Ranches Merger To Form Community Wildlife Conservancies In Promoting Conservation Rules To Fight Climate Change
In the new era, national parks, community conservancies and Private conservancies are all concerned with matters conservation of both natural and man made resources centered at financial benefits but differentiated by management and ownership status.
The varied rainfall patterns and land terrain characterizes Taita Taveta county, the lower zones as documented ought to be receiving an average of 440mm of rain per annum with the highland areas receiving up to 1,900mm of rain which is not a sure bet due to the current weather unpredictability hence hotter weather and lesser or no rains experienced.
Citizen Digital took a tour at the Taita Taveta county interiors of Mwatate Sub County where LUMO, Kasigau and Mgeno conservancies played host. The three conservancies are community owned, the thousands and thousands acres of lands in which they are sitting are either leased from the Kenyan government or are former private ranches joined to form community conservancies.
LUMO community wildlife conservancy covers an area of 48,000 acres. It is formed by the Lualenyi, Mramba communal grazing area and the Oza Group Ranch, hence the acronym “LUMO”.
Established in 2001 and registered as a trust, LUMO community wildlife conservancy is mainly dependent on tourism as main source of income, “here tourism is dependent on wildlife, so our rangers are keen to ensure that wildlife and its habitat are protected, in their day to day activities and patrols they deter human activities that are not allowed in the conservancy, for instance illegal logging and charcoal production, poaching and also cattle incursion in conservancy.” Explained, Mr. Joseph Mwanyalo,LUMO community wildlife conservancy manager.
In an area served by an earth road linking Mwatate to kasigau is the 53,000 acres Mgeno ranch. Mgeno lies on the lowlands and it was established in 1971 and operated until 1980s when it collapsed after which it was revamped after sometime. Livestock rearing has been the core business of the ranch ever since even as it currently prepares to fully start operations as a community wildlife conservancy.
According to Mr. Afiz Nyambu Ibrahim, chairman board of directors Mgeno, drought effects have seen the ranch destock up to 25 herds per month at throwaway prices that only bring losses to the company.
“Challenges like wildlife and human, livestock conflict has been a frequent occurrence, this too contributed to the decision to convert Mgeno ranch into a wildlife conservancy.” said Mr. Afiz.
Mgeno ranch was officially certified into a Community wildlife conservancy in May 2023 and is in the process of meeting requirements, setting up facilities before it can start operations as a full community wildlife conservancy.
Kasigau ranching company, which is also community owned. The ranch sits on a 52,000 acres of land. The ever-growing human population, ravaging harsh weather conditions has increased competition for space and resources between wildlife, livestock and human; and to avoid retaliation, the ranch management began a process of becoming a conservancy in the year 2021.
The idea of converting into a community wildlife conservancy however was not received well by some members of the community who thought that fully engaging the conservancy for wildlife would increase the conflict between them and the wildlife.
According to Mr. John Mwamburi, the vice chair Kasigau ranch, converting the ranch into a wildlife conservancy will bring more income and clear separation between the wildlife and the livestock land.
“If we bring conservancy, it will bring more income because either way, wildlife still encroach human residence.” He noted.
LUMO, has been in operation as a community wildlife conservancy and has had a taste of both pros and cons of the business. The management have had to device solutions to the challenges as they improve on the pros.
“There comes failed rain seasons, and since our business is dependent on tourists who come to enjoy wildlife, other tourist come on academic spree to study various animals and tree species, we therefore have to incur extra costs during dry seasons for the wild animals not to migrate, we ensure that we create water pans which we at times manually fill using water tracks.” Explained Mr. Douglas Mwashi, operations manager Lions Bluff, an Eco lodge situated within LUMO community conservancy.
According to Douglas, Lions Bluff also buys seedlings from the communities and adds to the forest cover as outlined in the lodge’s terms of operations within the conservancy.
Mgeno and Kasigau are bracing up to take up the Community wildlife conservancy business challenge with an open mind of advantages and disadvantages of the business.
Conservation experts are of the view that well managed conservancies are beneficial to the wildlife, tourists, livestock as well as the community at large with a proper plan to promote symbiotic relationship.
According to Mr. Alfred Mwanake, the Chief executive officer Taita Taveta Wildlife Conservancies Association (TTWCA),properly organized action plans by conservancies are a recipe for a successful wildlife conservancy business.
“It is also good to note that owners of tourists facilities within conservancies investment in wildlife welfare, providing them with grass and water more so in the dry seasons is an adaptation measure to tackle climate change crisis in conservation world; also trees planting in bare spaces within the conservancies is also a plus and should be encourage.”
Mwanake also emphasized that conservancies owned by communities do well in the tourism sector because community members become the number one security to the wildlife by restraining themselves from illegal activities like poaching and careless killing of wildlife as they would rather have assured long lasting economic gains from the business.
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