Alignment to Action: the April update

Progress in conservation is very rarely a single moment. More often, it shows up in the steady work of building trust, aligning ideas, and bringing the right people into the room at the right time.

This month, we are preparing to launch a Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) process across Naibunga Upper, Central and Lower conservancies. This work will help ensure that engagement is grounded in transparency, trust, and long-term alignment with the communities at the heart of conservation and any future rhino work that KRRE supports.

Sosian Ranch

Across Central Laikipia, our approach is becoming increasingly focused and connected. By working across key geographical blocks, we are aligning efforts between neighboring conservancies to create a landscape where rhino can move more freely and safely over time.

Encouragingly, our network continues to grow. We have welcomed new voices into the conversation and are seeing a steady expansion of partners and supporters who are helping to shape this work.

To hold ourselves and key stakeholders accountable to real impact, KRRE has been spending significant time building our monitoring and evaluation platform. This tool, which will be powered by the ever-useful and innovative, EarthRanger, will be key in allowing us to check progress across projects.  Tracking trends and changes over time will ensure that our to expand rhino habitats and catalyse increased economic opportunities for the greater wildlife economy is grounded in high quality data and metrics. We look forward to sharing more on this in the coming months.

April also offered valuable moments of connection that KRRE was thrilled to be present for, including the launch of the Kenya Conservancy Fund in partnership with Kenya Wildlife Conservancies Assocation - a signal of increasing collaboration and investment in Kenya’s conservation future. KRRE was excited to celebrate this moment that signals support for key community conservation areas to invest in people and wildlife, including rhino. We were also proud to attend the launch of the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance’s Kenya offices in Nanyuki. We look forward to working more closely with the team as close partners in a commonly aligned conservation vision.

En route to a meeting at Mugie Conservancy

Checking on a new ranger post in Tsavo West

Further south in Tsavo, progress continues on the ground. We have just launched a full water reticulation assessment (meaning we are assessing boreholes, pipes, and water troughs) to look at yield, water quality and equipment functionality and ensure that people and wildlife have access to water.  Additionally, our team is carefully assessing wildlife movement patterns to ensure that the final stages of the fencing project support safe and successful movement for all species ahead of the sanctuary’s final fence drop.

Stay tuned for more!