How Kenya’s Maasai Are Revolutionizing Wildlife Protection Through Land Ownership
A unique environmental conservation project in southern Kenya is proving that local communities can lead wildlife protection. The Nashulai Maasai Conservancy, launched in 2016, sits on the border of the Maasai Mara National Reserve in Narok County. Unlike many reserves, this one is fully owned and run by the Maasai people themselves.
The conservancy was founded by Richard Turere after outsiders began buying up land, fencing it off, and cutting off traditional grazing routes. Maasai herders rely on vast open spaces to graze their cattle and sheep, so the community responded by leasing their private lands to the conservancy instead. This progressive leasing approach prevents land sales while keeping the area open for both wildlife and livestock.
The Nashulai Maasai Conservancy shows how local ownership can protect land and wildlife. By leasing private plots and training residents for tourism jobs, it secures both biodiversity and livelihoods. The challenge now is ensuring long-term funding to keep the landwatch project sustainable.
