RANGELAND INVENTORY, MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT TRAINING FOR CONSERVANCIES WITHIN THE MAASAI MARA ECOSYSTEM

Frequency determination using quadrat method

Rangelands and their values, plant life forms (grassland, shrubland, desert, alpine, and some woodland ecosystems), have been facing a myriad of challenges in providing ecosystem goods and services that support the well-being of societies. The rangelands have continued to provide sufficient, safe and nutritious food to all people. With emerging threats to sustainable uses of these ecosystems, and more so climate change impacts posing threat to the rangeland vegetation: grasses, forbs, trees and shrub species that dominates these lands.

Adequate inventory, monitoring and assessment of these rangelands is therefore imperative. Between 17th -21st April 2023, the University of Nairobi research experts in Rangeland management and ecology from the Department of Land Resource Management and Agricultural Technology (LARMAT), facilitated a training through experimental and theoretical skills on Rangeland monitoring and Assessments to representatives and managers of various conservancies across Narok County, within the Maasai Mara Ecosystem. The training was organised by Maasai Mara Wildlife Conservancies Associations (MMWCA) led by Mr. David Limpaso Kinanta, a senior Natural resource expert at MMWCA. Fifteen (15) Managers from Mara North Conservancy, Lemek Conservancy, Olchorro Oirowua conservancy, Enarau Conservancy, Olare Motorogi Conservancy, Pardamat Conservation area, Naboisho, Olerai Conservancy were trained.

The training was facilitated and well-coordinated by Dr. Oscar Koech, Ms. Carolyne Kyalo and Mr. John Musembi Kimeu.

The facilitators ensured all methods of habitat analysis inventory, monitoring and assessment of range lands were adequately demonstrated and data collected.

Below are the pictorials of the training: