An Afternoon Haiku For You!

on one riverbank sunbeams slanting down...but on the other...raindrops - buson

Can’t have a rainbow without a li’l rain

Rainbows invoke optimism that the rain has come followed by sun – perfect growing conditions and full rivers for irrigation!

Mara River Basin Expedition – Mara Conservancy

NWNL is now returning to the Mara River Basin for a follow-up to its Mara expedition in Sept–Oct 2009. That last expedition was at the end of a three-year drought. Now the Mara is experiencing its long rainy season with unusually heavy El Niño rains. The comparison between drought and flood conditions in this river basin will be valuable documentation for No Water No Life.

White Nile River Basin Exped. – Kidepo Valley NP

Abutting southern Sudan, Kidepo Valley was the “lomej” (the meeting point) where Karimojong, Ik and Dodoth pastoralists gathered for their hunting. Otherwise the scarcity of rain kept them nomadic and well dispersed, since Karamoja gets only 600–800 mm of rain per year, far below what is needed to sustain people and their herds. The rule of thumb is that at least 1,000 mm is needed to sustain people in a land without infrastructure.

White Nile River Basin Exped. – Kibale Forest NP

The 776 sq-km Kibale Forest NP is full of lakes, marshes and grasslands and offers both swamp and forest walks. It’s Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary claims 335 bird species. The forest is habitat to the rare giant forest hog and forest elephant. The forested slopes of lowland tropical rainforest, deciduous forest and mountain forests are perfect for the world’s highest concentration of primates …