Thanks to the Star for bringing the crisis in Tana River Delta to the attention of Kenyans.

The delta of the Tana River provides immense environmental services to our nation collecting storing and releasing rainwater, protecting the shoreline from storm surges, supporting traditional livelihood and sheltering the young fish and shellfish of Ungwana Bay and many thousands of migratory waterfowl.

Developments that do not take the special circumstances of the delta into consideration may lead to the collapse of these services. "The people and wildlife of the Tana Delta have adjusted to the extremes of drought and flood," notes Fleur Ng'weno of Nature Kenya, who recently returned from a visit to the Delta. "In dry times, thousands of cattle converge on the delta to graze. In February, we saw the grass eaten right down to the ground in vast floodplains that are sometimes covered in water.

"Local farmers have traditionally used the river's fresh water, pushed up by the incoming tide, to irrigate their fields," continues Ng'weno. "Near Ozi, however, we saw valleys that once grew rice but now only support stands of Typha reeds. Salt water intrusion due to 'improved' irrigation is to blame for the loss of these arable lands. The Delta has potential for developments that do not use up the river's water or disrupt local lifestyles.

Tourism, for example. It's a part of the country that few Kenyans have seen. A boat ride on the river, the banks lined with mangrove forests and many kinds of palm trees, is a unique experience. In the grasslands, flocks of local and migratory waterbirds can be seen along the river banks.

Nature Kenya welcomes the government's efforts to bring development. However, the Tana River Delta has special attributes, ecological functions, resources and needs. It is imperative that planning for the Delta's resources precedes any large-scale development proposals. A conservation and development master plan for Tana Delta's resources would help safeguard local livelihoods and wildlife while permitting sustainable development projects in designated areas.

This plan should be developed by the government in consultation with local people and all interested parties. This would be a win-win situation for conservation and development.

Meanwhile, the current development proposals put the people, wildlife and ecological functions of the delta in great jeopardy. Without the plan, development proposals will definitely meet stiff opposition from local people and conservation groups.

Serah Munguti is communication and advocacy c6orainator at Nature Kenya.