The Malindi and Watamu Marine Parks and Reserves were designated as Kenya’s first marine protected area in 1968 and later as part of a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 1979. Watamu Marine Park covers 10 km2. The overall Park and Reserve area amounts to approximately 30km of coastline, with a fringing coral reef along its entirety. The Project area will cover approximately 8km of Marine Park and Reserve beaches as well as the immediate environs adjacent to the beaches.
The Marine Park and Reserve forms shallow lagoonal areas that are biodiverse with extensive sea grass beds, corals and coral reef fishes and a wealth of marine life including 5 species of sea turtle. The project area also covers the greater Watamu community.

Watamu Marine Association (WMA) operates within the area and is made up of more than 30 registered CBO, NGO and private business member organisations from the community, environment and tourism sectors (please see website) www.watamu.biz

The mission statement of WMA is to develop community led resource management capacity to ensure that the Watamu Marine protected areas are maintained and to conserve the natural marine resources for the future, while promoting sustainable economic growth and benefits for all, and bridging the gap between tourism and the local community.

WMA identified the need to set up a Community Solid Waste Management Project in 2009 http://www.watamu.biz/watamu-community.php?cid=32 Watamu’s Marine Park is one of the top tourist destinations on the Kenya Coast. It is internationally renowned and recognized for its clear clean waters, coral reefs and pristine white sand beaches making it a world class tourist haven. There exists a vibrant tourism industry in Watamu that supports the local community in terms of employment and related income.
In recent years though, Watamu beaches and environs have become increasingly impacted by solid waste pollution, mostly in the form of plastic waste. Today, Watamu beaches are often strewn with plastics. This waste comes from a number of sources, not all locally generated. Due to the nature of ocean currents in the region much of the waste is washed ashore from other areas. However, due to poor waste disposal facilities and management in the area a considerable amount of waste is dumped by local people. As there are few disposal sites along the beaches many people including tourists leave their plastic bottles and bags on the beaches. There is little in the way of public education and awareness to lead local people away from this practice and the majority of hotels in the area do not provide information to tourists to sensitize them to the problem.

An additional and no less serious problem related to plastic waste is the threat to marine life. Plastic bags and materials are ingested by endangered sea turtles who mistake them for jellyfish which are part of their natural diet. The turtles eventually die due to internal problems and starvation due to the gut being blocked. Plastics are also ingested by cetaceans (dolphins and whales). Whales, whale sharks and dolphins can all be found in Watamu waters. Plastics also smother corals and other marine creatures living on the sea bed, inhibiting them from breathing and feeding and resulting in loss of health or death.
On the beach itself, plastic impacts the beach ecology, polluting the sand and making it unsuitable for endangered sea turtles to nest on the protected Marine Park beaches which are one of the top three most important nesting sites for sea turtles in Kenya.
Furthermore, domestic animals such as goats, sheep and cattle that roam freely in the village and surrounding area ingest plastics and other waste making them vulnerable to disease and ill health.

In January 2009 we were awarded funding for one year from the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to commence the Project. This enabled the project to directly address the problem by employing members of the community to collect the solid waste from beaches and village environs which is then recycled, reused or disposed of by the Municipal Council.

The Project is run as a joint operation and partnership between Watamu Marine Association and Turtle Bay Beach Club Hotel. This is a unique initiative at the Kenya coast and is intended to raise public awareness to the problems related to waste and pollution and to demonstrate the potential of community initiatives.

The Project is holistic in its approach, ensuring a clean and healthy environment, and promoting community empowerment. It employs 45 disadvantaged community members from Womens and Youth groups as waste collectors. Recycling and reuse of solid waste is a major goal of the Project.

During 2009 the project has already significantly reduced the pollution threats to beaches, marine life and the general community. In addition to the clear environmental benefits, the project has raised community education and awareness levels on the problems associated with solid waste that has resulted in a cleaner and healthier village. Good waste management reduces the threat of disease and sickness to both humans and domestic animals. A further benefit of a clean and waste free village means that it is more attractive to tourists therefore promoting and boosting local traders and small businesses who rely on tourism.

Project Activities (ongoing and future) include:

• Managed and coordinated collection and disposal of solid waste.
• Recycling and reusing plastic waste.
• The Project sells Reusable Waste to community based recycling businesses such as Uniqueco Designs http://www.uniqueco-designs.com in Nairobi and Andrew McNaughton Beach Artist and Sculptor in Watamu http://www.watamu.biz/member-list.php?cid=98
• Waste collection containers situated along the beaches and throughout the village.
• Workshops held with community, tourism and environment sector members working towards Project organization and management and developing a collaborative approach in dealing with the overall problem of solid waste disposal in the area.
• Education and awareness materials produced highlighting the problem of solid waste pollution and the threat it poses to human health, the environment and wildlife. The information in the form of booklets and posters has been distributed among community groups and schools. Hotels will also provide information to tourists through notice boards and signage.
• Community and Womens groups will be trained on making crafts from reusable waste as an alternative income generating initiative.
• Tourists at beach front hotels participate in assisting community members and school children at regular beach cleaning events.
• Information packages provided to tourist boat operators and fishermen encouraging them to dispose of waste correctly.
• Hotels are encouraging tourists to sponsor the project and to visit the village thus boosting the local economy and alleviating localised poverty.

Project Results and Success in 2009

• An immediate reduction in the amount of solid waste polluting beaches and local environs.
• Substantial reduction in threats to marine life, beach ecology and general environment.
• An enhanced environment conducive to tourist expectations and a clean village encouraging tourists to visit.
• Creation of much needed employment among women and youth groups as waste collectors.
• Increased awareness and sensitization towards the impacts of solid waste pollution among community, schools and tourism sector.
• Developing a sense of community and tourism responsibility towards the environment.
• Major contribution towards long-term management and development of solid waste disposal in the area.
• An opportunity to explore the potential of recycling certain waste products as a form of income generation for disadvantaged community groups.
• Investment in plastic recycling equipment to reduce environmental impacts of waste disposal and to generate income to sustain Project operations.
• Realising community empowerment and self- management potential.
• Set an example of excellence for other coastal communities and tourist areas to adopt in the region.

How Carbon 14 funding will help

The IUCN funding has enabled the project to set up operational capacity. This includes the purchase of plastic recycling machines, hand carts for transporting rubbish, educational materials and allowances for waste collectors.

The Project is designed to be long-term and self sustaining through income generation from plastic recycling and sponsorship from WMA members and local businesses. Hotels and other businesses have already pledged to cover the costs of community waste collectors which is the major ongoing running cost for the Project.

To ensure long term Project success and security we need to purchase a ½ acre piece of land that can be used for sorting and recycling collected waste. The site would also house the recycling machines which are currently kept at a temporary site on Turtle Bay Hotel land.
It is a Project goal to also build a Craft’s Workshop where our community groups’ members can make artwork and other saleable items from reusable and recyclable waste. There is a growing demand for such art forms and some Watamu made art has already been bought by art outlets in the United States.

Here in Watamu ordinary people are really doing extraordinary things and Carbon 14 support can ensure that we do more. Please see us in action on Waste Project YouTube