Menengai Forest: Difference between revisions
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== Menengai Crater == |
== Menengai Crater == |
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<ref>T.O. Mulaha, provincial Geologist, Rift Valley Province, Kenya</ref>The Menengai Crater is found within the forest. The possible date of formation of the Menengai Caldera was during the third and last major faulting of the Gregory Rift valley in the middle Pleistocene epoch of the Quartenary period less than one million years ago. This major faulting resulted in very complex grid patterns, dropping the Rift valley a further approximately 300 metres (from the original drops of approximately 1200 metres and 900 metres with the first and second major faulting respectively). These latter minor faultings which both occurred during the upper Pleistocence led to the formation of new fractures and renewals on older fracture lines in Nakuru Basin and West of Lake Nakuru respectively. The first minor faulting was accompanied by the emission of pumice showers from the Menengai Crater forming a pumice mantle, mainly on the western flank of Menengai. The pumice mantle forms a crudely stratified deposit, up to 15 metres thick. The pumice mantle was originally believed to represent the first stage in the formation of a caldera of the Krakatoan type <ref>McCall,1957,p.60</ref> |
<ref>T.O. Mulaha, provincial Geologist, Rift Valley Province, Kenya</ref>The Menengai Crater is found within the forest. The possible date of formation of the Menengai Caldera was during the third and last major faulting of the Gregory Rift valley in the middle Pleistocene epoch of the Quartenary period less than one million years ago. This major faulting resulted in very complex grid patterns, dropping the Rift valley a further approximately 300 metres (from the original drops of approximately 1200 metres and 900 metres with the first and second major faulting respectively). These latter minor faultings which both occurred during the upper Pleistocence led to the formation of new fractures and renewals on older fracture lines in Nakuru Basin and West of Lake Nakuru respectively. The first minor faulting was accompanied by the emission of pumice showers from the Menengai Crater forming a pumice mantle, mainly on the western flank of Menengai. The pumice mantle forms a crudely stratified deposit, up to 15 metres thick. The pumice mantle was originally believed to represent the first stage in the formation of a caldera of the Krakatoan type <ref>McCall,1957,p.60</ref>. However, after reconsideration of the whole mechanism of caldera formation by comparing the form of Menengai with the form of the deeply eroded syenitic ring-complex west of Oslo, Norway <ref>McCall,1967,p.63</ref> it is now believed that cauldron subsidence and deep seated migration of magma were contributing factors. |
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Revision as of 07:41, 12 December 2014
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Menengai Forest is an urban forest situated within Nakuru Town,in Kenya.[where?]
Altitude
It is situated in an elevated area which ranges from 1900-2300 metres above sea level.
Area
The forest covers an area of about 7000 Hectares.The actual forested area is about 2000 Hectares
Soils
The forest stands on soils derived from volcanic ash. The soil texture is mainly sandy and is very easily eroded.
Tree Species
The main tree species in the forest are Eucalyptus and Acacia
Management
The forest is under the management of the Kenya Forest Service in collaboration with the Menengai Community Forest Association
Menengai Crater
[1]The Menengai Crater is found within the forest. The possible date of formation of the Menengai Caldera was during the third and last major faulting of the Gregory Rift valley in the middle Pleistocene epoch of the Quartenary period less than one million years ago. This major faulting resulted in very complex grid patterns, dropping the Rift valley a further approximately 300 metres (from the original drops of approximately 1200 metres and 900 metres with the first and second major faulting respectively). These latter minor faultings which both occurred during the upper Pleistocence led to the formation of new fractures and renewals on older fracture lines in Nakuru Basin and West of Lake Nakuru respectively. The first minor faulting was accompanied by the emission of pumice showers from the Menengai Crater forming a pumice mantle, mainly on the western flank of Menengai. The pumice mantle forms a crudely stratified deposit, up to 15 metres thick. The pumice mantle was originally believed to represent the first stage in the formation of a caldera of the Krakatoan type [2]. However, after reconsideration of the whole mechanism of caldera formation by comparing the form of Menengai with the form of the deeply eroded syenitic ring-complex west of Oslo, Norway [3] it is now believed that cauldron subsidence and deep seated migration of magma were contributing factors.
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