Protected Area Operations

The implementation of the actions and prescriptions set out in this plan, especially in a logistically difficult and resource-constrained environment such as the MMNR, is an ambitious undertaking, and in order to succeed it is essential that management operations are strengthened and streamlined to support the effective and efficient delivery of the plan’s actions. In addition, strengthened collaboration between management within the MMNR is also vital to ensure that plan implementation proceeds in a coordinated and coherent manner, and that the Reserve is managed as a single visitor destination and ecological unit. This programme sets out a framework designed to address these issues and to strengthen the effectiveness and complementarity of management operations within the MMNR, as well as collaboration with key stakeholders in the wider Mara-Serengeti Ecosystem.

Its first objective focuses on strengthening and harmonising management systems and improving internal collaboration between the two sections of the Reserve, through for example, the establishment of an internal management committee and harmonising staff terms of service, the harmonisation of airstrip landing licensing throughout the Reserve, and actions to improve relations with major stakeholders (such as Narok county legislators and officials, and neighbouring Serengeti National Park). Also included under this objective is an action focusing on the recognition of the MMNR as a World Heritage Site, which is considered vital for the future conservation of the Reserve’s biodiversity and habitats as well as for maintaining its status as one of the world’s foremost visitor destinations. The second objective concentrates on improving the effectiveness and efficiency of security operations to protect visitors and natural resources in and around the Reserve.

Despite recent successes in reducing banditry and commercial poaching, this remains a vitally important issue in the area, to which a significant amount of management resources and manpower are dedicated. Actions under this objective cover a wide variety of security issues, including measures to: enhance collaborative security operations, improve the management of security information, formalise the status of MMNR uniformed staff as Kenya Police Reservists, upgrade the Reserve’s security support facilities, equipment and staff training, and to investigate more innovative methods of preventing crime, such as the use of tracker and sniffer dogs. The programme’s third objective is crosscutting and specifies the steps that need to be taken in order to address critical M M NR human resource requirements, and in particular to xv meet the capacity needs that the implementation of this plan entails.

Importantly, this includes the recruitment of a variety of specialist staff that will be essential for leading the implementation of a number of the management programmes in technical areas that have not traditionally been a strong of focus of MMNR management (such as Tourism and Community Wardens and a Reserve Ecologist).