e-mail to:

Mrs. Kate Penny, Conference Management, University of Leicester, LE1 7RH, United Kingdom, Fax: +44 (116) 252 5909, e-mail: gem@le.ac.uk

SCIENTIFIC COORDINATOR

Dr. David Harper, Ecology Unit, Department of Biology, Leicester University LE1 7RH, United Kingdom, Tel: +44 (116) 252 3346, Fax: +44 (116) 252 3330, e-mail: dmh@le.ac.uk

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To join the Ramsar Forum, send this message: <join ramsar-forum>, without the < >, to ramsar-mgr@indaba.iucn.org. For more information on the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, please contact the Ramsar Convention Bureau, Rue Mauverney 28, CH-1196 Gland, Switzerland (tel +41 22 999 0170, fax +41 22 999 0169, e-mail ). Posted 28 October 1998, Dwight Peck, Ramsar.