Although most of the area is arid or semi-arid, closed forest, such as this stand of pillar wood (Cassipourea malosana) on Mt. Kulal, are common at higher elevations.
Free downloads of hard-to-get documents are now available on the rangelands of Central Kenya, including those in Kenya’s most arid and least populated region, Marsabit District.
A scene from the IPAL study area: The Ndoto Mountains as seen from the road to Ngurunit.
In 1976, the United Nations Educational and Scientific Organization (UNESCO) funded the Integrated Project on Arid Lands (IPAL) to find solutions to problems associated with the ecological degradation of arid lands. Studies carried out by the project over the next eight years were centered in Kenya’s most arid district, Marsabit.
Half a century later it’s worth reviewing IPAL’s findings and recommendations, as well as its long-term impact on understanding and managing Kenya’s (and Eastern Africa’s) arid land ecosystems. You can do that at https://storiesofeastafrica.com/integrated-project-on-arid-lands-ipal-marsabit-district-kenya/
Speke’s gazelle is a very rare small antelope that is similar in appearance to the Thomson’s gazelle encountered by tourists on the Serengeti Plains in Tanzania. It inhabits a 20-40 km wide grassy plain along much of Somalia’s coast. In the mid 80’s it also occurred in the northern Ogaden of eastern Ethiopia. cc-by-sa-2.0. FlickreviewR 2
Note: This replaces a webpage that recently went out of commission.
This announces the availability of another batch of free downloads of hard-to-find documents on the rangelands of Somalia: Twenty-six reports on subjects ranging from the Trees of Somalia, a sand movement inventory, and the traditional Deegan ecological classification, to the Yeheb nut and Spekes gazelle. Publication dates range from 1907-2013. Several reports, originally published between 1954 and 1976, are translations of articles in Italian journals (1954-1976). https://storiesofeastafrica.com/rangeland-documents-relevant-over-large-areas-of-somalia/
Peter Kuchar views an unusual looking termite mound in eastern Hiraan Region.
Peter Kuchar
Peter Kuchar, a retired rangeland ecologist with extensive experience in eastern Africa, has, over the years, sought out, read and abstracted as many documents on the rangelands of Somalia as he could find, often adding to them his own comments. Fortunately, these abstracts, which date as far back as 1844, are now available to the rest of us (see below).
The traditional way to transport water
Paul Bolstad while a volunteer on Tanzania’s Kilombero Settlement Scheme (1966-68).
Followers of Stories of East Africa may remember the post: Volunteering in Tanzania: Lessons from the Kilombero Settlement Scheme, by Paul Bolstad.
I mention this because Paul has recently published a memoir, Drawn to Africa, about his family’s time in East Africa.
Across oceans and cultures, one family’s journey unfolds, a testament to their resilience, wonder, and deep sense of belonging that will resonate with readers. Why would a mild-mannered Minneapolis printer take his wife and young children on a mission to British East Africa in the years immediately after World War II? Could they revive a Lutheran printing press, a symbol of faith and communication, that had remained silent during and after the war?
Drawn to Africa tells the remarkable true story of the Bolstad family, whose sense of calling carried them from the quiet heart of the American Midwest to the vast, unpredictable landscapes of Tanganyika. Their journey began with an ocean crossing and a harrowing flight aboard a converted B-17 bomber – complete with an emergency landing between Cairo and Nairobi. Drawn to Africa is a family memoir written by Paul Bolstad with memories contributed by sisters Rosanne and Marilyn and brother Daniel.
Even after resettling in America, the pull of East Africa remained strong, drawing them back to the land that had captured their hearts. The sequel, Drawn to Africa Again, continues their journey, exploring their ongoing connection to Africa. Available on Amazon.com in 2026.
Adventurous, heartfelt, and grounded in faith, Drawn to Africa is a vivid portrait of resilience, discovery, and the enduring ties between people and place.
Email Paul Bolstad – pbolstad43@gmail.com – for more news about Drawn to Africa Again. We’d love to hear your stories and memories of Africa, so please share them with us.
Available at Amazon.com.
Commiphora bushland in eastern Hiraan Region, Somalia (Photo: Peter Kuchar)
THE BURSERACEAE
Those of you who downloaded digital copies of The Burseraceae by Kuchar and Gillett on storiesofeastafrica.com will welcome the updated version now available at Kuchar & Gillett – The Burseraceae (Dec 2025).
For those unfamiliar with the term, Burseraceae is a family of shrubs and small trees. In Somalia, it comprises two genera, Boswellia and Commiphora, the latter probably the most diverse, abundant, economically important, yet worst understood and documented genus of woody plants in the Horn of Africa. This report not only explains why but also includes information (Somali names, uses etc.) about Burseraceae species in (pre-1989) Central Somalia, not to mention a very useful vegetative key for identifying them.
Featured image: Densities of goats November / December 1983
This announces the availability of free downloads of hard-to-find documents on the rangelands of Southern Somalia, an area larger than Great Britain. These include 2 published papers, 15 reports and 87 maps. Twenty-six of the maps compare wet and dry season densities of dynamic resources, including livestock, wildlife, cropping and seasonal habitation. Publication dates range from 1980 to 1992. https://storiesofeastafrica.com/the-southern-rangelands-of-somalia-2/
Featured image: Large trucks provided the primary transport for pastoralists and villagers within the Central Rangelands. Boards resting on the upright sides of the truck separated people (above) from small stock and other cargo (below).
A fourth set of free downloads of hard-to-find documents on the Central Rangelands of Somalia’s is now available. This installment includes eleven extension leaflets (five written in Somali) and nine monitoring and evaluation documents by the Central Rangelands Development Project. The period covered is from 1979 to 1988. https://storiesofeastafrica.com/?page_id=4229
Featured image: A village in Central Somalia
A third set of free downloads on the rangelands of Central Somalia is now available. This installment includes five reports, ten maps, and seven published papers on rangeland ecology and development.