What Is A Conservancy

Masai Mara conservancies are a unique community-based conservation initiative where local Maasai landowners lease their land to conservation trusts and tourism operators to create protected wildlife areas adjacent to the Maasai Mara National Reserve (MMNR). These conservancies balance wildlife protection and sustainable tourism with economic benefits for local Maasai communities.

Landowners receive fixed payments for setting aside their land for conservation, while tourism operators gain access to exclusive wildlife viewing areas. The conservancy model has become an important tool in addressing over-tourism within the MMNR, improving land-use practices, and securing the Maasai’s livelihood through eco-tourism.

Historical Background of Community-Based Conservation in the Mara

The Masai Mara has been at the forefront of Kenya’s tourism industry, attracting visitors from around the world due to its rich wildlife and scenic landscapes. However, despite its tourism successes, the Maasai community did not initially benefit equitably from this industry. A series of community revenue-sharing initiatives were plagued by mismanagement, corruption, and inequality. This led to the establishment of the conservancy model as a more sustainable solution.

In 1961, control of the Mara was transferred from the Kenya National Parks Department to the Narok County Council (NCC), marking one of the first cases where local management was implemented to provide benefits to the surrounding community. Under local government control, the reserve could distribute revenue from tourism fees and community development projects. This model aimed to share the economic benefits of tourism with local Maasai landowners.

While this initiative initially reduced poaching and increased revenues for local Maasai, the bulk of the profits was captured by international tourism operators, and only a small percentage reached the local community. According to Earnshaw and Emerton from their 2000, only about 8% of total tourism revenue in the Mara reached local landowners or employees by 1987. Community members often received just a fraction of the profits, leading to widespread dissatisfaction with the NCC’s management.

In 1988, in response to growing frustrations, the NCC introduced a 19% gate fee allocation to eight group ranches bordering the MMNR as noted in this 2009 Research by Thompson and his team. These funds were meant to support community projects, such as schools and health services, but much of the revenue was misappropriated by local leaders, and very little trickled down to ordinary Maasai.

Fragmentation of Wildlife Associations

In the 1990s, Maasai landowners began to take matters into their own hands by establishing wildlife associations on their group ranch lands. These associations collected tourism revenue directly from lodges and tourist facilities operating on Maasai land. The first of these, Olchoro Oirouwa Wildlife Association, was established in 1994. This model allowed landowners to earn income directly from tourism activities on their land. Despite some early successes, the wildlife association model was soon plagued by internal conflicts and corruption, with association officials diverting a significant portion of the revenue for their own benefit. In fact, ‘Koyiaki and Lemek group ranches challenged the Olchoro Oirouwa wildlife association for their share of the tourism revenue from the lodges on its land’ in 1995 as Claire’s 2014 findings note.

By the late 1990s, the wildlife association model had fragmented into multiple smaller associations, often driven by local politics and unequal distribution of tourism income. Wealthier landowners and local elites were able to secure the best tourism land, further marginalizing ordinary Maasai households from meaningful participation in tourism revenue.

The Emergence of the Conservancy Model

In the early 2000s, the conservancy model emerged as a more structured and transparent approach to community-based conservation in the Masai Mara. It was built on the premise that landowners would lease their land to conservation entities or tourism operators in exchange for regular lease payments. These payments, often made on a per-hectare basis, provided landowners with a stable source of income, regardless of tourism fluctuations. In turn, land was set aside for wildlife conservation, with no farming, settlement, or infrastructure development allowed within conservancy boundaries.

The first conservancies were established on the fringes of the MMNR and quickly gained traction as an effective solution for managing wildlife and tourism sustainably. The model proved to be mutually beneficial: landowners received consistent payments, wildlife populations had protected areas to roam freely, and tourism operators could offer exclusive, low-density tourism experiences.

Key Features of the Masai Mara Conservancies

Land Leasing and Revenue Distribution: Landowners lease their land to the conservancy, receiving monthly payments based on the size of their land. Revenue from tourism is shared between the landowners and the conservancy trust, which manages wildlife protection and operational costs. This ensures a steady income for Maasai households and creates a direct financial incentive for conservation.
Wildlife Protection and Anti-Poaching Efforts: Conservancies enforce strict wildlife protection policies, employing local Maasai as rangers and wildlife monitors. They play a critical role in preventing poaching and ensuring the survival of endangered species like elephants, lions, and cheetahs.
Eco-Tourism and Low-Density Tourism: Conservancies limit the number of lodges and vehicles allowed within their boundaries, promoting low-impact tourism. This provides a more exclusive wildlife viewing experience, reduces environmental stress, and preserves the natural habitat.
Community Participation: Conservancies are designed to involve local Maasai communities in decision-making processes. Landowners have representation within conservancy trusts, and a portion of the revenue is often allocated to community development projects such as schools, healthcare, and infrastructure.
Wildlife Corridors and Habitat Restoration: By setting aside land for conservation, conservancies help maintain important wildlife corridors that allow animals to migrate between different ecosystems. This is particularly important for species like wildebeest, zebra, and elephants, which require large, uninterrupted territories.

