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George Small, the owner of Mpala Ranch, wants to guarantee its long-term preservation as a site for research and training and has established a foundation to that end.  It is suggested that a Kenyan Trust consisting of the Smithsonian Institution, Princeton University, the National Museums of Kenya (the primary research institution in Kenya), the Kenya Wildlife Services (the primary wildlife conservation organization in Kenya), and the Mpala Wildlife Foundation will administer the research, conservation, and training activities at Mpala Ranch.  Funds for construction and operation of a research center will be sought by the trustee organizations.  A sum of $50,000 is included in the fiscal year 1992 budget request to Congress to cover the formulation and administration of the Kenyan Trust.

The following motion was approved:

VOTED that the Board of Regents establishes an interdisciplinary research and training program in ecology, evolution, geology, and resource management at the Mpala Ranch in Kenya as provided in the Memorandum of Agreement which may be executed upon the approval of the Chairman of the Executive Committee.

[[underlined]] WATERSHED PROTECTION AT THE SMITHSONIAN ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH CENTER [[/underlined]]

For several years the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center has been attempting to purchase four parcels of land totalling about 90 acres just inside the edge of the watershed area, a priority which was made clear in the strategy for the protection of the watershed which was discussed by the Regents at their September 1990 meeting.  The development of these parcels would open a wedge of roads into the larger agricultural parcels in the interior of the upper watershed.  The most critical of these is the 37-acres Smith/Wolf parcel.  The Smithsonian has been negotiating with the owners of these parcels for two years.  If the Smith/Wolf parcel is developed, the other three will almost certainly follow.  Thus, this Smith/Wolf parcel is a "keystone" to the plan to protect the uppermost part of the watershed.  It was

VOTED that the Board of Regents endorses the prudent purchase of property for the protection of the research potential of the watershed area of the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, and to that end the Board authorizes the Chairman of its Executive Committee to approve the execution of documents for the purchase of the Smith/Wolf property as proposed.

[[underlined]] FINANCIAL REPORT 

Fiscal Year 1990 [[/underlined]]

Operating funds received by the Institution in fiscal year 1990 from all sources (net of expenses related to auxiliary activities) totalled $324,773,000.  The Institution returned to the Treasury an unobligated balance of $89,000, less than one-tenth of one per cent of the final 1990 appropriations totalling $225,479,000 for salaries and other expenses.  The General Unrestricted Trust Fund balance increased by $.5 million to $13,469,000, some $.5 million more than last projected but still $.5 million under the original