Advert in defence of The Mara Conservancy
Thursday, July 9, 2009 at 12:30PM 
Original Text from Today's Daily Nation (9th Sept, 2009):
The Member of Parliament for Kilgoris through the press, television and indeed Parliament has tried to destroy an agreement he was party to and a conservation concept he has, until recently, always championed.
His recent utterances on The Mara Conservancy have been malicious and in total disregard to the truth.
Our Board of Directors have decided to present to the public in general, conservationists and Members of Parliament in particular the true face of The Mara Conservancy.
1. The Mara Conservancy is not a revenue collection agency, it is a not-for-profit Company Limited by Guarantee established in 2001 to assist in the management of a portion of the World famous Masai Mara National Reserve at the request of local community leaders who were concerned about mismanagement of their heritage. It started operating in the Mara on the 11th June, 2001, through a five-year management agreement with the Trans-Mara County Council. The scope of work is to run the Mara Triangle, the Trans-Mara section of the Masai Mara National Reserve in its entirety.
The operation is managed by one Chief Executive Officer, with assistance from 45 Wardens and Rangers, clerical staff, road maintenance teams, sobordinate staff and drivers. A finance officer and other administration staff are based in rented accommodation in Nairobi. The Mara Conservancy employ in the region of 100 staff, all but six members of the Trans-Mara Community.
2. Agreement Extension
The Council, being totally satisfied with the Mara Conservancy operations, gave approval for a ten-year extension to the agreement, valid until June 2016. The Member of Parliament for Kilgoris was presumably very involved in the formation of the new tey-year agreement. The agreement is dated 12th April 2005 and was signed on the Council's behalf by the Council Chairman at the time, Daniel Kokoyo, and by the Clerk, Grace Mulisho with written approval by the Minister of Local Government. It was signed by on behalf of the Conservancy by Nigel Pavitt and Samuel Tunai, both Directors of the Conservancy.
3. Security
The Security staff operate with two four wheel drive vehicles paid for by the Conservancy. In our now eight years of operation we have developed a model for cross-border collaboration with the Serengeti National Park, arrested and prosecuted 1,189 poachers, recovered 10,500 snares, recovered 150 stolen heads of cattle, recovered and treated several animals damaged by snares and made the Mara Triangle and adjoining areas secure for the local community, wildlife and tourists. Our success rate in anti-poaching rivals, or possible exceeds, that of far larger organisations, with thousands of employees and far larger budgets.
4. Buildings and Construction
We have significantly improved the quality of accommodation and living conditions for staff. All new buildings and renovation projects undertaken in the past eight years have been fully paid for by the Conservancy.
5. Roads
The Conservancy has purchased new Caterpillar grader 140H, valued at KSh 20 million, and other captial equipment including tractors and tipper trailers for the construction and maintenance of roads within the reserves. Some 200 kms of all weather road are maintained to a very high standard and an additional 600 kms of cut grass tracks have been created for game viewing.
6. Administration
- Purchase of vehicles and capital expenditure
- Purchased and established a VHF radio network
- Purchased and established an HF radio network
- Purchased computers for Mara and Nairobi offices
- Developed a draft ten-year management plan for the National Reserve
- Inform the public on one of the most open and transparent organisations in Kenya through their website; maratriangle.org
7. Tourism
- Developed the best managed protected area in Kenya
- Established one of the best websites and blogs in Kenya
- Developed one new public campsite
- Developed six new residents' campsites
- Developed propsoal for an additional two professional campsites
- Undertaken Environmental Impact Assessment of proposed new developments
- Working on a ten-year management plan for the whole Masai Mara National Reserve, this will determine limits of acceptable use and any new tourism facilities to be built.
- Developed Code of Conduct for drivers and distrubuted to them
- Supported four examinations for resident drivers for the Kenya Professional Safari Guides
- Promoted responsible guiding in conjunction with the Travel and Born Free Foundations
- Purchased 3 anti-harassment vehicles to monitor animal movement and control incidents of animal harassment.
8. Board of Directors
Mr Martin Foster (Chairman)
Mr Brian Heath (CEO)
Mr Samuel Tunai
Mr John Konchellah
Councillor Kuya T ole Kijabe
Councillor John Korinko
Mr Nigel Pavitt
Mr James Robertson
Mr E Mung'aya, Clerk County Council of Trans-Mara
Our Auditors and Company Secretary - Deloitte & Touche
Four of the Directors represent the people of Trans-Mara and the Clerk sits on behalf of the Council. With the exception of the Chief Executive Officer, the other Directors offer their services as members of the Board COMPLETELY FREE OF CHARGE.
9. Financial
As allowed in the Management Agreement, the Conservancy appoints, on a two-year contract, a cash and other fees collecting agent which is paid for by the Conservancy.
As stipulated in the Management Agreement, all cash and fees collected at the gates and lodges are shared on teh basis of 55% to the Trans-Mara County Council and 45% to Mara Conservancy. The portion allocated to the Mara Conservancy is used wholly to cover cost of all the activites involved in running of the Mara Triangle Game Reserve. On the 15th of each month a cheque is given to the Council as their share of the fees collected the previous month. Since the establishment of the Conservancy 8 years ago, we have paid to the Councial KShs 551,485,043 up to the end of May 2009, out of which KShs 172,688,098 should have been paid to the Group Ranch by the Council.
10. To Conclude
As a Board we are proud of all the achievements we have recorded compared to when we took over the Mara Triangle 8 years ago.
Our Member of Parliament for Kilgoris, as a responsible member of our society, has brought his political rivaly with a Board member into the public domain and has been irresponsible for the grossly unfounded attacks he has made against the Conservancy.
