Stories from the field

Restoring Nature. Empowering Communities.

The 'Herder Conservation Network' - HCN

HCN engages herders, who have a deep understanding of the local environment and the behaviours of wildlife, to monitor wildlife and enhance conservation outcomes.

‍By involving herders in this way, the project recognizes the importance of traditional ecological knowledge and the role it plays in conservation efforts. This approach empowers local communities by giving them a sense of ownership and responsibility over the conservation of wildlife and their habitats.

Enhancing governance of protected and conserved areas

In collaboration with WWF Kenya through the Voices for Climate Action (VCA) project, NAPO facilitated community discussions aiming to co-create solutions for improved rangeland governance and management.
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The project has so far facilitated multistakeholder discussions in 3 critical landscapes, Mt Marsabit, Ndoto Ranges and Mt Ng'iro, which provide important ecosystem services to both wildlife and communities that face the impacts of climate change.

Restoring the dryland forests of Northern Kenya

NAPO established the Mt Marsabit Tree Nursery in 2021 and thus far we have distributed 3000+ native tree seedlings towards ecosystem restoration of the Mt. Marsabit landscape.
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This has been carried out in partnership with the Kenya Forest Service, Equity bank and several schools in the area. Plans to set up a second tree nursery in the Ndoto ecosystem are currently underway in partnership with the Global Landscapes Forum. (GLF)

Knowledge building on Native Tree Species

In collaboration with the UNDP Small Grants Program, NAPO is documenting useful traditional knowledge on medicinal and ceremonial trees of the Rendille and Samburu communities.
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Documenting this knowledge serves two purposes;
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1. to ensure this important knowledge is not lost and is available to future generations
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2. to guide ecosystem restoration efforts in a way that ensures communities benefit from this work.

Promoting harmony with nature

The project aimed at observing the important interactions of the indigenous Rendille people and wildlife in the Mt. Marsabit ecosystem.
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We observed heavy co-existence by both herders and wildlife in utilizing the available resources. This delivered a key understanding of the dynamics of the human-wildlife interactions In the area and serves as a key reference for our future community driven wildlife projects in the area.

Building the resilience of pastoralist women