Back to projects Eastern Africa

Digitised data collection and improved visitor facilities for enhancing management effectiveness

Privately protected area Conservancy Key landscape for conservation

Management effectiveness

Private sector National or local PA agency National government

Eco-tourism Protected Area Management Effectiveness (PAME) Monitoring/Patrol Equipment

99,957.00 EUR Array; Eastern Africa November 1, 2020 - October 31, 2021

Protected and conserved area(s) concerned

Ol Pejeta Community Conservancy, 555555499

Diagnostic tools used

The IUCN Green List. (https://iucngreenlist.org/sites/ol-pejeta-conservancy/)

The BIOPAMA AC Objectives addressed

Enhance the Management and Governance of priority protected areas by addressing existing limitations

Priority need addressed

The first priority action will address problems caused by manual data collection by shifting to a digital data collection system, supported by building staff capacity to competently implement it.
The second priority action will address visitor management and security by constructing a purpose-built visitor management facility that enables faster and smooth entry and exit for visitors to Ol Pejeta, provides dedicated space for visitor information, and empowers staff to conduct suitable visitor identification checks and ticket inspections.

Project activities

Ol Pejeta’s three field-based teams conduct regular wildlife monitoring, anti-poaching and fencing patrols. Current methods of collecting and reporting data are manual and paper-based which often amounts to errors and delays of up to a week from initial observation. Faster transfer of accurate data from the source will significantly enhance the management of Ol Pejeta and our ability to respond to wildlife threats and incidents affecting neighbouring communities. Ol Pejeta will address this problem by shifting to a digital data collection system, supported by building staff capacity to competently implement it.

Visitor management is an important tool for Ol Pejeta to offer a quality recreational and educational experience to its visitors, respect social carrying capacity, and conduct security checks. Since 2017, visitor numbers have increased year on year to almost 109,000 in 2019. The current set-up at the main gate is inadequate and does not allow staff to adequately engage with visitors, capture visitor information, adjust to busy traffic flows, or perform a security function. As such, it is relatively easy for people to enter the conservancy without paying and a possible gap for poachers to take advantage of. This problem will be addressed by constructing a purpose-built visitor management facility that enables faster and smooth entry and exit for visitors, provides dedicated space for visitor information, and empowers staff to conduct security checks.

The change the project implementation will bring for the protected area(s)

The project will:

Strengthen on-site data collection and analysis to improve management effectiveness.
Strengthen on-site infrastructure to improve visitor management and security.

By digitising data collection:

Our rangers across 3 areas will have the required digital equipment and skills to collect and report data.
The time for getting information from the field to the central office will be reduced from 7 days to one day.
Accurate data will enable faster and data-driven decision-making.
Digital data from different patrols can be analysed to produce analytical tools like geo-visualisations or distribution maps, benefiting Ol Pejeta and potentially other members of the conservation community.

Since eco-tourism is a main source of revenue for Ol Pejeta, we want visitors to receive the best service and tourism experience. By strengthening visitor management, we expect to achieve:

A better all-round experience for visitors who will be welcomed and have the opportunity to access information and ask questions.
An easier and smoother process for visitors to enter and exit the conservancy.
Suitable space and opportunity for our staff to perform needed ticketing, ticket inspections and identification checks comfortably and efficiently.
Improved data capture of visitors and hence improved relationships with visitors enabling us to keep in touch in the future if they indicate this as a preference.
Enhanced security from reduced unauthorised access to the Conservancy.

Download the project infofiche.