Masai Mara Conservancies: The Concept and Evolution in Brief

The Masai Mara ecosystem spans about 1,510 square kilometers of protected reserve and an additional 1,600 square kilometers of surrounding conservancies. The creation of conservancies in the Mara began as a response to habitat fragmentation, poaching, and the over-concentration of tourism in the main reserve.

The concept emerged around the early 2000s when Maasai landowners were encouraged to lease their land to tourism operators and conservation NGOs. This initiative allowed for the formal protection of land for wildlife while generating income for Maasai communities. In return, landowners committed to keeping their land free of farming and settlements, preserving it for wildlife and eco-tourism activities.

How Conservancies Work

Land Leasing Model: In the Mara conservancy model, Maasai landowners lease their parcels of land (typically grouped into large blocks) to a conservancy trust or tourism operator. This lease guarantees a fixed income for the landowner, regardless of the number of tourists or other seasonal factors, making it an attractive alternative to farming or selling the land. The lease rates vary, but many conservancies pay around $15-$30 per acre annually.
Revenue Sharing: Income from tourism activities, such as game drives, camping, and safari lodges, is divided between the conservancy trust (which funds operational costs) and landowners. A common model is a 60/40 split, where 60% goes to the trust for reinvestment into wildlife management and anti-poaching efforts, while 40% goes directly to the landowners.
Tourism Management: Each conservancy restricts the number of tourist vehicles allowed within its boundaries, ensuring a more exclusive and less crowded wildlife viewing experience than the main reserve. Tourist lodges operating within conservancies often follow strict eco-tourism principles, including limited infrastructure, renewable energy use, and waste management practices.
Wildlife Protection and Habitat Restoration: The absence of permanent settlements, fences, and agriculture allows wildlife to roam freely between the reserve and conservancies. This movement is crucial for species like wildebeests, zebras, and elephants, which depend on vast territories for migration. Conservancies actively engage in anti-poaching patrols, habitat restoration, and human-wildlife conflict mitigation, employing local Maasai as rangers and wildlife monitors.

Understanding Partnership model within the Olare Orok Conservancy (OOC) land lease programme

The diagram below I obtained from Claire Bedelian’s 2012 paper on ‘Conservation and ecotourism on
privatised land in the Mara, Kenya The case of conservancy land leases‘ illustrates the Partnership model within the Olare Orok Conservancy (OOC) land lease programme, which showcases the organizational structure and flow of responsibilities and finances within the conservancy. Here’s a breakdown of how the land lease program works using this model:

1. Landholding and Lease Agreements:

Landowners: The model begins with 154 individual Maasai landowners who hold the land. These landowners lease their land to a landholding entity, Olare Orok Wildlife Conservancy Ltd.
Leases: The landowners enter lease agreements with the Olare Orok Wildlife Conservancy Ltd, a central entity representing the collective interests of the landowners.
Landholding Company: The Olare Orok Wildlife Conservancy Ltd, through a land committee, represents these landowners in the decision-making process concerning the management of the land and conservancy operations.

2. Management Structure:

Conservancy Management Committee: This body oversees decision-making and communication between the landholding company and the management company. It ensures that the interests of both landowners and the management company are aligned and that key decisions regarding land use and conservancy management are made collaboratively.

3. Funding and Revenue Sharing:

Tourism Partners: A management company called Olpurkel Ltd manages the commercial aspects of the conservancy. This includes several Tourism Partners (TPs) who operate within the conservancy. They provide funding through agreements with the landholding company to lease the land for tourism and conservation purposes.
Board of Directors: The management company also has a Board of Directors that consists of representatives from Landholding (Land h), Independent Trustees (Itrust), and the tourism partners (TPs). This board helps oversee the operations and ensure the smooth running of the conservancy.

4. Olare Orok Conservancy Trust:

This trust serves as the financial custodian of the conservancy, responsible for distributing funds to different sectors. The revenue, often sourced from donor funding (NGOs and independent donors) and tourism partners, is used to support both community welfare and conservation efforts.
Use of Funds:
- Community Outreach, Welfare, and Conservation Projects: A portion of the funds is allocated for local community development, welfare, and outreach projects, ensuring that the local Maasai community benefits from the land lease programme.
- Capital Management Costs: Funds are also allocated to cover capital costs, such as managing the conservancy’s operations, purchasing necessary equipment, and maintaining vehicles.

5. Partnership Model:

The land lease programme in Olare Orok Conservancy is a collaborative model where landowners, through a central landholding entity, lease their land to a management company. This management company, supported by tourism operators and donors, manages the land for conservation purposes while ensuring that the community benefits from both lease payments and development projects funded through the conservancy trust.
Decision-making and Communication are key components of this partnership model, with the Conservancy Management Committee playing a pivotal role in coordinating between landowners, management, and tourism operators.

Summary of How It Works:

The Olare Orok Conservancy land lease programme revolves around the lease of Maasai-owned land to a central entity (Olare Orok Wildlife Conservancy Ltd), which then partners with tourism operators (through Olpurkel Ltd) for sustainable land use and tourism. The revenue generated is funneled back into both community development and the maintenance of the conservancy through the Olare Orok Conservancy Trust. A management committee ensures smooth communication and alignment of interests across all stakeholders.

