Resilient conservation

The Northern Rangelands Trust (NRT)

is made up of 39 conservancies, owned

and led by communities throughout

northern Kenya. Representing nearly

half a million people, mostly pastoral-

ists, the conservancies help protect

endangered species such as elephants

and black rhinos. International tourism

plummeted during the pandemic. But

NRT conservancies have kept critical

operations running because of

multiple funding sources, especially

foreign donors.

Conserving communities

A near-contiguous network of com-

munity-managed areas allows migra-

tory animals such as elephants to

travel across areas once plagued by

poaching and conflict. But this also

creates challenges, including crop

destruction.

Christina Shintani, NGM Staff.

Sources: Northern Rangelands Trust;

Kenya National Bureau of Statistics;

P. Wang and Others, HBASE Dataset,

NASA SEDAC; ESA Climate Change

Initiative, Land Cover Project 2017;

Oxford COVID-19 Government Response

Tracker; David Chiawo

Resilient conservation

The Northern Rangelands Trust (NRT) is made up of

39 conservancies, owned and led by communities throughout

northern Kenya. Representing nearly half a million people,

mostly pastoralists, the conservancies help protect endangered

species such as elephants and black rhinos. The community

conservancy model—with fundraising and expertise provided

by NRT—aims to find a sustainable balance between traditional

livelihoods and the natural resources that underpin them.

Surviving the crash

International tourism plummeted

during the pandemic. But NRT

conservancies have kept

critical operations running

because of multiple funding

sources, especially foreign donors.

Christina Shintani, NGM Staff.

Sources: Northern Rangelands Trust; Kenya National Bureau of Statistics; P. Wang and

Others, HBASE Dataset, NASA SEDAC; ESA Climate Change Initiative, Land Cover Project

2017; Oxford COVID-19 Government Response Tracker; David Chiawo