This commentary was first published by Mongabay on 20th May 2020. It is co-authored by Dickson Kaelo-CEO of the Kenya Wildlife Conservancies Association, Daniel Sopia- CEO of the Maasai Mara Wildlife Conservancies Association, Damian Bell -Executive Director of Honeyguide, based in Tanzania, Richard Diggle-Business and CBNRM Specialist with WWF in Namibia and Fred Nelson -CEO […]
KWCA CEO Dickson Kaelo in this article shares his insights on community conservation in Kenya and makes the case for investing in community led conservation approaches in Africa in the newly launched international website, the New Big 5 Dickson explains why the war on wildlife crime and wildlife loss will be won at the grassroots and […]
As the world grapples with unprecedented challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, a lot has been written by conservationists and journalists on the linkage between wildlife conservation and the Novel coronavirus (COVID-19) Want to learn more? Here’s a roundup on the intersection of wildlife conservation and COVID-19: COVID-19: Let us put emphasis on risk […]
Globally, the tourism sector is among one of the economic sectors worse hit by the impacts of the novel coronavirus COVID-19. In Kenya, Tourism, Kenya’s second foreign exchange earner that contributes 9% of the Country’s GDP has temporarily collapsed. If this pandemic is not contained, Kenya risk losing more than $ 1.6 Billion income from […]
The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic is causing unprecedented health and economic challenges globally. In Kenya, the wildlife conservation sector is already experiencing a complete standstill of the tourism industry. The ability for community led conservation that is built around the global tourism industry is under threat. We are actively monitoring the situation and have […]
KWCA in collaboration with Uvumbuzi Africa and the Kenya Wildlife Trust (KWT), partnered with Light Art Club on a social media campaign dubbed #WildAboutLife to enhance knowledge on wildlife conservation in national parks and conservancies and promote domestic tourism among the youth. The campaign was launched on 3rd March to commemorate World Wildlife Day […]
TERMS OF REFERENCE 1. Introduction The Kenya Wildlife Conservancies Association (KWCA) is a national landowner led membership organisation, established in 2013 to serve the interests and collective voice of over 160 community and private conservancies. KWCA works to create an enabling environment for conservancies to thrive by advocating for the right policies, laws and […]
Kenyan Wildlife Conservancies Association (KWCA) is the national membership representative body and the voice of conservancies in Kenya. Our role is to support and catalyse the conservancy movement by connecting, informing, convening and representing conservancies and other key stakeholders in a shared effort to make wildlife conservancies thrive in Kenya. KWCA seeks to recruit a […]
We are excited to be recognised by African People & Wildlife and National Geographic Society as a best practice in community engagement in their new publication Community, Conservation and Collaboration: A framework for Success. The groundbreaking publication provides lessons, strategies, and best practices from the vast network of conservation and development organisations working closely with communities to address both natural resource management and community […]
Great news for Kenya conservancy rangers. The Association of Wildlife Conservancy Rangers in Kenya is officially a regular member of International Ranger Federation (IRF) KWCA an associate member of IRF, together with representatives of over 3,000 conservancy rangers, initiated the registration process of the association in 2017. The association which is the central voice for community and private […]
KWCA’s role as an official observer representing communities at the CITES CoP 18 conference, had its status elevated by the Kenyan government to make proposals on the importance of consultation and engagement of communities in CITES processes. Among KWCA’s interventions which were recognised and adapted include; development of a CITES framework that mandates governments to […]
Following KWCA’s petition on The Statute Law (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill 2018, (Wildlife Act 2018 Section) submitted on 11th May 2018, to the National Assembly through the chairperson of the Environment and Natural Resources Departmental Committee, several amendments were made including establishment of the Wildlife Conservation Trust Fund, which will be a public-private fund to support conservation in both […]
Community-Based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM) is a major strategy for enhancing conservation outcomes while also seeking to improve livelihoods. Communities are at the centre of natural resources management and governance. CBNRM encompasses natural resources. Natural resources—the resources people depend upon for their livelihoods—generally mean renewable natural resources, including water, forests, fisheries, rangeland, and wildlife. CBNRM […]
In many areas of sustainable development including land and natural resources governance, it is becoming increasingly well known that gender equality and equity is key to conservation effectiveness and sustainability. The Convention on Biological Diversity recognises the vital role women play in the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity. It also affirms the need […]
