How Northern Rangelands Trust and Samburu Communities Are Redefining Conservation in Northern Kenya
Samburu National Reserve may be the heart of northern Kenya’s safari circuit, but the true soul of this landscape lies in the network of community conservancies that surround it. Managed through the Northern Rangelands Trust (NRT) framework, these conservancies — including Kalama, West Gate, Meibae, Sera, and Namunyak — demonstrate how wildlife protection, cultural heritage, and economic empowerment can coexist.
This comprehensive guide explores the community conservancy model, how it works, its successes, and how it shapes sustainable tourism and livelihoods in the greater Samburu ecosystem.
🦓 What Are Community Conservancies?
Community conservancies are locally managed conservation areas established on community-owned land. Instead of fencing wildlife inside formal parks, conservancies ensure wildlife and people share open rangelands, while the community retains ownership and governance rights.
In Samburu and across northern Kenya, conservancies bridge the gap between traditional pastoral livelihoods and modern conservation by providing income, jobs, and security — all while safeguarding wildlife corridors linking Samburu, Buffalo Springs, Shaba, and Laikipia.
🌍 The Northern Rangelands Trust (NRT) Framework
Founded in 2004, the Northern Rangelands Trust (NRT) is a Kenyan umbrella organization supporting over 40 community conservancies across 14 counties.
🔑 NRT’s Mission
To “develop resilient community conservancies that transform lives, secure peace, and conserve nature.”
🧩 How the NRT Model Works
- Community Ownership: Land remains under the control of local communities (via group ranches or community trusts).
- Elected Governance: Each conservancy has a Board of Directors representing villages, women, and youth.
- Professional Support: NRT provides training, ranger salaries, ecological monitoring, and peacebuilding support.
- Partnership with Government: The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) recognizes community rangers as auxiliary wardens.
- Tourism and Enterprise: Lodges, cultural tours, and beadwork cooperatives generate revenue reinvested into the community.
The model aligns conservation with social equity, ensuring wildlife generates tangible benefits.
🦒 Key Conservancies Around Samburu National Reserve
1. Kalama Conservancy
Location: South of Samburu National Reserve, bordering West Gate and Namunyak
Size: ~150 km²
Highlights:
- Home to Saruni Samburu Lodge, a high-end eco-lodge employing local guides and staff.
- Wildlife: elephants, leopards, reticulated giraffes, and gerenuks.
- Cultural encounters with Samburu morans and women’s groups.
Impact: Kalama’s lodge revenue funds school bursaries, healthcare support, and ranger patrols.
2. West Gate Conservancy
Location: Western boundary of Samburu National Reserve (entry via West Gate)
Size: ~120 km²
Highlights:
- Functions as a wildlife buffer zone and tourism corridor for visitors entering the reserve.
- Partnered with NRT and the Umoja Women’s Village, famous for women-led tourism and crafts.
- Supports cultural visits, beadwork markets, and walking safaris.
Impact: The conservancy provides education bursaries, water projects, and jobs for youth as rangers and guides.
3. Meibae Conservancy
Location: West of Wamba, connecting Samburu and Laikipia ecosystems
Size: ~1,000 km² (one of the largest)
Highlights:
- Semi-desert landscape supporting elephants, oryx, and ostrich.
- Key corridor for elephant migration between Samburu and Marsabit.
- Focuses on livestock–wildlife coexistence through grazing management.
Impact: Improved grass cover, reduced conflict, and higher drought resilience for herders.
4. Sera Conservancy
Location: Northeast of Samburu, near Wamba
Size: ~350 km²
Highlights:
- Home to Sera Rhino Sanctuary, the first community-run black rhino sanctuary in East Africa.
- Offers rhino tracking on foot, a rare and safe walking safari experience.
- Community scouts trained and supported by KWS.
Impact: Zero poaching incidents for several years; tourism revenue funds education and water projects.
5. Namunyak Conservancy
Location: North of Kalama and Sera, extending toward the Mathews Range
Size: ~850 km²
Highlights:
- Hosts the Reteti Elephant Sanctuary, Africa’s first community-owned elephant orphanage.
- Landscape of forested hills, rock kopjes, and scenic valleys.
- Lodges: Sarara Camp and Sarara Treehouses, known for luxurious eco-design and community ownership.
Impact: Reteti employs local Samburu men and women, bottle-feeding orphaned calves and reintroducing them to the wild; proceeds support ranger operations and schools.
🛡️ Wildlife Management Through Community Partnerships
1. Joint Ranger Patrols
Each conservancy employs Community Rangers trained under NRT’s Security Program. They:
- Conduct anti-poaching patrols.
