GAZETTE NOTICE NO. 2645

IN EXERCISE of the powers conferred by section 44(3) of the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act, 2013, the Cabinet Secretary for Tourism, Wildlife and Heritage gazettes the Plan in the Schedule hereto: SCHEDULE The Greater Maasai Mara Ecosystem Management Plan 2023-2032 (hereinafter referred to as "the Plan") defines the goals, objectives, and actions that stakeholders aim to achieve in the Greater Maasai Mara Ecosystem (hereinafter referred to as "the Ecosystem") in the next 10 years. The Ecosystem is a subsystem of the much larger Serengeti- Maasai Mara Ecosystem and is globally renowned because of the high concentrations of wildlife and a great wildlife spectacle−the annual migration of over one million wildebeest. The Ecosystem can be divided into three broad conservation categories, as follows: the protected area (Masai Mara National Reserve), the semi-protected area (Mara Conservancies and Loita Forest), and the nonprotected area (Mixed farming area). The Plan emphasises that all activities within the ecosystem shall be in accordance with the Plan, the Maasai Mara National Reserve Management Plan 2023-2032, the Narok County Spatial Plan 2023- 2032, and the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act, 2013. The Plan is a dynamic document that shall be subject to periodic reviews, depending on emerging issues and new knowledge. The Plan addresses threats to the Ecosystem’s values through the following major management intervention measures: (a) Implementing the zoning scheme outlined in the Plan; and (b) Implementing management actions under the five management programmes. The Plan’s zoning scheme and management programmes are outlined in the following sections: 1. Zoning Scheme To achieve the Ecosystem’s conservation, tourism, and community livelihoods management objectives, a land use zoning plan consisting of six (6) zones has been developed. The land use zones are: Conservation and Tourism Zone; Conservation, Tourism and livestock Zone; Livestock Grazing Zone; Agricultural Zone; Urban Centres; and Influence Zone. 2. Management Programmes The Plan has five management programmes that address the major management issues in the ecosystem. These programmes are summarised in the following sections. 2.1 Natural Resource Conservation and Management Programme The Natural Resource Conservation and Management Programme’s overall goal is to sustainably manage the Ecosystem’s natural resources for provision of ecosystem services and other benefits of nature to the local community, the country, and the world in general. To achieve this goal, the programme addresses issues related to habitat loss and degradation, and wildlife population decline through sustainably managing rangeland, forest, water and wildlife resources. The priority actions under this programme focus on: identifying, mapping and securing critical wildlife corridors and dispersal areas; surveying and marking forest boundaries; working with Water Resource Users Associations in protecting and rehabilitating riparian areas; promoting rainwater harvesting for domestic use, livestock and irrigation; controlling wildlife poaching and Human-wildlife Conflict related wildlife killing; controlling and managing wildlife diseases; and developing, implementing and revising management and recovery plans for declining wildlife species, including the restoration of recently lost migration corridors. 2.2 Tourism Development and Management Programme The Tourism Development and Management Programme aims to reaffirm and consolidate Mara as Kenya’s flagship destination by upgrading services and standards to ensure tourism continues to be a pillar for biodiversity conservation in the ecosystem. This will be achieved through implementation of objectives focusing on: diversifying the tourism product and enhancing customer experience; diversifying and improving visitor facilities; developing and maintaining infrastructure network; and modernizing marketing strategies and improving image. The priority actions under this programme aim to: develop minimum tourism standards; enhance and identify new and unique niche tourism products for tourist attraction; develop minimum space prescription for tourism investments; mobilize tourism stakeholders to support the land leasing and conservation easements to secure critical dispersal areas that sustain the Mara tourism brand; regulate commercial development through spatial planning compatible to conservation; upgrade existing and 9:09 AM THE KENYA GAZETTE 2nd March, 2023 840 840 increase visitor amenities; and develop a distinct brand image for the Mara destination. 2.3 Community Livelihoods Programme The overall goal of the Community Livelihoods Programme is to improve community livelihood through enhanced stakeholder participation in sustainable natural resources management. This will be achieved through enhancing community benefits from conservation; enhancing conservation education and awareness; reducing Human- Wildlife Conflict; promoting holistic livestock and grasslands management; and promoting Climate Smart Agriculture in agropastoralism areas. The priority actions under this programme include: establishing new conservancies and strengthening existing ones; supporting social development projects; promoting non-tourism based income generating activities; negotiating long-term leases to cushion conservancies from unpredictable downturns in the tourism industry; developing carbon credit projects; promoting creation of wildlife conservation easements; promoting predator proof Bomas; promoting climate resilient livestock feeding strategies; and promoting adoption of improved and adapted livestock breeds. 2.4 Institutional Collaboration and Governance Programme The goal of the Institutional Collaboration and Governance Programme is to strengthen capacity, representativeness and collaboration among locally led institutions to deliver targeted conservation and development actions. To achieve this goal, stakeholders will aim at strengthening institutional capacity for ecosystem management; and establishing and strengthening sustainable governance arrangements in the Ecosystem’s nonprotected areas. The key management actions that will be implemented under this programme focus on: establishing and gazetting a Plan Implementation Committee; establishing a wildlife security coordination hub; establishing an Ecosystem Land Trust as a mechanism to keep land within the community; advocating for national and county government support to wildlife conservancies; and establishing a network of community conserved areas on the Loita- Mosiro Ecoregion. 2.5 Research and Knowledge Management Programme The Research and Knowledge Management Programme’s overall goal is to conduct and coordinate research in the Ecosystem to enable provision of accurate data and information to support decision making. This will be achieved through: enhancing coordination and compliance with wildlife research protocol; generating scientific data and information to support planning and decision making; enhancing collaborations and partnerships in wildlife research; and strengthening the Maasai Mara Research Station’s capacity to conduct and coordinate wildlife research. The priority management actions that will be implemented under this programme focus on: developing an integrated wildlife data and information system for the Ecosystem; Coordinating wildlife research conducted by local and international researchers; organizing annual Ecosystem’s research conferences; designing and implementing a long-term ecological monitoring programme; working with “One Mara Research Hub” to improve research coordination and information sharing; conducting collaborative cross-border wildlife censuses; and strengthening the Maasai Mara Research Station’s human resource and infrastructural capacity. 3. Plan Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation The plan will be implemented, monitored and evaluated by the Ecosystem’s stakeholders through a Plan Implementation Committee comprising of representatives from the County Government of Narok, Maasai Mara Wildlife Conservancies Association, Kenya Wildlife Service, Wildlife Research and Training Institute, and coopted members from key stakeholder institutions. The Plan is deposited at the offices of the County Government of Narok, Maasai Mara Wildlife Conservancies Association, Kenya Wildlife Service, and Wildlife Research and Training Institute, whose addresses are provided below: The Governor, County Government of Narok, P.O. Box 898–20500, Narok. Tel: +254 (020) 268 8929/03 Email: info@narok.go.ke The Chief Executive Officer, Maasai Mara Wildlife Conservancies Association, P.O. Box 984–20500, Narok. Tel: +254 (0)715047047 Email: contact@maraconservancies.org The Director-General, Kenya Wildlife Service, P.O. Box 40241–00200, Nairobi. Tel: +254 (020) 6000800/6002345 Email: kws@kws.go.ke The Director, Wildlife Research and Training Institute, P.O. Box 842–20117, Naivasha. Tel: (+254) 0700 000 321/0731 919 465 Email: wrti@wrti.go.ke Dated the 1st March, 2023. PENINAH MALONZA , Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Heritage.