NOTES FROM THE FIELD
- THE ECONOMIC CASE FOR CONSERVATION
Greeting and Happy New Year from Nairobi!
This month's issue focuses on the economic case for conservation. Although certainly not a new concept, it is sadly one that must constantly be made in these days of rampant and often poorly planned infrastructure development across eastern Africa.
McKinsey and Company recently completed an economic valuation of wildlife, funded by USAID and working closely with U.S. Ambassador to Kenya Robert F. Godec and the Conservations Innovations Group, a multi-stakeholder effort comprised of leaders from the private sector and civil society who are thinking creatively about how to increase the economic benefits to Kenya from wildlife conservation.
We hope you'll enjoy the following stories of action at the community-level. The conservancy movement continues to gain momentum in Kenya, resulting in tangible economic benefits and reductions in poaching. The Kenya community conservation model demonstrates how the power of change lies squarely in the hands of local organizations and leaders. USAID is proud of its commitment to advance African leadership in a journey to self-reliance. The technical resources under USAID's Water Tower Climate Change Resilience Program, implemented in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service and Government of Kenya, provides the first-of-its-kind analytical and economic valuation of Kenya's watersheds, absolutely critical for sustaining future agricultural growth and broader ecosystem services for humans and wildlife.
We thank Ambassador Godec for his leadership over the many years that he has served in Kenya. He has truly helped to build a stronger coalition of conservation partners in Kenya. As he departs, he leaves behind a strong legacy of environmental leadership and action.
Enjoy! And as always, please share this newsletter with partners in your network. We welcome
your feedback.
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Juniper Neill
Environment Office Chief
USAID Kenya and East Africa
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Click on the graphic above to get a closer look at the economic value of conservation in Kenya, including direct and indirect uses. The economic value of conservation is much greater than park fees and hotel bills. For example, conservation areas, through their contribution of significant ecosystem services, contribute enormously to the production of hydropower and agribusinesses.
Source: McKinse
y & Com
pany
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DRIVING EMPLOYMENT THROUGH CONSERVATION
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In the Amboseli ecosystem of southern Kenya, where critical wildlife migratory and dispersal areas coincide with community lands and settlements, Big Life encourages actions that benefit both people and wildlife through incentives.
Big Life employs more than 300 people in the ecosystem, making it one of the largest single employers. Most of these staff are wildlife rangers, including a specialized unit supported by USAID. In these traditional communities, networks of social reliance are strong, and a single job might benefit many people.
But jobs aren’t enough, conservation professionals must also turn their attention to supporting industries that are compatible with wildlife conservation.
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One community ranger and his extended family, all of whom benefit economically from his job in conservation, creating a ripple effect of support for conservation efforts.
(Photo credit: Jeremy Goss, Big Life Foundation)
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COMMUNITIES FOR CONSERVATION
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There are now 160 conservancies in Kenya that are dedicated to wildlife conservation, sustainable development, peace and security, livestock management, and land and natural resource management. These conservancies support jobs and community resources such as water points and health centers. Some even provide direct cash payments to conservancy members or school fees for children.
The Kenya Wildlife Conservancies Association (KWCA), supported by USAID, is dedicated to helping these conservancies prosper. In doing so, it is contributing to Kenya's national conservation and development goals under
Vision 2030
, the livelihoods of conservancy members across the country, and fostering a journey to self-reliance and resilience
Watch
Dickson Kae
lo, Chief Executive Officer of KWCA and recent Tusk Conservation Awards finalist, speak about why conservation is critical for our planet and how community conservancies are making a discernible impact.
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Did you miss the Tusk Awards? Watch a recap by clicking above.
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LUMO CONSERVANCY HITS ITS STRIDE
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A strong partnership, commitment to wildlife conservation, and a new train bringing tourists have paid off for LUMO Conservancy. As of December 2018, LUMO Conservancy has increased its annual revenue from 9 million Kenya shillings to over 15 million Kenyan shillings. The conservancy's eco-lodge is now thriving with an engaged and enthusiastic community hosting it.
Since early 2017, African Wildlife Foundation, through support from USAID, has been on the ground working with LUMO to reduce financial risks and strengthen management. Increased revenue has increased the availability of funds for the benefit sharing model, resulting in more bursaries for students and greater revenue for constituent ranches. The partnership has also created a path toward sustainability – for the livelihoods of community members and for the rich biodiversity within LUMO. A conservation-friendly livestock production model is ready for roll out. Community members are confident that, once replicated, the model will create jobs and economic dividends.
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Lumo Conservancy, above,
is part of the historical elephant migration corridor linking Tsavo Ecosystem to the Shimba Hills in the neighboring Kwale County.
Click
here
for visitor information.
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KENYA'S WATER TOWERS: ECONOMIC LYNCHPINS
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T
he USAID Water Tower Climate Change Resilience Program re
cently launched its Ecosystem Services Valuation Report in partnership with the Kenya Ministry of Environment and Forestry. The report estimates that the total economic value per year of three of Kenya's water towers (watersheds) is KES 357 billion. Those towers -- the Mau Forest Complex, Mt.Elgon, and Cherangany Hills -- provide 35 million cubic meters of water annually for domestic, irrigation, and industrial use.
T
he Ecosystem Services Valuation Report supports informed implementation of climate change adaptation and resilience activities.
The USAID Water Tower Climate Change Resilience Program is implemented in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service, Center for International Forestry Research, and key Government of Kenya agencies.
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Learn more about the value and vulnerability of Kenya's water towers by clicking above. The infographic also summarizes what citizens can do to protect these important and high-value water towers.
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ECOSYSTEM SERVICE VALUATION OF KENYA'S WATER TOWERS
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Click to the right to read the full report on the Economic Value of the Mau Forest Complex, Cherangany Hills and Mt. Elgon Water Towers in Kenya.
The Kenya Water Tower Climate Change Resilience Program, funded by USAID and implemented by the US Forest Service (USFS), is partnering with the Kenya Ministry of Environment and Forestry and other in-country partners to support informed implementation of climate change adaptation and resilience activities in three water tower ecosystems.
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Principal Secretary for the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Mr. Ali Noor Ismail (third from left), launched the report in November.
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In 2018, our readers came to New Security Beat to understand how individuals and communities cope in the face of environmental uncertainty, particularly when the rule of law, natural resource management, and social services are lacking.
Source: New Security Beat
Read more
This year, we traveled to places like
Easter Island
,
Kenya
and
Alaska
to cover the effects of climate change and the trade-offs of environmental policies.
Source: New York Times
Read more
Scientists say the world’s oceans are warming far more quickly than previously thought, a finding with dire implications for climate change because almost all the excess heat absorbed by the planet ends up stored in their waters.
Sour
ce: New York Times
Read more
Why is East Africa one of the hardest regions to find good climate data?
There are two issues: availability and accessibility. In this region, even though ground stations are available, data quality issues such as missing values exist. In some parts of the region, even if the observed data is available, its accessibility is limited due to data sharing policies. Source: SciDevNet
Read more
Podcast
“You cannot separate water and health,” says Doris Kaberia in this week’s Water Stories podcast. “People need safe drinking water for them to be healthy.” Kaberia works with Millennium Water Alliance, a coalition of international NGOs working on water sanitation and hygiene around the world, where she manages a Kenyan water program. Source: New Security Beat
Read more
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USAID Kenya and East Africa Environment | www.usaid.gov/east-africa-regional/environment
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