'Forests and Livelihoods: Sustaining People and Planet'
March 3rd 2021
The World Wildlife Day Theme 2021
‘Forests and Livelihoods: Sustaining People and Planet’
This year the World Wildlife Day highlights the role of forests, forest species and ecosystems services in sustaining the livelihoods of hundreds of millions of people globally. In particular the Indigenous and local communities with historic ties to forested and forest-adjacent areas.
The earth’s forests and woodlands cover nearly a third of the planet’s surface and they are the key pillars of human livelihoods and wellbeing. Over 800 million people live in tropical forests and savannahs in developing countries. The indigenous and rural communities who call these areas their home have a particularly close relationship with the natural systems they live in. They rely on the environment to meet their essential needs – food, shelter, energy and medicines from their surrounding. They also maintain a strong personal, cultural and spiritual relationship with their environments. Indigenous people and local communities are also the historic custodians of the planet’s most important reservoirs of biodiversity, including forests.
The ecosystem the earth’s forests and woodlands provide are essential globally. Filtering and storing freshwater, to ensuring the fertility of soils and regulating the climate. Yet, forests are now at the crossroads of the multiple planetary crises we are currently facing. Climate change, biodiversity loss, social and economic impacts of the current global pandemic.
On 3rd March 2021, World Wildlife Day will celebrate forest-based livelihoods. Aiming to seek and promote forest and forest wildlife management models and practices that accommodate both human well-being and the long-term conservation of forests. Forest-dwelling species of wild fauna and flora create a unique ecosystem. Combining traditional practices and knowledge, the aim is to establish a long term sustainable human-nature balance.
The History of World Wildlife Day
In honor of this year’s Forests and Livelihoods theme, Ahnasa is featuring properties in Kenya’s lush Matthews Range Forest, an oasis in Northern Kenya’s desert region
Kenya’s Newest Camp!
An intimate, tented luxury bush camp, Kalepo Camp is set in a shady grove of acacias with the majestic Mathews Mountains as a backdrop. Offering guests the exclusive use of 390,000 acres to explore the beauty and culture of this corner of Samburuland, the camp is perfectly tailored to private families and private group safaris.
Nestled in the heart of Samburuland in Northern Kenya, where people and wildlife co-exist as they have done for centuries, the camp is the perfect location from which to explore the diversity of Kenya’s “Big North”.
Witness the Samburu people’s traditional way of life firsthand. The Samburu people, a Nilotic tribe inhabiting Kenya’s northern plains are nomadic pastoralists, moving from one place to another following patterns of rainfall in search of fresh pasture and water for their cattle, camels, goats and sheep. In Kalepo immerse yourself in their incredible culture.
Kalepo Camp is Open and Welcoming Guests.
Experience a blend of experiential travel, Conservation and Community
A luxurious tented camp set on the edge of the magnificent Samburu wilderness, Sarara Camp offers a truly unique and immersive experience that gives back to the people and the land that need it the most.
With six beautifully appointed en-suite tents overlooking the majestic Mathews Mountain Range, Sarara Camp is the perfect African wilderness home for families of all ages. The camp provides a fantastic platform to explore the 850,000 acre Namunyak Wildlife Conservancy and the camp’s waterhole is the perfect place to catch sight of the variety of wildlife that frequent the area.
Sarara is a conservation brand that partners with indigenous communities to build sustainability for people and wildlife through truly unique and experiential safari experiences. Part of the community-owned Namunyak Wildlife Conservancy in the heart of the Mathews Range, and in partnership with the Northern Rangelands Trust, Sarara has fast become a flagship model for community conservation across Africa.
Sarara Camp is Open and Welcoming Guests.
‘In the Shadow of Mt. Uarges’
This off the grid, solar powered masterpiece is entirely eco friendly, with every precaution taken to preserve the natural habitat surrounding it. This truly unique tree lodge offers an incredible platform to experience the wildlife and culture of the Mathews Range. Nestled into a forest glade at the foot of Uarges mountain, the Treehouse emerges from the forest canopy.
A main mess area and swimming pool overlooks a beautiful waterhole, whilst commanding incredible views of Mount Uarges, one of the seven sacred mountains to the Samburu.
A Legendary Mountain Forest Camp
From the dry, yellow savannah that epitomises northern Kenya’s expansive plains rises 900 square kilometres of lush mountain forest like no other in East Africa.
This is a place where elephants forge trails amongst ancient hardwood trees and endemic cycads, where crystal clear streams form natural swimming pools, and where rare and endangered monkeys thrive under the protection of local Samburu communities.
Nestled in one of the valleys – overlooking a river frequented by African painted dogs, colourful birds, leopards and elephants is Kitich Forest Camp. Kitich sits on National Forestry land, and is surrounded by Namunyak, a 383,000-acre conservancy owned and managed by local communities.
Kitch’s Sustainable Tourism ethos is a critical part of the community conservancy model, providing jobs, conservancy revenue and conservation incentives. This camp offers traditional safari charm in a wilderness quite unlike any other in Africa.
Activities include: Guided walks / Quad biking / swimming in rock pools / cultural visits / night game drives.
Kitich Camp will be open and welcoming guests soon.
Books for Conservation
Remembering Wildlife is a collective series of books featuring stunning wildlife images. Created by British wildlife photographer Margot Ragget, who was prompted to act after seeing a poached elephant, her initiative is to raise awareness of the plight facing wildlife and to protect it through funds raised from the sale of the books. The World’s best wildlife photographers were invited to donated their images and their response was unanimous. Remembering Elephants, by ‘Wildlife Photographers United’ was published in September 2016 with images donated by 65 of the world’s top wildlife photographers. The success of the book led to Remembering Rhinos, Remembering Great Apes, Remembering Lions, Remembering Cheetahs and now in 2021, Remembering Wild Dog.
Together so far, the collective series has raised more than $1 million USD towards conservation projects.
Remembering Wild Dog’s Kickstarter Campaign will be live on March 5th 2020.
Ahnasa Destinations will be participating in the kickstarter campaign, if you would like to order this book, please get in touch with us through the button below.
Best time to Visit The Matthews Range
