Landscape connectivity and fair management of global commons

Innovations for co-existence between migratory wildlife, healthy wetlands and local communities in Kenya.

Region

Mount Kenya, the country’s highest mountain, is also the source of the Ewaso Ng’iro river. The landscapes in this area range from an afro-alpine zone at the top of the mountain to a tropical forest belt in the middle and a subhumid zone on the lower slopes, which transitions into the semi-arid plateau and semi-arid plains of the lowlands. The plateau and the plains consist of bush and grassland. The diversity of the flora in these ecosystems provides a unique habitat for many animal species. The expansion of agricultural land, largescale development projects, urbanization and other changes in land use are all increasing the pressure on the area around Mount Kenya. Fences, roads, and the loss of vegetation cover have led to the fragmentation of landscapes and a reduction in the connections between ecosystems and habitats, as well as freedom of movement for wildlife and herders. Although people and wildlife lived side by side here for generations, intensified land use, the expansion of protected areas and climate change impacts in the form of more frequent droughts have led to intensified conflicts between them – conflicts that are now also occurring more often.

Main achievements at Hub level 2021

• Official legal setup of the Wyss Academy for Nature as a branch office registered under Kenyan law completed
• Recruitment of senior local staff (Hub Director and Innovation and Impact Specialist)
• Identification of different challenges and related solutionscapes in which the Wyss Academy and partners co-design further activities
• Compilation and sharing of current state of knowledge on the region in a Regional Appraisal Report