This archive report was first published on 10 June 2020.
Published on June 10, 2020, a draft management plan for Nairobi National Park 2020-2030 has sparked debate about balancing tourism and biodiversity conservation.
Environmentalists like Akshay Vishwanath, who has been involved in the park's management for over a decade, question the Kenya Wildlife Service's priorities.
“Ideally, it should be about linking tourism and conservation,” said Mr. Vishwanath, highlighting the need to manage tourism sustainably.
He pointed out that tourists often expect to see iconic animals like lions and leopards, but there are other places with remarkable biodiversity that are not as popular.
Examples include the Taita Hills and the Arabuko Sokoke Forest, both of which are biodiversity hotspots.
The management plan emphasizes increasing visitors to the park, but Mr. Vishwanath suggests that this should be done without putting pressure on the wildlife.
He proposes activities like constructing observation towers and upgrading picnic sites to minimize disturbance to the animals.
From an ecological standpoint, the draft lists upgrading the roads to sealed roads, which would reduce environmental damage.
However, Reinhard Bonke, a Nairobi city resident and member of the Friends of Nairobi National Park, argues that the management plan prioritizes development over ecological solutions.
He also expresses concerns about fencing the park, which would undermine community efforts to conserve the park's wildlife.
The fencing plan contradicts the National Wildlife Strategy launched in 2018, which aimed to maintain and improve the ecological integrity of Kenya's protected areas.
