Haller Park, located in Bamburi, Mombasa, on the Kenyan coast, stands as a testament to successful ecological restoration. What was once a barren, limestone quarry, now exists as a tropical coastal forest ecosystem.
The park holds a variety of plant and animal species, serving as a recreation spot for tourists and locals alike. Haller Park is widely praised as an insightful and worthwhile visit, particularly for its successful ecological restoration and diverse wildlife.
Giraffe at Haller Park
The Beginning: A Quarry's Transformation
Spurred by modern urban society’s insatiable demand for cement, in the early 1950s Swiss company Cementia Holding built a factory on the outskirts of Mombasa, Kenya’s second-largest city. In 1952, Cementia Holding searched for a site at the East African Coast to build a cement factory. Felix Mandl found a location 12 km (7.5 mi) north of Mombasa.
At two nearby quarries on the north coast, men and heavy machinery mined for limestone. The Bamburi Portland Cement Company opened a limestone quarry just outside Mombasa in 1954. Over the years, cement production at the local quarries grew from 1.2 million tons annually to 25 million tons. However, the once-fertile area soon became a barren landscape with brackish ground water.
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By 1971, the quarry had left an ugly gaping hole on the scenery of Mombasa, which concerned the management of the company. The Bamburi Cement company decided to rehabilitate the quarries which seemed to be an impossible task. They decided then to try an experiment to reclaim the land and restore it back into an ecological wilderness.
Findings found that the coastal limestone quarry, formed by ancient corals, is not a good substrate for growing new plants. Being coastal, the water table is tidal, making the water very brackish. Another problem encountered, was the water table.
No plants had been able to establish themselves there. Finding plants that can survive poor soil and salty water was a challenge. The first task then, was to find pioneer plants that could withstand the limestone desert, brackish water and poor soil. They must also be able to survive the harsh African sun.
Dr. Rene Haller and His Vision
In 1959, Dr. Rene Haller was hired as manager of the garden department and given the task to beautify the area. In the early 1970s he embarked on the restoration project. Haller was hired as a manager of the garden department at Bamburi in 1950 and given the task to beautify the area.
In 1970, Dr. Haller persuaded the Bamburi Cement Company to give him access to acres of its disused quarries. It was a wasteland; abandoned and forgotten. Although reclamation of industrial wasteland was virtually unheard of, Dr. Haller believed he could bring life there again. His conception was a masterpiece.
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It was undoubtedly a long interior process to bring something like Haller Park, Kenya, to life; Dr Haller spent years and ultimately decades studying and experimenting with a large variety of plans, trying to find the species that would survive and, in fact, thrive in an environment with minimally favorable conditions. Haller Park Mombasa had turned into a wasteland with poor-quality soil. Dr Haller worked tirelessly to improve this, And with the help of tree forestation, gradually, the ecosystem began to come to life. Insects in smaller animals flogged the area, slowly adding to the organic variety of animals.
He pioneered sustainable agricultural techniques and after decades of careful observation of how plants and animals interact, and a series of trial and error experiments, Dr. Haller successfully transformed the land. In committing millions of dollars and decades of man hours to land reclamation, Bamburi Cement was ahead of its time.
Throughout the 1970’s, Dr. Rene Haller took from the lessons he had learned at Haller Park and continued to rehabilitate the disused quarries scattered along the Mombasa coastline. The quarries are now a combination of lakes, wetlands, savannah grasslands, with walking and cycling trails, as well as a Nature Park and Wildlife Sanctuary for residents and tourists to enjoy at their leisure.
Dr Haller transformed the seven square kilometre Bamburi site from a barren and dusty lunar landscape to an ecological haven. What was once limestone quarries is now a thriving ecosystem of forest, grasslands and ponds with walking trails for you to view the fenced wildlife, such as hippo, giraffe, antelope, buffalo and smaller mammals, as well as bird species, such as eagle, sandpiper, weaver, stork, kingfisher, ibis, owl, heron, egret and many others.
Up until now, Haller Park is a rare success of land reclamation in Kenya, yet, it is also much prized for its scenery and a place to begin or renew your romance with nature. Haller Park is, without doubt, the most popular nature park in North Coast, receiving over 160,000 visitors each year. Presently, there’s nothing that gives away its former tumbledown wasteland, even for the most skeptic of travellers. In instead, Haller Park Mombasa has a thriving game sanctuary, reptile park, small demonstration fish farm area, a palm garden, crocodile pens and a giraffe viewing platform, offering a variety of attractions in one place.
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The diversity of flora is also considerable; from mangrove palms, native shade trees, coastal forests, several of these noted as rare. This is haven for the nature-lover. Each plant plays a key role in the overall harmony of the ecosystem.
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The Casuarina and the Millipedes
The stunning reclamation project began with a hardy tree and a hungry insect. Twenty-six varieties of saplings were planted. Only three survived.
As the long-time manager of Bamburi Cement’s garden department, Haller set out to find pioneer plants that could thrive in the abandoned quarries baking under a fierce tropical sun. The vital task was to find pioneer plants which could survive the limestone desert.
