Eco Conservation

VoDA runs a grassroots tree planting program that is aimed to address the challlenges of defforestation,soil rosion and lack of water.This program is run in conjunction with women groups and schools that VoDA has patnered with.The act of planting a tree is helping women and the youth throughout Kenya become stewards of the natrural environment.

But thats just the first step..

By protecting the environment,these women are also becomeing powerful champions for sustainable management of scarce resources such as water,equitable economic development,good political governance and ultimately peace.

VoDA has been and will continue to plant trees whether climate change is at the top of the political agendaor not,However,the outcome of the copenhagen summit on climate change leaves the whole world with more work to do including VoDA.

In 2010 and 2011, we will continue and increase our work at the grassroots to address the impact of climate change while stepping up our calls for a global deal which safeguards the future of our planet and help Africa adapt to the impacts of climate change.

Failure of the world leaders at copenhagen to reach a binding agreement means in 2010/2011 it is down to each and every one of us to step up and take action.

Our vision for the future

Our goal is the next decade is to plant 3 million trees across Kenya's rainforests which have been badly affected by defforestation.This is in response in part due to the 1 billion UN tree campaign within the next decade that VoDA is strongly a part off.

A healthy natural Kenya is at  the heart of an equitable and peacefl society.Protecting the environment is something every individual can take part in.

Conservation research

VoDA'S encompassing view of science means that all forms of knowledge either fro natural sciences,social sciences or indigeneous knowledge system (IKS) are used in its conservation efforts.

In addressing the above issues,VoDA implements the following themes under its conservation work program;

• Assembling and building a better picture of conservation issues from all knowledge sources.
• illuminating our understanding using the insights for sustainable management of natural resources at the dispoasal of our partners in conservancy work
• Developing of specific technical skills,techniques and tools that foster conservation of African biodiersity.
• Using knowledge systems in enabling VoDA to improve district and national capacity to assess the threats to bio diversity in Kenya and implement verifiable and replicable solutions.
• Developing of VoDA as a conservation hub that attracts researchers and programs that help local communities acquire the Knowledge and technical skills for managing biodiversity and natural resources productively and sustainably.

VoDA works with local communities who live in areas endowed with some of the best natural resources and wildlife.Many of these communities either lack the awareness of the potential of these resources or simply the capacity to productively and sustainably manage them.

The effect  of this has been the gradual degradation of the natural resource base,wildlife poaching and other illegal killings or in-migration into these areas by speculators to displace the local people.

VoDA therefore works with such communites(at local and national levels) in taking stwardship of the wildlife and natural resources in their areas and managing them sustainably.

To fulfill this,VoDA empowers communities to plan ,design and establish functioning local management structures for the sustainable management of their natural resources.