Tenets of the Masai Mara Conservancies

Community-Driven Conservation: At the heart of the conservancy model is the empowerment of local Maasai communities. By involving them directly in land management and tourism operations, conservancies ensure that conservation aligns with the economic interests of the landowners. This reduces the likelihood of habitat destruction due to land subdivision or sale.
Sustainable Land Use: Conservancies enforce strict rules against farming, livestock overgrazing, and building settlements within their borders. This land use policy promotes the regeneration of natural grasslands, which are essential for supporting herbivores like antelopes and wildebeests.
Low-Density Tourism: Most Mara conservancies adhere to a low-density tourism policy, which limits the number of visitors and safari camps to ensure minimal disruption to the ecosystem. This contrasts with the national reserve, where over-tourism during the high season can negatively impact both wildlife and visitor experiences.
Wildlife Corridors: The conservancies act as buffer zones between human settlements and the Mara Reserve, creating essential corridors that allow animals to move between habitats without encountering fences or roads. This connectivity is particularly vital for species that migrate or require large territories, such as elephants and predators like lions and leopards.
Ecological Monitoring and Research: Many conservancies invest in scientific research and wildlife monitoring programs to assess the health of the ecosystem. Data on animal populations, vegetation, and climate trends are collected to inform management decisions and improve conservation strategies. This research often involves collaboration with global conservation NGOs and universities.
Human-Wildlife Conflict Management: To mitigate the effects of wildlife encroachment on Maasai villages, conservancies deploy a range of strategies, from building predator-proof bomas (livestock enclosures) to establishing compensation schemes for lost livestock. Such initiatives help maintain positive relations between the community and conservation efforts.

Challenges Facing Masai Mara Conservancies

Land Fragmentation: As population pressure increases, there is a rising temptation for landowners to subdivide and sell their land. This fragmentation threatens the integrity of the conservancies and the migration routes they protect.
Fair Distribution of Benefits: Some landowners express dissatisfaction with the revenue-sharing models, arguing that a disproportionate share of the income is retained by the conservancy trusts or tour operators. Transparency in financial management and equitable benefit distribution remains a challenge.
Tourism Dependency: The conservancy model is highly dependent on tourism for revenue generation. Fluctuations in tourist arrivals, such as those caused by political instability, pandemics (e.g., COVID-19), or economic downturns, can severely impact the financial viability of conservancies. This vulnerability calls for diversification of income streams, such as carbon credits and payment for ecosystem services (PES) schemes.

Moving forward, there is a need for more diversified revenue streams, such as carbon credits and payment for ecosystem services (PES), to reduce dependence on tourism. Additionally, continued efforts to improve governance, transparency, and equitable revenue sharing will be essential to the long-term success of the conservancy model.

Why Masai Mara Conservancies are key to Masai Mara Conservation;

Expansion of Protected Areas: Conservancies extend the wildlife habitat beyond the Maasai Mara National Reserve, providing essential corridors for migration and dispersal.
Buffer Zone Creation: They act as a buffer zone, reducing the impact of over-tourism in the reserve and promoting lower-density, eco-friendly tourism alternatives.
Wildlife Preservation: Conservancies help minimize human-wildlife conflicts, ensuring that wildlife can thrive in a protected environment.
Community Incentivization: By leasing land from local Maasai landowners, conservancies offer direct financial benefits, incentivizing the community to conserve land instead of using it for agriculture or settlement.
Community-Driven Conservation: They empower local Maasai communities to participate in decision-making and land management, aligning conservation efforts with community goals.
Anti-Poaching and Habitat Restoration: Conservancies support efforts to combat poaching, restore degraded habitats, and maintain the ecosystem’s health.
Scientific Research and Monitoring: They play a vital role in scientific research and ecological monitoring, contributing to long-term sustainability and biodiversity protection.
Economic Sustainability: The revenue from eco-tourism and donor funding provides an economic incentive for conservation, ensuring a balance between community welfare and wildlife preservation.

In the 2023 Masai Mara Management Plan, it recognizes conservancies as crucial for extending wildlife habitats, reducing pressure on the Maasai Mara National Reserve, and promoting sustainable tourism. The plan highlights their role in biodiversity conservation and generating financial benefits for local Maasai communities. It also emphasizes the need for improved collaboration, governance, and equitable revenue distribution between the reserve, conservancies, and stakeholders to ensure long-term sustainability.

Conclusion

The Masai Mara conservancies have become a vital part of Kenya’s community-based conservation efforts. By directly involving local Maasai landowners and providing them with sustainable income from eco-tourism, conservancies have helped protect critical wildlife habitats while improving local livelihoods. As they continue to evolve, the focus must remain on ensuring transparent governance, equitable revenue distribution, and sustainable land use practices.

Also read; MAASAI MARA – LAND PRIVATISATION AND WILDLIFE DECLINES: CAN CONSERVATION PAY ITS WAY, Thompson et. al, 2009