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Kenya set to fast-track Gazettement of Ondiri wetland for Ramsar recognition

The National Government is set to accelerate efforts to Gazette Ondiri wetland, a move that will enhance its protection and lay the groundwork for its designation as a Ramsar site. 

This would elevate Ondiri to international conservation status, recognizing its ecological importance and strengthening efforts to curb degradation.

Speaking during World Wetlands Day 2025 at Ondiri in Kikuyu, the  Environment and Climate Change Principal Secretary, Eng Festus Nge’no emphasized the urgency of safeguarding this critical ecosystem. He highlighted ongoing multi-stakeholder efforts aimed at ensuring the wetland’s long-term sustainability.

The designation of Ondiri Wetland as a Ramsar site would make it the seventh such site in the country after Lakes Nakuru, Naivasha, Elementaita, Baringo, Bogoria and the Tana River Delta.

If the Ondiri Wetland is designated a Ramsar site, it would become Kenya’s seventh Ramsar site, joining Lakes Nakuru, Naivasha, Elementaita, Baringo, Bogoria, and the Tana River Delta–all of which play a crucial role in biodiversity conservation. 

“The loss of wetlands has severe consequences on human survival, making their conservation and restoration imperative,” said Emilio Mugo, Chairman of the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA).

WWF-Kenya’s role in wetland conservation

As part of efforts to protect Kenya’s water catchments, WWF-Kenya, through the Catchment to Tap (C2T) Project, has been actively supporting wetland restoration initiatives. Funded by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the project has disbursed over Kenya Shillings 50 million in grants over the past year to water utilities and local communities, empowering them to conserve and restore wetlands and critical catchment areas.

With growing pressure on Kenya’s wetlands due to urbanization, pollution, and climate change, these conservation efforts are vital for sustaining clean water sources, biodiversity, and community livelihoods. 

In coastal Kenya, WWF-Kenya has over the last 7 years put under restoration 1,300 hectares of mangrove forests, thanks to support from various stakeholders, among them the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMZ), German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, International Climate Initiative, Danish International Development Agency, People’s Postcode Lottery, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, Kenya Forestry Research Institute, Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute, Kenya Forest Service, and the County Governments of Kwale, Kilifi and Lamu, as well as community forest associations. 
World Wetlands Day 2025
© Obi Owino/WWF-Kenya
Environment and Climate Change Principal Secretary plants a ceremonial tree to commemorate World Wetlands Day 2025 at Kikuyu on 3 February 2025.