GAZETTE NOTICE NO. 2

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 Choke Conservancy – Integrated Wildlife Conservation Management and Action Plan 2023-2033 (hereinafter referred to as “the Plan”) defines the goals, objectives, and actions that Choke Conservancy (hereinafter referred to as “the Conservancy”) has designed to address ecological management, research, tourism, livelihood improvement, partnership, education, livestock productivity and administrative issues in the Conservancy. The Conservancy vision, guiding principles, management programmes and plan implementation strategy are summarized in the following sections. 1. Vision To be the holistic model conservancy in the Tsavo ecosystem committed to biodiversity conservation for posterity through research, education and innovation.’ 2. Guiding Principles (a) Sustainability: The Conservancy operations are guided by the principles of sustainable development and use of natural resources. (b) Conservation: The Conservancy intends to support environmental improvement efforts in all aspects of its operations while embedding best management practices. 3. Land Uses and Zones The Choke Conservancy encourages multiple land use for optimal utility. These land uses comprise wildlife conservation, tourism, livestock production, development functions, mining and carbon trading. To achieve the Conservancy management objectives, a land use zoning plan consisting of four zones has been developed. The land use zones are: Exclusive Use Zone, Low Use Zone, Development Zone and Special Use Zone. 4. Management Programmes The Plan has five (5) management programmes that address the major management issues in the Conservancy. These programmes are summarised in the following sections. 4.1 Conservancy Management and Administration Programme The Conservancy Management and Administration Programme purpose is to establish a sustainable and professionally managed Conservancy that fosters ownership and compliance, and promotes collaboration with stakeholders. The programme also aims to ensure that the Conservancy’s operational systems and structures are effective and efficient in supporting the delivery of all the management programmes. 4.2 Tourism and Livelihoods Programme The Tourism and Livelihoods Programme aims at promoting the Conservancy as a choice destination that provides niche tourism products and embraces the principles of innovation and sustainable tourism. The Programme also aims at supporting the development of an array of livelihood improvement activities that will diversify the Conservancy’s income sources. 4.3 Ecological Management and Research Programme The overall goal of the Ecological Management and Research Programme is to support and influence holistic ecological management of Choke Conservancy and the Tsavo landscape through research activities and the application of interventions that promote the enhancement of ecosystem functions and services, conservation of biodiversity and livelihood improvement. The programme aims to achieve this goal through implementation of a set of objectives that focus on: promoting the collection of research data, enhancing the effective dissemination of research information to support conservation, and designing the implementation of nature-based solutions and actions in the Conservancy. 4.4 Partnership and Education Programme The Partnership and Education Programme’s primary purpose is to create and maintain meaningful partnerships and promote conservation education. The programme aims to achieve this purpose through implementation of management objectives that focus on: creating a conducive platform for stakeholder engagement; collaboration and participation; creating an equitable incentives dissemination mechanism; improving the livelihood of the Conservancy shareholders; and establishing a robust process to influence people’s attitudes and perceptions regarding conservation. 4.5 Livestock Development and Management Programme The Livestock Development and Management Programme purpose is to enhance livestock productivity by applying livestock-wildlife Production Possibility Frontiers through sustainable resource utilisation, value addition and marketing for improved livelihoods. 5. Plan Implementation, Monitoring, and Evaluation A 10-year implementation plan has been developed to facilitate the implementation of the Conservancy Management Plan. The plan outlines the management actions under each of the five (5) management programmes and prioritizes them in order to implement the plan successfully. A monitoring and evaluation framework will be prepared to assess the implementation of the management programmes through annual work plans that cascade into monthly and daily actions that the Conservancy managers and practitioners will undertake. The Plan is deposited at the offices of the Director-General, Kenya Wildlife Service along Langata Road, and the Managing-Director, Choke Conservancy, whose addresses are provided below: The Director-General, Kenya Wildlife Service, P.O. Box 40241–00200, Nairobi. Tel: (254) 020 6000800/6002345 Email: kws@kws.go.ke The Managing Director, Choke Conservancy, P.O. Box 1123–80304, Wundanyi. Tel: +254709705111 Email: info@chokeconservancy.org Dated the 20th December, 2023. ALFRED N. MUTUA, Cabinet Secretary for Tourism and Wildlife. 5th January, 2024 THE KENYA GAZETTE