In Ol Pejeta, in a private preserve Kenya Where lions and leopards roam, Uganda’s Ankole cows look a little out of place. It would be easy to think that they wandered away from nearby villages, to become unlucky prey for big game animals. But really, cows should be here: they create biodiversity hotspots for other herbivores by cutting grass, and they function within a beef enterprise that generates a complementary source of revenue. Ol Pezzetta– Money that ultimately goes to land and wildlife conservation.
Ol Pejeta uses its land for both ecotourism and ranching, a mixed-use, holistic approach to preserving the eastern wilderness. Africa. This is an innovative way Safari Lands have been diversifying their revenues to ensure environmental protection. As natural resources shrink due to growing human populations and deforestation, ecotourism leaders are looking for sustainable solutions that help landscapes thrive while benefiting local communities and wildlife.
“What if we change the conservation story?” asks Sue Snyman, director of research at African Leadership University. Snyman argues that the current Western approach to conservation assumes that humans and wildlife must be protected from each other, that ecotourism can only occur in “untouched” environments and not on land used for other businesses, such as ranching and timber. “Conservation should not be about excluding people but about including them,” she says. It’s the only way to create a holistic wildlife economy that expands into places traditionally reserved for safari-led conservation and only scenic spots. Ol Pejeta’s integrated land use system is pioneering, but not a new concept. The Maasai of Kenya have grazed their cattle alongside lions and elephants for centuries. So does Moses Nampaso mat sizeHis tent camp in the Lemek Conservancy, north of the Maasai Mara National Reserve. As in Olpejeta, he uses his land for tourism as well as cattle. His 50 cows graze at the conservation center during the day, then graze at night. “This coexistence is good for livestock and wildlife,” he says.
Third, an increasingly popular option for property owners is to rent out portions of their land, particularly sections on the periphery of sought-after wildlife areas, to tourism partners. It’s mutually beneficial: landowners generate income without having to simply maintain agribusinesses, a fickle endeavor in some parts of Kenya. Habitat and wildlife thrive. Tourists can see lions. And employment opportunities have increased – tourism in Kenya employs 1.6 million people. These types of leases began in the 1990s; The Mara North Conservancy, established in 2009, is a prime example, caring for 74,000 acres of land near the Maasai Mara National Reserve.