Professional Management Comes To The Heart Of The Masai Mara
December 22, 2009 by Johan Knols
Filed under SAFARI NEWS
It is not often that PlanYourSafari gets news that still has to happen in the future. Needless to say that I am happy with a news-item dated 01-01-2010!!
MASAI MARA, KENYA (January 1, 2010) – A new conservancy in the Masai Mara, formerly known as the Koyaiki Lemek Conservation Area, has been formed. The Mara North Conservancy (MNC) is a not-for- profit company established in January 2009. The conservancy is a partnership between eleven member camps and over 800 Maasai landowners to professionally manage and protect the north-western border of the Masai Mara ecosystem, which represents the heart of the most important wildlife habitat in the world. MNC consists of approximately 30,000 hectares, effectively increasing the size of the Masai Mara National Reserve by 21%. This area is the key dispersal zone for the annual “Great Migration” and supports an extensive variety of additional species, the most recognizable include lion, cheetah, leopard, buffalo, hyena, elephant, crocodile, wild dog, giraffe, hippopotamus, and over 450 bird species.
The Area
The +30,000 Ha conservation area, lying on the northern boundary of the Masai Mara National Reserve, is rich with wildlife and includes sites such as the world famous “Leopard Gorge.” This land formerly belonged to two Group Ranches and was subdivided into individual, private titles in 2002. Uncoordinated land-use decisions are severely impacting the ecosystem and its wildlife. Mass tourism, human population growth, lack of planning, poor infrastructure, growing numbers of livestock, introduction of agriculture, and charcoaling are just some of the issues facing the area. These issues are being addressed through innovative solutions created by the founding member camps and the Maasai landowners.
Community partnership and wildlife management
To form the conservancy MNC leased land from individual Maasai landowners. This income is fixed and does not fluctuate based on the number of visitors. The idea of guaranteeing a fixed amount marks the first time that these Maasai landowners have received direct, predictable and transparent income from wildlife, allowing community members to plan for the future. Together, MNC and the Maasai are implementing sound land management policies, including managed grazing, holistic management practices, low volume and low impact tourism, and community land-use plans.
Professional wildlife management is equally as important as securing the land. Brian Heath, Seiya Ltd. has been appointed as Mara North Conservancy wildlife and land area manger. Mr. Heath is a well known, international conservationist and has worked for more than 40 years within the conservation community. Mr. Heath and Seiya also manage the Mara Conservancy in Transmara, a neighboring conservancy. This allows holistic management of a much larger ecosystem.
Mission
The aim is to create a best practice, world-class conservancy with long-term commitments to the environment, wildlife, and local communities. Mara North Conservancy’s mission goals are:
- Professional land and wildlife management
- Direct and transparent revenue distribution to the Maasai landowners
- Fundraising and endorsing corporate social investment for the betterment of the local communities
- Low-density tourism and vehicle numbers to minimize environmental impact
- Promotion of strong eco-tourism practices and use of environmentally friendly technologies
- Stewardship of the environment for future generations
MNC Member Camps
| Elephant Pepper Camp | Kicheche Camp | Offbeat Mara Camp | Rekero Homes | Safaris Unlimited | Serian Camp |
| Karen Blixen Camp | Mara Plains Camp | Offbeat Safaris | Royal Mara Safari Camp | Saruni |
Activities
In Mara North guests are able to enjoy early morning game drives, afternoon game drives, full day game drives and thrilling night drives. Game drives are conducted in custom built 4×4s for the ultimate wildlife experience. Game walks with armed guides are arranged for those who wish to experience the magnitude of the Mara savannah on foot. Bush breakfasts, lunches or dinners are arranged in beautiful and carefully selected areas. (Night drives, walking safaris and bush dinners are not allowed in the Masai Mara National Reserve.) Cultural visits and balloon trips can be arranged through the various member camps.
Conservancy Fees
All guests visiting the Mara North Conservancy camps are kindly asked to pay a Mara North Conservancy fee. Conservancy fees support Maasai landowner’s lease payments and professional land management. Mara North Conservancy is a not-for-profit.
Contact:
Riccardo Orizio
Saruni – Masai Mara & Samburu – Kenya
riccardo@sarunicamp.com
Very interesting project indeed Johan.
