They say the future depends on what we do in the present. Recently Kenya Wildlife Service for the first time and definitely not the last, held the first Wildlife Conference on Research, entitled; Wildlife Conference 2007: Research Imperatives for Biodiversity Conservation and Management. It was held at the prestigious Safari Park Hotel, Nairobi-Kenya from the 18^th -20^th April 2007. 

This year’s wildlife conference was keen to discuss how best to manage wildlife scientifically. This brought out strongly the strategic plan value statement, which points out that at KWS, “we conserve and manage Kenya’s wildlife scientifically, responsively and professionally.”

The conference was officially opened on the 18^th April by the assistant minister for Tourism Hon. Raphael Muriungi and attended by the Director of KWS Mr. Julius Kipng’etich and his two predecessors Dr. David Western and Nehemiah Rotich. Over 350 participants from different parts of the world took part in the conference and over 40 papers were presented.

The main objective of the conference was to enhance biodiversity conservation and management research among stakeholders through sharing of experiences and networking within the region and the world over. The main theme of the conference was ‘landscape and seascape conservation areas approach’. In the plenary, it was noted that large-scale conservation approach provides greater opportunities to realize conservation in both protected areas and the surrounding where human communities live. The presentations and discussions in context of landscape and seascape approach, focused on status of biodiversity and mapping, fenced and unfenced protected areas, endangered species management and communities involvement.

The scientists in the conference and other participants emphasized on science driven wildlife conservation and management and increasing the benefits from protected areas and reducing their costs to local people. In the same note, it was noted that Kenya Wildlife Service is placing wildlife management in the broader context of sustainable development, where non-consumptive utilization is emphasized in view of the diminishing wildlife population among other biodiversity resources in Kenya. This calls for a long-term commitment to working with local communities, which in turn provides a greater opportunity to long-term solutions to wildlife management.

The conference created an opportunity for scientists, managers, stakeholders and community representatives to show and share innovations in landscape and seascape management. To be on the cutting edge of wildlife management, the Kenya Wildlife Service Board of Trustees encourages innovative, pioneering and reproducible initiatives in conserving and managing wildlife. For instance, the decision by the Board to allow rhino conservation in some private sanctuaries has seen the rhino population grow. Further, among other innovative ideas, landscape approach to conservation is being emphasized particularly to reduce habitat fragmentation that threatens survival of wildlife in Kenya.

Those that attended the conference were impressed by the organization, attendance and whole layout of the conference including the various presentations made by participants. Scientists from five continents, Africa, Asia, America, Europe and Australia attended the conference. This meant that the conference provided unique opportunity for sharing information among, conservationists, managers and policy makers.

The milestones on the road map to and success of the wildlife conference 2007, took the collective effort of the KWS fraternity. The Board of Trustees created the platform to hold the conference, the Director, Julius Kipng’etich and the Executive Committee (E-COM) provided guidance towards the vision while the Biodiversity Steering Committee (BSC) chaired by the Deputy Director Biodiversity Research and Monitoring Division, Dr. Richard Bagine and composed of six department heads dedicated their time to provide sound advice, facilitation and coordination. Convention, Biodiversity and Information Management Department, which is in charge of research information management, headed by James Njogu spearheaded the conference organization.

In organizing, two sitting committees were involved: The first committee was composed of KWS corporate partners representatives including Dr. Nick Georgiadis of Mpala Research Centre, Dr. Philip Muruthi of African Wildlife Foundation, Mr. James Ndung’u of African Conservation Centre, Mr. Jim Kairu from Moi University and Dr. Robert Chira, Prof. Dickson Nyariki and Prof. Mohamed Badamana all from various departments of University of Nairobi. Dr. Samuel Kasiki and Dr. James Njogu, who chaired the meeting while Richard Odongo was the secretary, represented Kenya Wildlife Service.

The second committee was exclusively internal and was composed of members of the Biodiversity Steering Committee and representatives of key departments. Dr. James Njogu chaired both committees and headed the implementation through a secretariat. The secretariat team composed of Peter Mwangi, Lynnette Ambenge and led by Idza Dzilla did a commendable job.

Funding came from KWS with substantial support from partners including the Ford Foundation, Earthwatch Institute, Birdlife International, Conbifora Field School in conjunction with Rutgers University in US, the Kenya Forest Research Institute and Safaricom.

Wildlife conservation and management efforts must to science-driven in order to secure Kenya’s diverse biological recourses. Research on wildlife seeks to mitigate the threats to biological recourses yet designing ways of benefiting from them now and for posterity.