• We need to look into the future and ask if we will celebrate or bemoan its loss
Image: GARETH JONES
Towards the end of 1945, the government formally established the concept of national parks and appointed trustees. Mervyn Cowie was appointed executive director. In December 1946, the Nairobi National Park was gazetted as the first national park in Kenya.
On December 16, 2021, the Nairobi National Park will be celebrating 75 years since being gazetted as the first National Park in Kenya and also East Africa. Since the humble beginning, many caring people have been involved over the years in ensuring that the Nairobi National Park remains intact as a viable ecosystem.
Some battles have been won, and sadly some battles have been lost. As we are all aware we do not live in a perfect world, and the park is constantly being threatened in many ways. There is an increasing need for more people to be active in ensuring the future.
Although the creatures within the park and surrounding buffer area do communicate to themselves, they cannot speak as we do. The Nairobi National Park needs many caring people who will “be a voice for the creatures who cannot speak!” What if this was the year 2046, the 100th year of the Nairobi National Park? Would that year be a moment of great celebration, or merely a sober moment of reflecting on the sad lost past.
God has put many wonderful treasures on this earth. The Nairobi National Park is a priceless treasure that needs to be kept intact for future generations. On the positive side we can all be thankful that the park is still “ALIVE@75”. Pray we all work together to find solutions for the current and ongoing challenges.
It is, indeed, true that the actions taken now and in the coming years will definitely determine the status of the Nairobi National Park by December 6, 2046. Pray God help us all to ensure that the eventual status achieved will be known as an incredible legacy of success worldwide.