About Us
Philosophy
The principle objectives of the GWC include:
- Conservation of the natural environment in partnership with local communities.
- A robust community development policy.
- Agricultural and pastoral development in harmony with wildlife conservation.
- Conservation of water catchments and natural waterways.
- Conservation and expansion of the natural flora with a view to benefiting the present and future generations of the Kenyan nation.
- The development of internaltional partnerships to advance education and the academic opportunities of the surrounging communities.
The rough arid terrain of the Conservancy is one where only the strongest survive, and yet this area was a hugely successful working Game Ranch run by the Galana Game Management Scheme in the last quarter of the nineteen hundreds and has been feted as a prototype for modern ranching where game and cattle are run together.
This scheme spanned through the same total landscape comprising of 3,000 square miles of unspoilt and largely empty scrub land. This not only provided a safe environment for the wildlife to roam free, but also provided limitless vegetation for the Boran cattle kept at the ranch. The infrastructure that was built around the ranch was dynamic, adaptable and purposeful. 2000km roads were constructed, constantly graded and maintained through the rainy season. Several dams were built to catch the intermittent and very short life giving rainfall in the region to the benefit of both the cattle and the wildlife. Over a dozen airstrips were constructed, along with management and ranger outposts, to protect the animals and cattle in the Ranch.
In addition to the work at the ranch, extensive research and head counts were performed on the two distinct categories of wildlife species contained, including their migration and survival habits in this desert paradise of astounding and beautiful variation:
The residents, that do not need to drink daily and so can stay further away from the river throughout the dry season. These include animals such as the majestic Lesser Kudu, Peters Gazelle, Gerenuk, Dik-Dik, Oryx and Giraffe.
The Migrants who need daily water include Buffalo, Eland, Zebra and the Elephant feast on the bloom of grasses and shrubs that follows the short but torrential rainy season, and who come to the mighty Sabaki river to quench their thirst.
Comparisons of the Galana Scheme back in the 1960’s to other areas in Kenya are in the table below: - (Only incorporating 3 areas of a total of 8 for the Galana Scheme)
This scheme spanned through the same total landscape comprising of 3,000 square miles of unspoilt and largely empty scrub land. This not only provided a safe environment for the wildlife to roam free, but also provided limitless vegetation for the Boran cattle kept at the ranch. The infrastructure that was built around the ranch was dynamic, adaptable and purposeful. 2000km roads were constructed, constantly graded and maintained through the rainy season. Several dams were built to catch the intermittent and very short life giving rainfall in the region to the benefit of both the cattle and the wildlife. Over a dozen airstrips were constructed, along with management and ranger outposts, to protect the animals and cattle in the Ranch.
In addition to the work at the ranch, extensive research and head counts were performed on the two distinct categories of wildlife species contained, including their migration and survival habits in this desert paradise of astounding and beautiful variation:
The residents, that do not need to drink daily and so can stay further away from the river throughout the dry season. These include animals such as the majestic Lesser Kudu, Peters Gazelle, Gerenuk, Dik-Dik, Oryx and Giraffe.
The Migrants who need daily water include Buffalo, Eland, Zebra and the Elephant feast on the bloom of grasses and shrubs that follows the short but torrential rainy season, and who come to the mighty Sabaki river to quench their thirst.
Comparisons of the Galana Scheme back in the 1960’s to other areas in Kenya are in the table below: - (Only incorporating 3 areas of a total of 8 for the Galana Scheme)
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So from the sheer weight of numbers illustrated above Galana held a huge amount of wildlife in its borders. The main threats that they experienced then, as we do today, are poaching and charcoal burning. Unless these two issues are effectively controlled Galana suffers exploitation. Future plans were set out, to include trying to eradicate these activities as a priority over all other considerations.
In the mid nineties the Ranch was taken over by the Agricultural Development Corporation (ADC). The Galana Wildlife Conservancy (GWC) was created in March 2008 and has been operating as a not-for-profit company registered in Kenya in 2008. The GWC is now a 60,000 acre Conservancy located east of Tsavo East National Park, North of the Galana river, within the existing Agricultural Development Corporation (ADC) Galana Ranch. The three main communities living in Galana are the Orma, the Watta and the Giriama. (see Annex 1: GWC Community Report March 2011). Access to the Conservancy is by air (there are 3 airstrips in and around the GWC) and road. The Main Gate is situated at the south-east end, across the Galana River causeway. During heavy rains whence the water level is too high to safely cross the causeway, one may also drive in through the Tsavo East National Park border. The lease agreement signed between the GWC (tenant) and the ADC (landlord) runs for 16 years, twice renewable. According to the agreement, the GWC gate fees collected are shared equally between the two parties. Actual operations commenced in May 2010, managed by the Directors together with the support from a handful of sponsors, well wishers and volunteers from various walks of life. The GWC directors are Martin Forster (Chairman GWC), Garry Cullen (Secretary GWC), John A. Byrne, (Research and Development GWC), Crista Cullen (Marketing GWC) The board meets every two months and all meetings are minuted. The Memorandum of Articles of Association of GWC and the Lease Agreement can be made available upon request. |
