Kenya Scales Up Northern Conservation Push Ahead of 2030 Biodiversity Target
Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) has intensified efforts to protect wildlife and natural resources across the country's northern region, as part of the global 30x30 target to conserve 30 per cent of the planet by 2030. Speaking in Marsabit, KWS Senior Director for Northern Area Conservation Bakari Chongwa said the initiative could safeguard nearly a quarter of Kenya's landmass, but stressed that conservation must extend beyond national parks and reserves into the corridors connecting them. A key focus is the Marsabit - Ngurnit elephant corridor, increasingly threatened by farms and settlements, which has led to a rise in human-wildlife conflict. KWS is working with community conservancies including Subuli in Wajir and Songa, Jaldesa, and Melako in Marsabit to create zones where wildlife movement and livestock grazing can coexist.
Alongside wildlife protection, KWS has flagged the illegal harvesting of trees and plants as a growing threat. Staff Operations Officer Nelson Lepuyapui warned that red cedar and East African sandalwood are being illegally felled in forests around Mt Kulal and the Mathew Ranges, drying up critical water springs and threatening rare endemic aloe species. Rising international demand for gum arabic is also driving overexploitation in parts of Wajir and Marsabit. In response, the government has tightened export regulations on seeds and plant materials, requiring approval from the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service. Mt Kulal, designated a UNESCO Man and Biosphere Reserve in 1979, is among the priority areas targeted for renewed protection, with KWS planning to revive community forest associations to support long-term conservation management.
Source: The Star