Koija Starbeds Lodge: Innovation Plus Conservation

In Kenya’s Laikipia region, Koija Starbeds lodge is one of the most unusual lodging experiences in Africa, and is one of AWF's most successful conservation enterprises on the continent. It is serving as a model for conservation tourism development in the future. Koija Starbeds provides a truly unique experience for tourists while at the same time sets aside land for wildlife and create jobs and income for the local community.

Koija Starbeds lies in northern Kenya’s Laikipia region, a major part of AWF's Samburu Heartland. Laikipia has no formal protected areas, so community-based conservation is key to the survival of wildlife here. The Samburu Heartland is home to elephants, highly threatened Grevy's zebra, and the area hosts the largest number of black rhinoceros in the country. It is also home to unique northern specialist species like gerenuk, beisa oryx, and Somali ostrich. In recent years, Laikipia has even seen the return of the African wild dog, one of the continent's most endangered predators.

Koija Starbeds is a true partnership between the community, the private sector operator, and AWF. The Koija community (population 1,500 people) owns the camp through the Koija Community Trust. It provided the land for the camp set aside a 500-acre community conservation area as part of a deal for the camp. The community's ownership of the venture, and wages from the community members who work at the camp, provide a strong incentive to conserve the land and its wildlife. One important lesson AWF has learned is that such ventures need to be successful businesses. The Koija community did not have the capacity to run a safari camp, so AWF partnered with a responsible, experienced private sector operator – Loisaba Wilderness – to run it professionally and efficiently.

Koija Starbeds has produced solid benefits for wildlife and the community alike. The land within Koija's conservation area has recovered remarkably well from previous overgrazing. According to Giles Davies, AWF Enterprise Director, the Koija conservancy land "is clearly healthier than nearby land open to grazing. It supports noticeably higher numbers of wildlife, including Grevy's zebra, gerenuk, and impala." It has also created clear socio-economic benefits for the community. Now the community earns more than $20,000 in profit each year – a sum that goes a long way in Laikipia. It has enabled the community to fund critical healthcare, education and water projects. For the first time in Koija community, a student is attending university from funds generated by Starbeds. As the Starbeds lodge showcases their culture, it is helping the Laikipiak Maasai sustain their traditions. Finally, the project has helped open communal resource use decisions to greater public comment and is teaching community members how to manager a business sustainably.

Koija Starbeds is a small but obviously successful piece of the overall conservation puzzle in Laikipia. It is a model for future efforts in the region and else-where in Africa. Given its solid business foundation and community support, AWF expects the enterprise to continue benefiting wildlife and people and delivering exceptional experiences to its guests for sometime to come.