Lake Naivasha : local management of a Kenyan Ramsar site

Lake Naivasha is a rare example of a designated Wetland of International Importance (Ramsar Site) where the mandate to manage the site resides with the local community. Community members led the effort to seek designation for the site and develop a management plan. A voluntary association of concerned residents and commercial, agricultural, administrative and municipal interests meets regularly to discuss progress and matters arising in the implementation of the management plan. Lake Naivasha is a successful case of community-based natural resource management and the process, described in this report, may serve as a model and inspire other groups in the management of other wetlands of local or international importance.