The Amboseli ecosystem was on Friday given a new lease of life following the launch of management plan.
Present during the launch was Tourism CS Najib Balala, PS Fred Segor, and UNDP Resident Representative Walid Badawi.
“The group ranches play a key role in protecting wildlife and without them, there would be no park‚” Balala said.
Balala said he will gazette the plan before the end of the year asked the community to avoid taking their livestock inside the park.
The plan will guide what can be done within the ecosystem in the next 10 years.
The ecosystem has in the recent past faced pressure from other land uses such as agriculture.
Some ranches have undergone subdividing, which has blocked wildlife corridors and migratory routes.
Already, an investor has proposed to put up 180 acres of land under avocado, raising stiff opposition from conservationists.
Balala said the government is keen on protecting the ecosystem. He said the salaries for community rangers this year have been paid by the government.
“We have written to the treasury requesting for funds next year‚” he said.
Balala said park revenue has gone down as a result of Covid-19 and bursaries from various stakeholders will be coordinated and aligned to community needs.
He said Sh125 million has been paid for deaths arising from the human-wildlife conflict in the area and Sh17 million for injuries will be paid this month.
PS Segor said conservation and development go hand in hand.
"The plan must be implemented as Amboseli ecosystem should do what is expected," Segor said.
Segor said the ecosystem has state-of-the-art technology that enables security agencies to closely monitor wildlife.
“The application of science is what we want. My ministry will support KWS,” he said.
The PS said research in the ecosystem for the past 50 years has advanced knowledge of wildlife.
Segor said the Wildlife Research and Training Institute located in Naivasha will use the immense information to plan for over 100 years.
UNDP Resident representative Walid Badawi said land-use planning and wildlife compatible ventures have greatly helped conservation.
He said agriculture expansion remains a threat to wildlife conservation and the adoption of state-of-the-art technology is key in monitoring wildlife movements.
“The launch of the ecosystem management plan and national parks management plan has confirmed that the ecosystem is prime and viable‚” Badawi said.
He lauded Kenya saying the country leads in sustainable development.
Amboseli is a world heritage site and an important ecosystem for wildlife and people. It has over 2,000 elephants among other wildlife.
Edited by Kiilu Damaris
