Kenya International Conference on Biodiversity, Land use and Climate Change

Conference Overview

Kenya ranks among the world’s top wildlife destinations. A million and a half visitors a year boost our economy by 12 percent. But the swelling arrivals are crowding to our parks to the point of congestion. Big cats are trailed by hoards of cars, off-road driving is pummeling habitats and visitors are grouching about the crowds. Is there any room for further growth? 

Plenty, if we look beyond the congested parks to the natural wealth Kenya has in abundance. In their rush between parks, tourists miss Kenya’s unrivalled diversity of animal and plant life and habitats—its biodiversity—to say nothing of its varied landscapes and rich cultural heritage. We have also overlooked the part biodiversity plays in rural livelihoods and national development.