Forward March

Across Kenya, community initiatives are protecting the country's wildlife and environment. By Mary Holland

AT OL PEJETA, a private conservancy in Kenya where lions and cheetah roam, the Ugandan Ankole cows look a little out of place. It would be easy to think they had wandered away from a nearby village, destined to become unlucky prey for the big game animals. But actually, the cows are supposed to be here: They create biodiversity hot spots for other herbivores by stripping the grass, and they function within a beef enterprise that generates a supplementary source of revenue for Ol Pejetamoney that ultimately goes back into conservation of the land and wildlife.

Ol Pejeta uses its land for both ecotourism and ranching, a mixed-use, holistic approach to conserving wilderness areas in East Africa. It is one of the innovative ways that safari lands have been diversifying their revenue to ensure that the environment is protected. As natural assets shrink due to growing human populations and deforestation, ecotourism leaders are seeking sustainable solutions that help landscapes thrive while benefiting local communities and wildlife.