- Respond to human–wildlife conflict.
- Collect ecological data using SMART monitoring tools.
- Coordinate with KWS and neighboring conservancies for law enforcement.
2. Community Grazing Plans
Conservancies establish grazing committees to regulate pasture use — rotating herds to prevent overgrazing, and allowing wildlife space during the dry season.
3. Conflict Resolution & Peace Programs
NRT’s Peace Team mediates conflicts over grazing, livestock theft, and boundaries. Conservancies often host peace meetings between Samburu, Rendille, Turkana, and Borana communities, linking conservation with security.
💰 Eco-Tourism Income Sharing
Eco-tourism is a key revenue source. Income from lodge leases, entry fees, and guided activities is shared as follows:
- Conservancy Operations (40%) – ranger wages, vehicle maintenance, patrols.
- Community Projects (30%) – schools, water, health clinics, bursaries.
- Enterprise & Livelihoods (20%) – women’s groups, small business grants.
- Savings (10%) – emergencies or future development.
Examples:
- Saruni Samburu (Kalama): A percentage of each guest’s nightly rate funds local projects.
- Sarara Camp (Namunyak): Reinvests 60% of profits directly into community welfare.
- Umoja Women’s Village (West Gate): 100% of craft sales and village entry fees support women escaping forced marriage and violence.
👩🏾🌾 Women-Led Enterprises and Community Rangers
1. Women Rangers
More women are joining ranger units in Samburu. They patrol alongside men, focusing on:
- Wildlife monitoring
- Environmental education
- Peacebuilding and reporting illegal activities
These women earn stable salaries, transforming family livelihoods and inspiring local girls.
2. Women’s Enterprises
Conservancies host numerous women-led groups such as:
- Beadwork cooperatives (Umoja Village, Namunyak, Kalama).
- Honey production (Meibae and Sera).
- Cultural tourism — hosting visitors for dances, village tours, and traditional meals.
Women now play a visible role in decision-making boards, supported by NRT’s Women in Conservation program.
🌱 Sustainable Tourism Practices in Samburu Conservancies
The conservancy model promotes eco-friendly and ethical travel:
| Practice | What It Means | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Low-density lodges | Limit number of guests per area | Saruni Samburu and Sarara Treehouses |
| Solar power and greywater recycling | Reduce carbon footprint and water waste | Eco-lodges across Kalama and Namunyak |
| Ban on plastic bottles | Replace with refillable flasks and water stations | NRT Eco-Lodges Initiative |
| Waste management | Proper disposal and composting at ranger posts | All NRT-supported camps |
| Community employment | 80–90% of lodge staff are local residents | Sarara, Sera, West Gate projects |
| Conservation education | Guests learn about wildlife coexistence | Rhino tracking, Reteti visits |
💡 Tip: When booking, ask your lodge how it contributes to local conservation — most are proud to share the details.
🌍 How Visitors Can Support Sustainable Conservation
- Book Community Lodges: Stay at Kalama, Namunyak, or Sera lodges to ensure revenue directly supports locals.
- Visit Reteti Elephant Sanctuary: Entrance fees fund elephant care and ranger training.
- Buy Local Crafts: Beadwork from Umoja or Kalama women’s groups sustains families and educates girls.
- Participate in Conservation Activities: Join rhino tracking at Sera or guided bush walks with community scouts.
- Respect Cultural Protocols: Always ask before photographing people and dress modestly when visiting villages.
🏆 Impact of the Conservancy Model
- Wildlife populations are stabilizing, especially elephants, giraffes, and zebras.
- Poaching rates have declined by over 90% in most NRT conservancies.
- Over 1,200 community rangers now protect more than 42,000 km² of land.
- Tourism income provides over KES 200 million annually across NRT regions.
- Peace programs have reduced inter-ethnic conflict and improved resource sharing.
💬 Inspiring Success Stories
- Sera Rhino Sanctuary: First black rhino calf born in a community-managed reserve (2017) — a milestone for African conservation.
- Reteti Elephant Sanctuary: Orphaned calves nurtured by local Samburu caretakers and released into the wild.
- Umoja Women’s Village: Empowered women turned a sanctuary for survivors of violence into a thriving cultural tourism enterprise.
Each of these stories shows that conservation is not just about animals — it’s about people, empowerment, and ownership.
✨ In Summary
The Samburu community conservancies are redefining what conservation means in Africa. By blending indigenous knowledge, scientific management, and economic opportunity, they have created a model where wildlife and people flourish together.