Conservation, tourism and pastoral livelihoods: wildlife conservancies in the Maasai Mara, Kenya

摘要: The pastoral rangelands of the Mara in Kenya have been a hotspot evolving conservation and development initiatives. However, these initiatives tended not to produce positive outcomes for either people or wildlife. At same time, policies promoted privatisation rangelands, subdividing land individual ownership. Within this backdrop, number wildlife conservancies recently set up where tourism investors pay Maasai landowners vacate their settlements livestock. As market-driven approaches that profound impacts on way is viewed, used managed Mara, thesis situates itself within growing body literature neoliberal conservation. study takes mixed methods approach evaluate livelihoods environment. Using political ecology lens it analyses nature partnership between levels participation power different actors. It investigates contribution livelihoods, uses evaluation techniques assess impact livelihoods. also examines resultant settlement livestock grazing displacement implications has wider landscape. finds can contribute large incomes from participating households. more than livestock, meaning conservancy use restrictions create considerable trade-offs livestock-based Also, since payments are based ownership, previously inequitable system distribution, there inequity such schemes as poor marginalised groups tend be left out. Furthermore, although keeping range open inside conservancies, must considered light effects non-conservancy areas.