Land tenure policies, Maasai traditions, and wildlife conservation in Kenya

This article discusses land ownership trends adjacent to Masai Mara National Reserve (MMNR). In recent years, the government of Kenya has adopted a policy promoting subdivision of group ranches in this region. This policy has serious implications for the Maasai people and natural resources within the Mara region. We examine land settlement patterns and the attitudes and beliefs of Maasai people toward subdivision of communal lands. Since, in general, cultivation is far less compatible with wildlife than grazing, any changes toward cultivation will have significant implications for MMNR and the wildlife that utilize the reserve and adjacent group ranches. We believe that the government can ensure conservation under the individual tenure system by encouraging wildlife-based enterprises and conservation easements, and by transferring wildlife management responsibilities to Maasai landowners.