Northern Rangelands Trust

Kenya is recognized worldwide for its diverse human cultures and wildlife habitat, and is a popular tourist destination.Not coincidentally, a number of wildlife species found in Kenya, such as bongo, lesser kudu, Grevy’s zebras, reticulated giraffes, gerenuk, cheetah, kori bustards, and black rhinos, are also important to the White Oak Conservation Center (WOCC) and Gilman International Conservation (GIC). Through efforts to link our captive animal programs with field conservation projects, GIC became involved in 2006 by providing financial support to the Northern Rangelands Trust of Northern Kenya.

The people of Kenya recognize the value of their wildlife, both in maintaining species diversity, and as a means of support for their livelihood. They also recognize that wildlife in northern Kenya is disappearing. In 2004, Masai and Samburu tribal communities located in the vicinity Samburu National Park formally organized themselves as the Northern Rangelands Trust (NRT) to address conservation issues within their lands, such as land management, security, water resources, livestock management, education, tourism, and loss of wildlife.

With the assistance and guidance of the nearby Lewa Conservancy, councils of tribal leaders are organized within each community to develop conservation and management priorities and projects based on the specific needs and abilities of each community.  Conservation partners and funding are then secured for each priority project and the tribal councils work with the community conservancy to implement the projects.  Fifteen community conservancies have formally joined the NRT and are organizing their conservation strategies and programs, including West Gate, Kalama, Namunyak, Il Ngwesi, Nekurukki, Sera, Melako, Lekurruki, and Ltungai. 

The intent of the NRT programs is to assist the communities to take the lead in developing their own infrastructure so they can effectively manage their natural resources to the benefit of the community. This is a unique approach in Africa where many communities are reliant on foreign aid assistance.  As more communities contiguous to the NRT take part, wildlife management plans and wildlife corridors are being established to encompass ever larger areas of important habitat.  As these pastoral communities begin to realize financial returns, through an increase in tourism and increased wildlife diversity resulting from their conservation activities, the incentives will be great for more communities to regulate their livestock operations, and participate with the NRT conservation program and practices.

Northern Rangeland’s Species Monitoring Program

An important arm of the NRT is the Species Monitoring Program (NRSMP),which supports field conservation of threatened species in Northern Kenya. The NRSMP helps develop projects for species protection, research and monitoring, education and awareness, and operational and technical support.  Members of the communities participate with the project planning stages and are employed to implement the projects and actively perform the monitoring and protection work. Species monitoring provides accurate measures of the NRT conservancy work gauging the success of the programs as Grevy’s zebras, antelope, giraffe, elephant, wild dogs, and cheetah numbers return to the managed and protected communal lands.  The North American zoo community including GIC, with the guidance of the St. Louis Zoo WildCare Institute and the Grevy’s Zebra SSP, participate in supporting the NRSMP conservation work. 

Il Ngwesi Group Ranch

The Il Ngwesi Group Ranch is one of the more advanced NRT communities, with significant wildlife management programs (including black rhino reintroduction and Grevy’s zebra conservation teams) with a guest lodge and tourism programs in place.  GIC has elected to assist and work with the Il Ngwesi NRT community and GIC President Lukas visited in 2006 and 2007, stayed in their guest lodge, and met with the community council leaders to review their programs and projects.  As the conservation projects in Il Ngwesi and the other NRT communities are implemented, wildlife in the established conservancies is again flourishing.  As positive results for wildlife conservation are achieved on the communal lands of the NRT, many communities around Africa are closely watching the NRT example.

Grevys Zebra Trust Bursary

To help develop the future capacity of the NRT conservancies, GIC provides support for bursaries for students in the NRT communities.  These bursaries, arranged through the Grevy’s Zebra Trust, provide the means for NRT students to attend secondary school, and are an important direct link between endangered species conservation projects (Grevy’s zebra, black rhinos) and sustainable investment in the community.