The Statute Law (Miscellaneous Amendments) Act No. 18 of 2018, passed on 31st December 2018 and effective 4th January 2019 substantially amends the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act 2013, focusing on; Institutional structures & functions changes; New offences and penalties on wildlife crimes Institutional Changes 1. Kenya Wildlife Service Sec 6 (1)– now identified as […]
KWCA this morning submitted the Natural Resources (Benefit Sharing) Bill, 2018 memorandum to members of the Senate Standing Committee on Land, Environment and Natural Resources on 27th February 2019. KWCA submitted the memorandum on behalf of its 160 community and private wildlife conservancies covering an area of 6.5million hectares (11% of Kenya’s Landmass) and collectively representing […]
Dear Partners and Friends, As we wrap up 2018, one word seems to best describe the year; Partnerships. The long term success of wildlife conservancies in Kenya is dependent on partnerships and collaboration, this was a conclusion of our June Partnership Dialogue Forum we co-hosted with our partners. We met with only one agenda, to identify […]
Press Release 11 October 2018 Representatives from communities affected by the illegal wildlife trade are calling on governments meeting in London today to recognise local communities as equal partners in conserving wildlife, strengthen their rights to land and increase benefits from wildlife, and give local knowledge equal status in tackling the illegal wildlife trade. The […]
Wildlife Conservation efforts in Kenya is at a critical stage. Four decades of extreme wildlife declines may progressively come to an end if the current wildlife conservation effort in community and private lands were to succeed in the longer term. Already we are seeing some good results: More than 6 million hectares of land is […]
Briefing Paper Senate Standing Committee on Land, Environment and Natural Resources Submitted by Petitioners Representing Wildlife Conservancies in Kenya and Kenya Wildlife Conservancies Association Date: 8th August 2018 Venue: Main Parliament Building, Committee Room 10 Introduction This briefing paper is intended to appraise the Senate Committee on Land, Environment and Natural Resources on matters raised […]
KWCA CEO Dickson Kaelo, has been shortlisted among the finalists for the 2018 Tusk Award Conservation in Africa for his work in promoting community conservation and for his passion and dedication working with communities and landowners to conserve and benefit from wildlife conservation. Through a press release, Tusk CEO Charlie Mayhew, in announcing the […]
Josphat Kasaine ole Kosikir 63, is among 18 Kenyan rangers and 50 from Africa to be awarded the 2018 African Paradise Rangers Award by the Alibaba Foundation and Paradise International Foundation. The rangers were awarded a $ 3,000 grant each for support in their exemplary efforts in protecting Kenya’s natural heritage. “It was unimaginable […]
World Ranger Day Celebration Remarks by CEO, Kenya wildlife Conservancies Association, Dickson Kaelo Made on July 31st 2018, KWS HQ Today, is world rangers day, a global event to celebrate and commemorate the work of Rangers working in our forests, parks, reserves and other conservation areas across the country. I join the International Rangers Federation […]
The natural world is under immense pressure right around the globe. Species loss, habitat destruction, climate change and environmental crime are urgent issues that directly concern us all and deserve our attention. Today, on World Rangers Day, we recognize the increasingly risky and difficult job rangers do each and every day in service of nature and conservation. Rangers around the […]
Forty-year-old, mother of four, Ludovika Malemba, a female community ranger from Lumo Community Conservancy emerges top in academics at the KWS law enforcement academy Among 60 community rangers completing the Community Rangers training course at the KWS Law Enforcement Academy (KWS LEA) only 2 are female. Ludovika Malemba stands out, she was awarded best in […]
Kenya’s Tourism Blueprint 2030 and National Wildlife Strategy 2030 was launched on Tuesday by the Deputy President H.E William Ruto at a colourful ceremony held at the Kenya International Conference centre. The two strategies are aligned to Kenya’s Vision 2030 and the Government’s Big Four Agenda. Tourism and wildlife are closely connected and interlinked. The […]
60 community conservancy rangers among them two women, are the first trainees to benefit from the newly revised community conservancy rangers curriculum at the Kenya Wildlife Service Law Enforcement Academy (KWS LEA) in Manyani, Taita Taveta County. The rangers were drawn from Olgulului Olarashi group ranch, Eselenkei, Naboisho, Mara North, Lumo and Kamungi conservancies. The […]
KWCA has submitted a petition on the Statute Law (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill 2018, (Wildlife Act 2018 Section) to the National Assembly through the chairperson of the Environment and Natural Resources Departmental Committee. The petition aims to safeguard the inclusion of local communities in the governance of wildlife in Kenya, which will weaken communities involvement in […]
Following the call for submission of memoranda in the matter of consideration by the National Assembly of the Bill mentioned in the Tax Laws (Amendment) Bill, National Assembly Bill No.11 of 2018 published in the Daily Nation Newspaper dated 23rd April 2018; The Kenya Wildlife Conservancies Association (KWCA) on behalf of wildlife conservancies in Kenya […]
