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5,002
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The average number of monthly visitors to Karura in 2012. Walkers, runners, bird-watchers, footballers, families and schools. Plus events: wedding receptions, team-building, training, picnics...
 Weekend family outings are now commonplace in the forest.
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| Get a Receipt! | 
Security in the forest depends on revenue from events and gate-takings. Your gate fees help maintain the fence and the corps of keen Karura Scouts. Please make sure you sign-in and get a receipt at the gate for entry fees and maps. Scouts are making spot checks to make sure that all visitors have been issued with a receipt. Please cooperate with them and show your receipts. Many thanks!
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Big Events
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TASTE AWARDS 2013
The annual Taste Awards acknowledge, appreciate and praise Nairobi's vibrant dining and entertainment culture.
The Awards give Nairobians opportunity to have their say on which establishments are the city's best. Taste 2013 was held on 31 Jan on the KFEET grounds -- an evening of awards, entertainment, and displays of distinctive drinks and delightful canapés.
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FKF XMAS DRINKS
 On 9 December FKF hosted a Christmas party for members at the KFEET Centre. More than 100 Friends and their families enjoyed drinks and bitings.
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BizBaz 2012 was a big success in late Nov.: over 3,000 visitors.
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| Infrastructure Works | |
Visitors to Karura will have certainly noticed men and machines working on the KFEET playing field, on the roads and at the gates. It's all to improve access and usability.
Please be patient! |
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More Native Orchids...
|  ...are being reintroduced thanks to generous donations of specimens from the Kenya Orchid Society.
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Dog Owners
Please Read, Heed | 
Some dog owners are having problems following the guidelines for keeping their best friends on leash unless in designated off-leash areas. Please help make the Karura a pleasure for all visitors.
Please Read Dog Guidelines |
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Greetings!
Welcome to the new-look Friends of Karura Forest Newsletter.
We're trying this new bi-monthly newsletter format to make sure that Friends and potential friends can keep up with news and events in the forest even if they have missed updates on the website or are not fanatic Facebook followers.
Let us know if the Newsletter works for you, or if it doesn't - we would like to get it right.
And, we are broadcasting to non-member neighbours in the hopes that you'll actively join the cause to keep Nairobi's largest green space safe, secure and serene.
Friends of Karura Forest
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Karura Management Agreement Signed
FKF, KFS Sign Historic Joint Accord for the Karura
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FKF Chair Njeroge with KFS Director Mbugua and Nairobi Conservancy Director
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The Kenya Forest Service and the Friends of Karura Forest Community Forest Association have signed a 5-year Forest Management Agreement.
The far-reaching and forward-looking document is a major milestone for stakeholder citizen involvement in joint stewardship with government of an important national resource.
The terms of the agreement cover such areas as security (electric fence, manned gates and associated infrastructure), conservation (reforestation, resource management, controlled access), and eco-friendly activities; plus support of conservation, education, science and recreation; as well as shared financial accountancy for all joint activities.
The agreement enshrines the principles of cooperation that have hallmarked the phenomenal re-emergence of Karura as a protected national heritage since 2009, when the FKF was chartered as a community forest association.
 | | Karanja Njeroge, FKF Vice-Chair Cristina Boelcke-Croze, KFS County Coordinator Stephan Kahunyo and Charity Munyasaya discuss the terms of the new Management Agreement |
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Mandal Community Plants 600 trees
HDH Shree Purshottam Priyadasji Swamishree Maharaj led members of his community in Kenya to plant 600 indigenous trees on 6 January, the occasion of the 60th anniversary of Shree Swaminarayan Sidhant Sajivan Mandal in Nairobi.
 | | Swaminarayan waters 'his' tree. |
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Green Ambassador Youth
Kids Surpassing Adults in Tree-Planting
 Kids have taken an initiative to make the city greener by planting trees in Karura Forest. In December kids from the Light-house Grace Academy and the Watu wa Maana Children's' Home in Ruiru planted 800 trees in an event sponsored by Toyota, Ellams, Milimani Drinking Water, Bobmil, Kenya Airways & Quatar Air. 
The Aga Khan Junior Academy 'Rated E for Environment' Club planted 150 trees in December. The kids had organised a wholesale purchase from Dairyland of ice cream that they then sold on to raise 40,000/= for the clearing, tree purchase and subsequent care of the young trees. That's the spirit!
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2012 Wettest Year on Record
Climate Change Close to Home
Rainfall records taken along the Gitathuru River show that 2012 had more rainfall than the previous few years. Not only that, but comparison with records taken by the Muthaiga Country Club, suggest it was the wettest year since 1945!. The dotted line shows the 50-year annual average, and the solid line shows the trend since 1996. Rainfall patterns are changing, too. The distinction between the historical 'short rains' in November and 'long rains' in April is blurring, and we are getting more rain throughout the year. And it's still raining in January. Any climate-change 'deniers' care to comment? |
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Care to Join the Friends of Karura Forest?
Membership is open to all people, organizations and corporations who support the FKF mission to protect, manage and enhance the Karura Forest Reserve.
Members enjoy reduced Annual Pass fees: click here to view rates. Or, click here to see the types of membership. You can sign up at the KFEET (Karura Forest Environment Education Trust) Centre (the former BP-Shell Sports Club in the main forest), or stop by the FKF secretariat office in Muthaiga (address at bottom).
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We hope you have found the FKF Newsletter informative. Let us know if there is anything else you would like the hear about.
We also wish you a happy and peaceful 2013. Let us all hope that the country will remain as peaceful as the Karura Forest is today.
Sincerely,
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The Board of Friends of Karura Forest
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