Kora Conservancy

The proposed Kora Conservancy is not simply as a buffer around Kora National Park, but is a community-led conservation and economic landscape surrounding and connecting the wider Kora–Tana River protected-area system.

The Meru Conservation Area comprises Kora and Meru National Parks together with Bisanadi, Mwingi and Rahole National Reserves, covering a little over 5,000 km². The Tana River is also a major ecological spine through the landscape.

The Kora National Park remains the protected-area core, managed by KWS. Kora Conservancy becomes the community-led, multi-county landscape surrounding and connecting the park with neighbouring reserves, wildlife corridors, community land and sustainable economic activity.

The geographical concept

The landscape has five interconnected components:

1. Kora National Park — the conservation core
1,787 km² and one of Kenya’s major remaining wilderness landscapes. Its Adamson heritage, Tana River, waterfalls, rapids and wilderness character give it a distinctive destination identity.

2. The Tana River ecological corridor
This becomes the natural spine of the conservancy, linking Kora with Meru and the wider riverine landscape.

3. Bisanadi National Reserve
North of Kora/Meru, Bisanadi is already recognised as a wildlife dispersal area and part of the wider Meru Conservation Area.

4. Mwingi National Reserve
To the south/south-west, creating an important opportunity to connect the Kora proposition into the Kitui landscape.

5. Rahole and the wider community landscape

The Conservancy will catalyse a community-led conservation economy around Kora National Park.

The surrounding community land becomes the place where the following land uses can be considered in time:

•       wildlife corridors
•       community tourism
•       safari camps and eco-lodges
•       cultural tourism
•       livestock and rangeland enterprises
•       sustainable agriculture
•       craft and local products
•       guiding and ranger enterprises
•       restoration businesses
•       carbon and biodiversity projects
•       conservation concessions
•       community-owned tourism enterprises
•       hospitality and visitor services
•       environmental education
•       research and monitoring

This is the 80% conservation / 20% sustainable concession and enterprise principle in practise.

The NPC 2 phase programme

Phase 1 — Kora Conservancy Destination Brand Strategy

Establish the Kora Conservancy Destination Brand and develop:

•       boundary and landscape assessment
•       stakeholder mapping
•       community engagement
•       land-use and ownership assessment
•       wildlife-corridor assessment
•       tourism asset audit
•       community enterprise audit
•       investment opportunity assessment
•       destination positioning
•       conservation and restoration strategy
•       preliminary spatial masterplan
•       investment prospectus
•       B2B/B2C marketing proposition
•       Kora Conservancy website/digital presence
•       launch campaign

Importantly, this should complement KWS’s existing management plan rather than duplicate it.

Phase 2 — Kora Conservancy Development

The eight-step NPC model:

1. Natural Resource Audits
Wildlife, habitat, water, biodiversity and ecosystem services.

2. Comprehensive Community Planning
Participatory planning with communities surrounding Kora.

3. Land Use Mapping & Zoning
Conservation corridors, settlements, agriculture, livestock, tourism and enterprise areas.

4. Legal & Governance Structures
Community conservancy/SPV structures and appropriate relationships with county governments, KWS and other stakeholders.

5. Destination Marketing & Investable Concessions
Identify sites and opportunities capable of attracting responsible tourism and conservation investment.

6. Social Impact Investment & Community Enterprise
Develop businesses that allow communities to earn directly from conservation.

7. Rewilding & Landscape Restoration
Restore degraded habitat and strengthen wildlife movement between protected areas.

8. Long-term Conservancy Management
Create the management and commercial platform that keeps the landscape functioning.

The marketing proposition

Kora Conservancy is a community-led conservation landscape surrounding Kora National Park and connecting the wider Meru–Kora protected-area system through wildlife corridors, sustainable enterprise, responsible tourism and landscape restoration.

Discover Kora Conservancy— Kenya’s Last Wilderness, Beyond the Park.

A new community-led conservation destination where wilderness, wildlife, culture and enterprise come together around Kora National Park and the Tana River.