From Wastelands to Paradise

The 1950s were a time when Kenya’s towns experienced an accelerated growth. Colonialism was slowly loosening its tough grip on the nation and new job opportunities were opening up to Africans. With a surge in the move of people from rural villages to urban centres, concrete buildings began sprouting up nationwide. This exodus facilitated a need for local cement manufacture.  

After four years of feasibility studies, Bamburi Cement Factory kicked off operations in 1954. The chosen site for the budding factory was a few kilometres north of Mombasa town, an ideal location due to its proximity to the raw material needed in cement making – limestone. These mineral deposits had formed thousands of years ago when Kenya’s low-lying coastal area was submerged underneath the Indian Ocean. Favourable climatic conditions resulted in the formation of limestone-rich coral reefs; this was the organic matter that Bamburi Cement Factory began to quarry. 

Local cement production intensified the growth of the construction industry. There was an insatiable hunger for new structures and every building that went up deepened the open pits in Bamburi. Within a few years, Bamburi’s landscape was in a state of despair. The environmental degradation was a cause of concern for the factory’s management, who decided to rehabilitate the quarries.  

In 1959, Bamburi Cement Factory established an Agriculture and Garden Department to care for the factory environment and restore the quarries back to usable state. Rene Haller, a Swiss agronomist, was hired to head this department. The task bestowed upon him was onerous, but Haller was certain that with time, the quarries could become even better versions of their former selves.  

After over a decade of research and planning, rehabilitation efforts began in 1971. Haller’s plan was to bring life back to this man-made desert by planting trees, but the odds were against him. The barren quarry floor, the high coastal temperatures, and the salt-saturated ground water made it nearly impossible for any plants to survive. Hopeful about the project, Haller brought in 26 tree species that did well in similar climates and grew them on the two kilometres square area of land under planting trial.  

Unsurprisingly, some of the trees began to wither away within the first weeks. Many people were skeptics of the project and believed they were witnessing its inevitable failure. Growing plants on rocks? It was unfathomable. But to Haller, the land was simply weeding out the weak contenders. Within six months, 23 plant species had been starved of life and the last ones standing were the casuarina tree, the damas tree, and the coconut palm. Among these three, the casuarina tree proved to be the hardiest species, capable of enduring the tough terrain.  

While the process of natural selection had proven successful, growing casuarinas on a large scale posed one major problem. The casuarina leaves have high tannin content which makes their decomposition difficult once they shed from the tree. Decomposition was important for the creation of humus and consequently a new topsoil cover which would make the place habitable to other forms of flora. To address this issue, Haller introduced millipedes onto the reclaimed land since they can digest the leaves shed by the casuarina tree.  

As the rehabilitation efforts began to bear fruit, wildlife was introduced to area to create a sustainable ecosystem. The resulting beauty of the place, coupled with the fascination of the man-made ecosystem, attracted many tourists. These were the barren quarries no more; the area was given the name Bamburi Nature Trails in 1984 and opened to the public. Three years later, Rene Haller was awarded the Global 500 Roll of Honour by the United Nations Environment Program for his outstanding work. 

In 1989, systemic introduction of indigenous coastal vegetation began on the rehabilitated land. As Renee Haller was retiring from the company ten years later, the name Bamburi Nature Trails was changed to Haller Park in honour of his service.  

The success of Haller Park’s rehabilitation led to a change of legislation in 1999, with the passing of the Environmental Management and Coordination Act. This law mandates mining companies to rehabilitate used up quarries. Today, Haller Park is home to over 300 plant species, 30 mammals and 180 birds, with more than 200 hectares of quarry wasteland having so far been rehabilitated. As Kenya’s skyline continues to rise, Haller Park retains its mission to regenerate derelict limestone quarries.  

Location of Bamburi

Quarrying for limestone in Bamburi. Image credit: Research Gate

First planting of casuarinas at the quarries. Image credit: Rene Haller

Casuarinas of various ages, some seeding already, in 1986. Image credit: Rene Haller

Haller Park, Mombasa. Image credit: Shutterstock

Dr. Rene Haller and Louise Piper, co-founder of Haller Foundation