The monitoring of IBAs is an element within a wider framework for monitoring progress towards BirdLife International’s overall strategic objectives, which include the monitoring of specie’s, sites, habitats, and the socio-ecomic conditions of local communities living within and around IBA’s, in keeping with BirdLife International’s global strategy, whose themes are Species, Sites, Habitats and People.

IBA monitoring is undertaken primarily to enable timely detection of threats, assess the impacts such threats are having on biodiversity, as well as determine the effectiveness of conservation actions. IBA monitoring is also helpful in that it creates awareness, develops technical capacity, engages local communities and site management authorities in conservation, and builds a national constituency for conservation.

Monitoring involves 5 Key stages: design, data collection, storage, analysis and interpretation, and communication and application of obtained information. The monitoring scheme in Kenya is designed so that data can be collected routinely and on a sustainable basis without being an overburdening data collection exercise. The frame work seeks to answer some simple but fundamental questions:

1. Why monitor? - Identify the purpose for data collection to determine the type of monitoring
2. What to monitor? - Select the variables to monitor
3. How to monitor? - Design the data collation protocol and schedule
4. Who monitors? - Engage and train those doing the monitoring
5. What next? - Ensure the sustainability of the monitoring and reporting scheme.

The IBA programme aims at identifying and protecting a network of sites critical for the long-term viability of wild bird populations, across the range of those bird species for which a sites-based approach is appropriate. The Important Bird Areas (IBAs) are sites of international biodiversity conservation importance, chosen using agreed, objective, quantitave and scientifically defensible criteria. These are chosen using agreed objective, quantitative and scientifically defensible criter They therefore form part of Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs). Therefore, we need to understand what is happening to IBAs in relation to those bird species for which sites qualify as IBAs. This basic point is fundamental as it defines the overall conservation goal. This will in turn affect which variables are monitored. The monitoring framework for IBAs currently functioning in Kenya implements article (7) of the Convention on Biological

Diversity on identification and monitoring

Following a priority setting exercise for all the 61 sites-taking into account severity of threat and biological importance - it was recognized that some sites are faced with more serious threats than others. Also, knowledge and capacity at site level vary from site to site, yet data is required from all of the IBAs. Monitoring in such a situation requires a two-tier approach that should be based on the ‘pressure-state-response model’.

• The first tier is the Basic Monitoring, takinges place across all the 610 IBA sites. A data collection form was designed and approved by the participating institutions. As a minimum, only one form is needed per site per year; but more than one form can be filled per site. Nature Kenya is working with Kenya Forest service, Kenya Wildlife Service and National Environment Management Authority to institutionalize the process.
• The second tier is the Detailed Monitoring . Detailed monitoring takes place at Kinangop Grasslands, Mukurwe-ini Valleys, Kikuyu Escarpment Forests, Dunga papyrus swamps, Kakamega Forest and Arabuko-Sokoke Forest; with trained Site Support Groups.

Additional information

Additional information is got from ocal groups, tour guides, management staff and casual visitors can all contribute additional useful information on sites and their condition. If it is complete enough, this information can be used to make an overall status assessment ... Observers are encouraged to send in any information they may have gathered on particular IBAs, especially on conservation problems and changes in status.

The minimum requirement is the regular collection of information on atleast one appropriate indicator each for pressure (threats), State (condition) and Response (conservation action).

In terms of co-ordination, the IBA National Liaison Committee (a strong advocacy and networking tool that brings together 24 government and non-governmental agencies) provides overall institutional co-ordination and advice, and responds to the results of the monitoring through member institutions. Nature Kenya is the secretariat, providing field co-ordination, linking up and supporting site support groups, site and district staff and its membership. Nature Kenya also co-ordinates training, evaluation, fundraising and reporting to the NLC. The National Museums of Kenya provides technical co-ordination, monitoring design, and data storage, analysis and reporting.

Annual IBA Status and Trends Report

Customised forms for data collection are distributed to potential contributors, who are mainly the Protected Area management authorities (KFS, KWS, NMK and NEMA), researchers, collaborating NGOs and Site Support Groups. Each year (from since 2004), annual monitoring data is analyzed by the National Museums of Kenya and compiled into Kenya’s Important Bird Areas Status and Trends Report. The report identifies & communicates threats at site levels, provides recommendations for highest priority conservation action, identifies institutional constraints and justifies resource allocation/mobilization etc. It is a useful tool to guide site management planning processes, identifies research and funding priorities and forms part of national reporting to the Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD), in particular Article 7 relating to identifying and monitoring key sites.

The results of this programme have been widely disseminated to other partners in Kenya, Africa and the World, through the BirdLife International Partnership. It is expected that the ultimate aim is to have data from monitoring positively influence conservation, national strategy and policy processes. In this regard, monitoring status and trends of biodiversity should be part of institutional conservation areas planning and management.