Groundbreaking Easement Secures Wildlife Habitat Adjacent to Nairobi National Park, and Provides New Model for Private Land Conservation in Kenya

NAIROBI, KENYA—To counter the alarming decline of Africa’s wildlife and habitat from development and land fragmentation, today Mr. John Keen and his family protected their land through the conveyance of an environmental easement to the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) and Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS). The environmental easement is a voluntary agreement that restricts certain uses of land in order to keep the land open for wildlife.

Keen’s land is adjacent to Nairobi National Park, and the execution of this voluntary environmental easement adds more than 100 hectares of habitat to the park. Nairobi National Park, one of Kenya’s most visited parks, is dependent upon the open lands to the south for wildlife movement, habitat, and dispersal. These private lands have become increasingly threatened from land sales, land conversion, and habitat fragmentation, putting the entire park at risk.

“I want this land to remain pristine today and in the future for wildlife and future generations,” said Keen, reflecting on the changes he has seen in Kenya over his lifetime, the depletion of wildlife and land, and how he hopes this effort will help preserve a bit of what is special about Kenya. “We have destroyed so much of our land and wildlife, it is time to save this country of ours!”

The easement was signed at a ceremony at the Masai Lodge, a lodge owned and operated by the Keen family. It was attended by the Keen family; AWF President Dr. Helen Gichohi; Director of KWS Dr. Julius Kipng’etich; Director of U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Erna Kerst; and AWF, KWS and USAID staff.

“Kenya’s national parks, sanctuaries, and reserves safeguard roughly 8 percent of the country’s land for wildlife habitat, but these protected areas are too small to support viable populations of wildlife and are not connected,” said Gichohi. “To secure Kenya’s remaining wild places, we need creative solutions like easements.”

Said Dr. Julius Kipng’etich, “Kenya Wildlife Service would like to thank the Keens for their leadership in executing Kenya’s first environmental easement. Nairobi National Park was one of Kenya’s first established parks, so it is appropriate that this easement, being the first in Kenya, is adjacent to the park.”

AWF has been working with the Keen family for more than a year on the details of the easement. The Keens retain full ownership of the land, but are subject to the restrictions agreed upon by the landowner and the holder of the easement.

USAID has long supported livelihood improvement and conservation in the Kitengela region, and had provided support to this easement project. All speakers at the ceremony thanked USAID for its partnership and strong support.

“The U.S. Agency for International Development is delighted to be part of this historic event,” said Kerst. “It is a hopeful and extremely exciting day for the Keens, our partners, and all Kenyans.”

“Environmental easements have proven highly effective in other parts of the world, and the African Wildlife Foundation believes that they have great potential to be equally successful in Kenya,” said Kathleen H. Fitzgerald, director of land conservation for AWF. “We applaud the Keen family for their decision to place their land under an environmental easement and hope that their conservation leadership will inspire other landowners to do the same.”

By helping to establish the first environmental easement in Kenya, AWF continues its 50-year tradition of working to protect large landscapes through innovative conservation solutions that benefit both people and wildlife.

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About African Wildlife Foundation
For more than 50 years, the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) has worked as a leading conservation organization focused solely on the African continent. AWF’s programs and conservation strategies are based on sound science and designed to protect both the wild lands and wildlife of Africa and ensure a more sustainable future for Africa’s people. Since its inception, AWF has protected endangered species and land, promoted partnerships with the private sector for conservation tourism to benefit local African communities as a means to improve livelihoods, and trained hundreds of African nationals in conservation—all to ensure the survival of Africa’s unparalleled wildlife heritage. AWF is a nonprofit organization headquartered in Kenya and registered as a 501(c)(3) in the United States. www.awf.org

About Kenya Wildlife Service
The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) conserves and manages Kenya’s wildlife for the Kenyan people and the world. It is a state corporation established by an Act of Parliament Cap 376 with the mandate to conserve and manage wildlife in Kenya, and to enforce related laws and regulations. To tackle the many issues confronting wildlife and biodiversity conservation in Kenya, KWS employs a multi-pronged approach, engaging different interest groups, stakeholders, and partners. www.kws.org

About Keen Family and Masai Lodge
The Keen Family has worked to protect and share the beauty of Kenya’s wildlife through the Masai Lodge for over 40 years. Located on the Silole Sanctuary on the border of Nairobi National Park, the lodge provides an escape from the hustle and bustle of the city into a natural refuge. www.masailodge.com

About USAID
The American people, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), have provided economic and humanitarian assistance worldwide for more than 50 years. USAID is a close partner with Kenya working to improve the lives of Kenyan citizens. In Kenya USAID’s work supports long-term and equitable growth in the areas of health, agriculture, trade, natural resources management, education, democracy and humanitarian assistance. www.usaid.gov

Contacts:
African Wildlife Foundation
Kathleen Fitzgerald
Kfitzgerald@awfke.org

African Wildlife Foundation
Ezekiel Kingola
ekingola@awfke.org