I just met with Hilton Walker and spoke about the MNC; H.W. and Colin Bell founded Great Plains Conservation 6 years ago.
It is extremely promising in view to having a further and managed corridor for also the Wildebeast migration.
As the article states the tourist “is kindly asked to pay a Mara North Conservancy fee”. Here the concern from a Tour Operator’s side/Tourist’s side might start.
Nowadays when visiting some of the camps in addition to the MM reserve fee of 60US$pppn another fee is already in place which sums up to 100US$pppn in top of the bed night rate! If there is now one more conservancy fee to be paid that could mean a setback for the camps mentioned.
Kenya must understand it’s competing with many African Safari destinations.
If a bed night is around 500US$pppn PLUS several fees it might price itself out of the market!
I have a client who has been a regular visitor to Kicheche Camp – for years! He now has decided to go to Londolozi instead as the bed night plus the fees is not that much more expensive at Londo anymore.
So that client now is much more willing to try another destination. Loyalty fades as soon as the fees become outragously high.
It’s very difficult to get a destination back on the map when it once has priced itself out of the circuit.
Conservation is always great and must be supported wherever it takes place.
But particularly Kenyan venues must understand conservation is not just in tourist’s interests! It’s in the camp’s very own interests and therefore camps should start to support out of their revenue instead of putting conservation and the costs involved just into the pocket of the guests.
Great that “professional management” comes to other parts of the Mara, but I agree with Irma that the camps in those areas should contribute to the ’support’ of conservancies. What I can’t stomach is some of the ‘conservancy’ fees are NOT put into conservation efforts, just into the pocket of the landowners.
Hi Dana,
Thanks for your comment. I do think though that you and Irma should not start to make a mistake by accusing operators of putting conservancy fees into their pockets. Why?
Often these operators have to pay large sums of money to their respective governments in order to be able to operate in these areas. They should pay that out of their own pockets, or should they try to regain that money from tourists visiting these areas? In my opinion it should happen on a larger scale as it is up to individual companies to protect areas as often African governments have little idea of how to do that. In my opinion it is therefore not a problem if they put the conservancy fees in their own pockets…..
Looking forward to your reply.
O – ha Johan,
now you have really got the cork out of the bottle!
I remember in 2008 we got requests from MM camp owners to contribute into a fund which pays for anti-poaching units guarding the wildlife in the Mara. That was when tourists avoided travelling to Kenya due to the bad press regarding the post election unrests.
Well, of course camp owners open camps in order to gain business/$. Of course any business has to invest as part of becoming and staying in the business.
But requesting foreigners to pay for protecting these same camp owner’s unique assets (wildlife) must be considered hilarious!
And certainly these fees collected as “conservation fees” are not meant to create a kind of “compensation” to the camp owners for their investments (lease to Massai or other land owners, contribution to real conservation efforts etc.)
We all know these figures, which from time to time circulate in the industry: For a bed night’s amortization a rate between 50US$ and 100US$ is sufficient – all costs incl. running the camp are covered.
Well, don’t you think the “rest” of it, being it between 300 and 700US$ pppn, will be sufficient to pay for all other expenses, whatever that might be. Even camps which are seasonally open don’t have to suffer to cover their costs. Even occupancy of only 25%/annum means covering all expenses plus a still decent income for the owner. But of course we first have to agree on “what is considered “sufficient”?”
To me it seems there is not enough money in the World to satisfy some people’s greed.
There are some TA around which already have stopped marketing Kenya as a destination. Not only because of the declining wildlife.
I give you an example:
Many camps recently have started to not allow any afternoon departure anymore!
Some allow late departure but charge 25% of the bed night’s rate despite guests have to vacate their accommodation by 1000am PLUS these very same guests, who pay up to 300US$/couple are requested to pay between 30 and 40US$ for additional lunch – if they are allowed to stay until 0300pm.
GREED is shown in Kenya without the slightest hesitation. There is no other safari destination which treats its clients that rudely. And the most “luxurious” places, which charge beyond 700US$pppn, are the most nitpicking!
I think it’s high time for a wakeup call – some simply have lost gravity!
By the way – here comes a great conservation which needs support by visitors to the Massai Mara:
http://www.livingwithlions.org/mara/