Monday, August 3, 2015

Conservation Program Update: A New Partnership for Land Restoration!

The Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust is pleased to announce its' new partnership with the Naga Foundation; a Dutch non-profit organization with the goal of re-greening degraded lands on a large scale using rainwater harvesting techniques and conservation methods to then later have an effect on local climate conditions. Together with the Naga Foundation, MWCT will be working collaboratively on a 15 acre grass seed bank project in the community of Moilo on Kuku Group Ranch!
The heavily degraded and overgrazed landscape in the area of Moilo
The project will not only seek to commence further large scale land restoration that is crucially needed in this heavily degraded area of the Tsavo-Amboseli ecosystem, but will act to demonstrate to the local community that the benefits of restoring land and grasses can provide sustained benefits for communities and their livestock.

MWCT President, Samson, speaks to the community members of Moilo and introduces the project
This grass seed bank project will provide sustainable ecological and social benefits to the community of Moilo in the form of rangeland improvement contributing to the health of their livestock, and continued community engagement in the project in the form of empowerment of women and employment.

Community members give their approval and acceptance of the proposed project idea!
To commence this exciting project, a series of meetings were hosted with the community of Moilo and its' leadership together with the staff of MWCT. The project was happily accepted by all community leaders and members!

Women and children gather together to hear about the initiation of new project
MWCT was happy to host a Naga Foundation team representative to visit the project site area, interact with the community and Group Ranch leadership, and officially initiative the movements forward with the project!

We look forward to update you more as this exciting partnership and project progresses!

Kuku Group Ranch Chairman addresses the community of Moilo in the prescence of MWCT staff and the Naga Foundation
MWCT Community Outreach Coordinator and Naga Representative speak to the community of Moilo and its' leadership!