We have heard with considerable concern of his desire to see the Mara Triangle portion of the Masai Mara National Reserve being operated by the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS). As a Board we believe the Mara Conservancy, from its track record, should provide a model for the management of other National Parks in the Country.
The Board of Directors
Mara Conservancy
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Reader Comments (11)
It is clear to anyone who has visited the Masai Mara the improvement when you enter the Mara Triangle.
You have all been doing an excellent job and it is sad that this could be destroyed for greed. Please keep up the fight.
The conservation of nature preserves is one of man's greatest challenges. It is an are where we fail again and again. I urge all involved to take the more difficult path. I both beg and urge all involved to save what can be saved for the present and for the future.
What turned The Member of Parliament for Kilgoris against the Conservancy - you don't have to answer. Thank you for publishing for us to read "the true face of The Mara Conservancy".
Long live the Mara and those that PROTECT it.!!!!!!
I have been privledged to live and work in one of the most beautiful places in the world - the Masai Mara. I am a hot air balloon pilot based - since Nov '05 - at Mara Serena Safari Lodge located in the heart of the Mara Triangle. Over the past few years, I have witnessed the Mara Conservancy's operations throughout the Mara Triangle and their efforts deserve praise and recognition.
Many members of my balloon ground crew were here before the Conservancy took over in 2001, and they have talked about how - prior to the Conservancy coming in - there were areas in the triangle where armed poachers were so rampant and dangerous that they feared for their own safety and the safety of the tourists if and when the balloon was ever forced to land there. They have also talked about certain areas which were completely inaccessible and abandoned due to impassable roads or tracks.
Steadily, the Mara Conservancy has fought against the poachers all the while improving the quality - in every respect - of the Mara Triangle. Roads are consistently maintained, poachers are apprehended and are held accountable for their actions, and, thanks to the Conservancy, the Mara Triangle has become the jewel of the Mara. Anti-harassement vehicles are constantly patroling to make sure the animals are not overwhelmed by tourist vehicles; the grader is regularly seen improving the roads - tractors and trailers are always hard at work filling in difficult areas and new roads have been created, opening up previously unexplored areas of the Triangle; a mower has cut beautiful tracks to enable vehicles to roam around with ease; ex-special forces personnel have been brought in to assist and train Conservancy rangers.
There truly are countless improvements for which the Mara Conservancy is directly responsible for and there are more improvements happening every day, all with the aim of bettering the area for tourists and wildlife alike.
Before the 2007 Kenyan elections, tourism in the Masai Mara was at an all-time high. As a result, there was intense pressure by certain individuals to allow for the construction of hotels, lodges and campsites to accomodate the increase in tourism and reap the benefits of the resulting boost in revenue. More hotels = more tourists = more money. The reality of such a scheme would be an unsustainable influx of vehicles and tourists, and inevitably would lead to the destruction of this fragile environment in the coming years. To destroy this environment for in the name of greed would be an absolute waste.
It is sad that the Mara Conservancy - a not-for-profit company - doesn't get the praise it deserves, but what is worse is that the Conservancy has had to defend itself against ridiculous accusations by the greedy, abovementioned would-be exploiters. The Mara Conservancy has always been honest and transparent and operates with the land's, people's, wildlife and environment's best interests in mind and heart. The world over needs to rally behind this wonderful organisation. The future of this truly spectacular part of the world and the fate of all of the animals - the lions, cheetahs, elephants, leopards, antelope, gazelles, zebras, wildebeests among countless others hang in the balance.
Environmental conservation is paramount to any human being in the world, the council was unable to do that task and thus allowed mara conservancy to keep the reserve habitatable to many wild life, All this should be observed while we keep politics out of it!
Thank you J.P. for your moving commentary since you have first hand knowledge over the years how the Mara Conservancy has improved the area. I have only been coming to Mara regularly since 2003 and even I have noticed a difference since the Conservancy has taken over.
Congratulations to Brian Heath and ALL the Staff for making their area of the Mara a wonderful place to visit for now and hopefully for future generations.
I have also been priveliged to have visited the mara on 3 occassions in the last 3 years. I also plan to visit in August of this year again. I have been lucky to have met both Brian and Will from the conservancy. Having spent sometime with Will discussing the mara and the challenges they have to contend with everyday such as the ongoing problems they face with the poachers and such,i have to say that i am totally impressed with the outlook and the true passion that they have for the conservation of the truly amazing mara triangle. It is more than obvious to me that the efforts that they make are apparent, the roads are always to a great standard and the presence of the staff in all areas of the triangle i have visited are a welcoming sight. These people concerned control what happens in the surroundings both looking after the animals welfare and giving visitors the right amount of viewing that is acceptable, allowing for safe distant animal viewing and also making sure that the animals are never harrassed at anytime.
I am personally very keen to look up the mara triangle website almost daily as i have a genuine interest to see the daily news that the conservancy has to report. I truly believe that they are doing a fantastic job to keep the mara as it should be, keeping the poachers out and assuring the best possible attention to all other areas is vital to the survival of such an amazing place. The conservancy deserve much more gratitude and respect for there continuing hard work in these difficult times. Support the conservancy,without them i am more than sure the mara would be a much worse environment and the magic of the place would someday dissapear.
Will - Where was this "advert" posted? In one of the Kenyan newspapers?
Congratulations to you guys for taking an extra step protecting wildlife and the environment in general. Without your effort, Serengeti and other parks around it will be things of the past.
Thank you everyone for your comments of support - we hope there will be an end to this all soon.
Dana - the advert was posted in Kenya's Daily Nation.
As a frequent visitor to the area I too strongly echo and whole heartedly agree with all the comments that suppot the Mara Conservancy. The integrity, passion and conservation efforts that the conservancy and the whole team has put into the area is incredible and the tangible results that have been demonstrated should justify alone that the Conservancy should retain management of this area for years to come.