Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) and the Council of Governors (CoG) have joined forces in a new initiative to revive 18 dormant national reserves across the country in a partnership that could unlock more jobs.
The collaboration was announced on Wednesday, October 22, following a meeting between KWS Director Erustus Kanga and CoG Chief Executive Officer Mary Mwiti.
At the heart of the initiative is a comprehensive framework designed to restore and manage the reserve sustainably. The framework will guide both national and county-level actions, ensuring each reserve receives resources to thrive once again.
The initiative aims to reignite the wildlife economy, which has long been a cornerstone of Kenya's tourism sector and a vital source of income for a number of rural communities.
By reviving the reserves, counties hope to attract investment, enhance tourism infrastructure and unlock more employment opportunities.
Residents living near protected areas particularly stand to benefit, as jobs like tour guides and eco-lodge managers could thrive from the revived wildlife economy.
Another key outcome of the partnership is the promotion of climate resilience, as healthy ecosystems act as natural buffers against climate change by regulating rainfall patterns.
Further, by reopening the reserves, governors hope to reduce human-wildlife conflict, which has been prevalent, particularly among communities bordering dormant reserves.
Reviving the reserves and improving management helps minimise such incidents through better fencing, awareness and compensation mechanisms.
Among the key actions under the programme are assessing conditions of each reserve, developing standardised management protocols and training county rangers to improve community engagement and enforcement.
The new reserves will also undergo rebranding and marketing to especially attract international tourists through improved visibility and accessibility.
National reserves could play a vital part in Kenya's economy, particularly after the government set an ambitious annual revenue target of Ksh700 billion and aims to attract three million visitors in the near future.
