The Protected Landscape Approach - Centre for Mediterranean ...

8. Pastoralists, conservation and livelihoods in East and Southern Africa
Despite the great opportunity costs to them of allowing wildlife on their lands, the Maasai
continue to shoulder wildlife-related damages without compensation (banned in 1977) from the
govern ment. Meanwhile, the government continues to draw large amounts of foreign income
from parks (Tsavo and Amboseli) on Maasai traditional land that was taken away without
compen sation or consultations. As international tourists enter and leave their backyard, all the
Maasai can do is sell carvings, sing traditional songs and dance for meagre benefits while the
government gains the lion’s share of the benefits.
As a result of increasing human-wildlife conflicts and in the absence of greater involvement
in and direct benefit from conservation, communities seem to be increasingly opting for
“separation” rather than “integration” of culture and nature in the landscape. Most people
(78%) support the creation of “fenced in,” community-owned wildlife sanctuaries where they
can benefit, yet be separated, from wildlife, so that they can practise other land uses such as
pastoralism and agriculture (Okello and Nippert, 2001). Group ranches have voluntarily set
aside, or are in the process of setting aside, a section of their land as exclusive wildlife
sanctuaries or wildlife concession areas and are benefiting from the lucrative tourism industry
in the area (Okello and Kiringe, 2004).
These changes to the landscape character where culture and natural resources were inte -
grated in a working landscape are due to the economic impoverishment and lack of incentives
within a framework of the changing socio-cultural and religious fabric of the Maasai people.
The elements of continuity in Maasai land use and culture along with enduring ecological
constraints to agriculture (low and unpredictable rainfall and poor soils) suggest that the
protected landscape approach may still be a viable model in the Maasai traditional lands.
Through such an approach the important wildlife dispersal areas and migration corridors can
Kilimanjaro, Africa’s tallest and the world’s largest free-standing mountain. The diverse and
spectacular landscapes of the Tsavo-Amboseli Ecosystem are important for tourism and people’s
livelihoods, as well as biodiversity conservation. Moses M. Okello
111