After some extensive trial and error, Dr. Haller found just three tree species able to withstand the harsh growing conditions within the quarry. Of those three species, only the Casuarina, a type of tropical pine tree, showed any promise. The plants had to survive the fierce tropical sun.
The casuarina was used initially to colonise the barren quarry floor. The casuarina has adapted to grow under severe conditions. The casuarina could tolerate brackish water, which seemed perfect for the environment. Its branchlets resemble pine needles and have a strong outer surface that protects the tree against water loss.
Between 1971 and 1974, they planted some 12,000 tree saplings. After studying healthy trees in another environment, Dr. Haller found a solution - soil nitrates and microorganisms were missing from the near sterile soil. They transplanted young tree saplings from government forests into the quarry.
As the fledgling Casuarina trees shed their tiny needles, micro-organisms were unable to break them down. This halted the production of hummus accumulation necessary for fertile soil buildup. Some of the trees are evergreen and shed their needles. These needles were difficult to break down, by the microorganisms, due to their high tannin content.
One day, Dr. Haller spied a red-legged millipede (Epibolus Pulchripes) happily munching on some Casuarina needles. Haller observed a red legged millipede (Mombasa trains) feeding on dry casuarina needles and introduced hundreds of millipedes into the quarry forest. He introduced several hundred millipedes into the environment.
A lucky incident solved this problem, when the red-legged Mombasa trains (Epibolus pulchripes) happily started to feed on the dry needles. The compost bacteria in the millipedes’ droppings converted the needles into the needed humus. These useful animals, collected from coastal bushes, were an instant success as the millipedes multiplied fast in the young forest. The millipedes had found a land of milk and honey having the forest floor for them only but this happy state of affairs did not last long.
As they ate the needles, the micro-organisms fed on the millipede droppings. After a period of five years, a layer of soil accumulated, the Casuarinas began self-seeding, and the rehabiliation program was finally moving forward. After five years the casuarina began self-seeding and colonizing the surrounding area. After 10 years the casuarina trees reached a height of 30 m. After 20 years some of the trees had a trunk circumference of 2.4 meters and the humus layer was 10 cm deep. Many of the trees began to collapse after two decades, but not before accomplishing their task and creating a friendly environment for new plants.
Developing the Ecosystem
As the soil thickened and became more nutrient-rich, other plant species were introduced, either by design or by fate, carried by wind and animals. The quarry slowly developed into a haven for endangered plant species.
More plants distributed by wind and animal established themselves in the quarry. The next tree species were carefully selected. The quarry slowly developed into a sanctuary for endangered species of plants. Over the years, over 180 species of indigenous trees and bushes have been planted. Modes of propagation of plants however vary, all in the aim of ensuring succession.
Some 25 different kinds of trees, so far, have been planted and tested; eucalyptus, neem, algaroba, pinus, baobab, coconut, date palms, banana and mango trees to name a few. Replanting of native species of trees began in 1989 and was fast-tracked in the nineties. “By the year 2000, many indigenous plant species had been established,” says Albert Musando, the ecosystems and tourism manager of Lafarge EcoSystems, a subsidiary of Bamburi Cement.
Fauna was later introduced into the area. Insects and other animals proved important for a new ecosystem through pollination and seed dispersion. A forest ecosystem was beginning to form, next mushrooms started to appear in the darker moister patches of forest. Then termites, who cultivate fungi, started to build their mounds. The termite’s task is comparable to the one of millipedes but they have an important advantage by mixing the soil substrate too.
Vervet monkeys, insects and some bird species have participated actively in succession within the ecosystem. They feed on fruits of the ficus trees, whose seeds must travel through an alimentary canal to completely break dormancy. If this step take place, the seeds have to be boiled to achieve the same effect. When animals excrete, the seeds are dispersed in their feces and those that hit fertile ground may germinate.
The Role of Animals
Rene Haller believed animals should play an equally important role in the forest ecosystem as plants. The introduction of the millipedes into the casuarina forest triggered a chain reaction of colonization by plants and animals. The creation of new habitats attracted birds, insects, and mammals.
The mammals affected the environment. For example, the bushpigs which feed on roots, maggots, and insects helped to aerate the trees' root systems. The female giraffes feed on leaves and dispersed plants seeds while their faeces acted as fertiliser.
Around the outskirts of the quarry, Eland and Oryx were brought in to graze during the day. The elands were chosen for domestication at Haller Park because of their usefulness. The eland produces milk which is nutritious and has antibiotic properties which allows the milk stay fresh for months. At night, they were placed in night enclosures, and given more fodder if needed. A variety of grasses and herbs grew in this area, but at night, they were still placed in a boma, in the old bush area. Slowly these herds have become domesticated, due to the skill of the herdsmen.
Rene Haller also introduced oryx to supplement the eland group. The oryx adapt to cope with poor grazing. Whilst the antelope feed on their favourite plant species, they also disperse seed via their droppings to all parts of the quarry, thus distributing plants from the bush to the grasslands and the forest. They feed on dry, nutrient poor grasses. They have a great capacity to digest fibres. During droughts and desert conditions, the oryx can survive. They are independent of permanent water sources.
