Community Conservancies- Kenya's Revolution in a Regional Context

Kenya conserves its biodiversity through protected area systems in form of National Parks, Reserves and Sanctuaries which cover 10% of the Kenyan landmass. These are however insufficient for conservation of wildlife. The... [ view full abstract ]

Kenya conserves its biodiversity through protected area systems in form of National Parks, Reserves and Sanctuaries which cover 10% of the Kenyan landmass. These are however insufficient for conservation of wildlife. The surrounding community, group and private lands provide dispersal areas for food, water, security and breeding grounds for wildlife in these areas. The land outside Protected Areas is largely under the control of private owners and communities. Their cooperation is essential for the success of conservation activities outside the PAs. The multiplicity of uses of land outside the PA system has necessitated the need to engage individuals and communities to take up wildlife conservation and management as a land use option in the spirit of securing more space for wildlife.
The Wildlife (Conservation and Management) Act 2013 recognizes community conservancies and places them within the legal framework. The Act further provides for the development of regulations that will see communities begin to derive benefits by taking up wildlife conservation as a land use option.
The presentation will talk about the conservancy movement in Kenya, its benefits to the wildlife sector in terms of space for wildlife and how communities are embracing this dynamic land use option-, government recognition of conservancies through a legal framework, Kenya becoming a model for other countries and sustaining this momentum through clamor for establishment of a national trust fund for sustainability.