FACTS
May 2006 was a landmark date for conservation in the Maasai Mara with the formation of Olare Orok Conservancy bordering the Maasai Mara Reserve. This was the date when a deal was brokered with the 277 Maasai landowners that has since become the template for the Mara community wildlife conservancies and a blue-print for the sustainability of the greater Maasai Mara ecosystem.
The Conservancy later expanded to also encompass Motorogi lands, thereby becoming OLARE MOTOROGI CONSERVANCY.
The Conservancy is managed by Olpurkel Ltd, a not-for-profit company whose shareholders are the operators, controlled by a Board of equal representation from both the landowners and the tourism partners along with representatives from The Maa Trust. This ensures that the Conservancy is run in a fashion that maximises the benefits for all the interested parties no matter how diverse their interests and needs are. This has led to an interesting blend between conservation and traditional pastoralism. A recipe that incorporates the puritan elements of conservation with the commercial needs of making the Conservancy self-sufficient, combined with traditional knowledge gathered through centuries of experience.
OLARE MOTOROGI CONSERVANCY has adopted a holistic approach to grazing and pasture management within the Conservancy; an approach that is not far removed from the traditional Maasai system where the elders would decide on which areas were grazed and which were left for leaner times. The “Kundi Moja” or one herd system is where the landowners control-graze a small area in a tight formation of their herds and will graze this short before moving on to the next designated area.
These short grass areas, once vacated by the cattle, become hot spots for short-grass-loving herbivores. Water catchments are planned and constructed with these grazing patterns in mind, ensuring that there are close watering points for both cattle and wildlife. Roads and fire breaks are also planned to minimize the environmental impact of visitors in the Conservancy whilst maintaining the quality of experience for visitors.
Tourism in the Conservancy is limited to a maximum of 94 beds in five light-footprint camps. This equates to a ratio of one game-viewing vehicle for every 2,100 acres, a move that is aimed at maximising the client wilderness experience and minimising the environmental impact of tourism.
Management has a policy of employing from its landowner community wherever possible and encourages its partners to follow suit, maximising the benefits derived from conservation tourism. The Conservancy has strict environmental policies and stipulates that the environmental footprint of its operators is kept to a minimum, insisting on semi-permanent camps with no foundations, proper garbage and waste disposal policies and adherence to a strict Code of Conduct with regards to both camp operations and the behaviour of their clients and guides whilst in the Conservancy.
Management works closely with the Maa Trust which supports the Conservancy and helps spread the benefits of conservation to a far wider community than the immediate recipient landowners.
Management also works closely with the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) in animal health and welfare and have assisted research foundations such as Living with Lions and Colorado State University with research and collaring programs like the recent collaring of 18 wildebeest from the Loita herds to study their little known migratory route: www.gnulandscape.com.