“Thirty species of mammals and 180 species of birds resided in the reclaimed quarry. Today, Haller Park is a popular tourist attraction as well as an important site for education.
Haller Park Wildlife
Water and Aquaculture
Water was an essential resource for the development of the plant life in the quarry. The natural water condition of the lowland park on the shores of the Indian Ocean is brackish. Dr. Haller created a natural water treatment area using cabbage ponds and rice fields to filter the salt content.
Water played an important role in the economic and ecological development of the project. The aquaculture system at Haller Park is commercially viable. The unit consists of the fish farm, crocodile area, and the biological water treatment area (Nile cabbage ponds and rice paddy fields).
The fish farm is a part of Haller Park. The fish farm is a part of Haller Park. In 1971, The fish farming project started alongside the reforestation project. Rene Haller created a fish tank system. The purpose of the tank system was to give the fish a chance to swim in a constant current. A tilapia farm was also created in 1980 because of the success of the fish tanks.
Sally and Potty Bulldozers dug holes, to make fishponds and water holes. Rene often listens to African folklore and traditional stories; one of which is that if you eradicate hippos, the fish die and the water holes dry up. They then encountered a new set of problems when introducing fish into the ponds. Whilst in the water they disperse their droppings and urine, thus returning nutrients to the water so that plankton grows. This activity also aerates the water, which is all beneficial to the fish.
Haller thus decided that hippos were needed for the sanctuary’s new big fishpond. The last straw for the Roots was after Sally had destroyed the neighbour's vegetable garden, she went on to attack their car. So in 1976, Sally was resettled into Bamburi Nature Park. It took a lot of cajoling to get Sally settled, but bribery with a daily bottle of 5 gallons of goat milk helped. A male hippo called Potty was also found, he had been confiscated from a German travelling zoo. He was in a terrible state, he’d had no access to water, so his skin was all dried up and cracked.
Sally and Potty instantly became friends; and are now an inseparable couple. The hippos solved many of the problems with breeding fish at Haller Park and these days you can find the "Bamburi Tilapia" on restaurant's menus up and down the Coast near Mombasa.
In 1975, Haller Park introduced crocodiles to its ponds, as eggs and hatchlings from Lake Turkana, Lake Baringo and the Tana River. Haller Park CrocodilesIn 1975, Haller Park introduced crocodiles to its ponds, as eggs and hatchlings from Lake Turkana, Lake Baringo and the Tana River.
Waste from the fish farm and waste from a trust farm called Baobab Trust feeds the crocodiles. The Trust carries out community-based farmer training in collaboration with Dr Rene and Haller Park. The crocodiles convert this waste into valuable commodities like crocodile skins and meat for human consumption. In fact, you can taste excellent crocodile steak in the Haller Park restaurant.
Haller's Legacy and Continued Efforts
Dr. Haller believed that ecology and economy could work together in harmony. During his management, Haller Park developed over 40 different income streams: tilapia farming, bee keeping, tree nurseries, crocodile skins and meat, rice fields, and many other sustainable agriculture practices.
In 1991, Dr. Haller was awarded the UNEP Global 500 Roll of Honour for his “Outstanding Environmental Achievements” and in 2003, Dr. Rene Haller in recognition for his work made in conjunction with Bamburi Portland Cement Company for transforming their abandoned quarry into the ecological wilderness it is today.
Inspired by Dr. Haller’s model for sustainable living based on regeneration of land to power local economies, The Haller Foundation was set up as a UK registered charity to raise funds for Dr. Haller’s work; promoting his ideas and implementing them into Mombasa’s surrounding communities. In 2004, Inspired by Dr. Haller’s model for sustainable living based on regeneration of land to power local economies, The Haller Foundation was set up as a UK registered charity to raise funds for Dr. Haller’s work; promoting his ideas and implementing them into Mombasa’s surrounding communities.
Since then, The Haller Foundation & The Baobab Trust have worked with over 56 rural communities, supporting 60,000+ people to restore degraded landscapes and build self-sufficient livelihoods. The Baobab Trust builds on Dr. Haller’s knowledge and experience through education, training and community initiatives - helping people to live and work while conserving the environment.
Visiting Haller Park
Haller Park is a showcase of conservation, where you can now see wildlife in its natural setting, where once was an exhausted quarry. If you are in Mombasa, don’t pass up the chance to see this remarkable feat. Don’t miss going to the restaurant and trying the steaks from their crocodile, ostrich and antelopes. Also, try the Bamburi tilapia. Bon appetite.
Haller Park is located in Bamburi, Mombasa. The park is best explored on foot via its nature trails. Comfortable walking shoes are recommended. There are four nature routes in the Forest Trails for cycling, jogging, walking and fitness. A 3.6 km leisure walk enables visitors to experience alternating landscapes from empty quarries to lush forest, lakes, streams, palm groves and plantations of indigenous trees.
Nearby, another old quarry has been transformed into the Bamburi Forest Trails, first opened to the public in 1997. They initially started as a “one million tree project” in 1986 along the stretch between the Bamburi cement plant and the Shanzu suburb of Mombasa.
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