On 25–26 May 2026, the Wyss Academy for Nature, together with International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the Kenya Wildlife Conservancies Association (KWCA), and the State Department for Environment, convened a two-day workshop in Nanyuki. The event aimed to bridge policy with local action, creating inclusive pathways for biodiversity conservation that recognize community and private conservancies stewardship outside formal protected areas.

The event brought together 42 participants from community and private conservancies, government agencies, NGOs, and research institutions. Their shared purpose was to bridge national policy dialogues with the lived realities within landscapes, and to co-create pathways for inclusive, equitable conservation. In the end, participants devised next steps both at national and local level toward Kenya’s CBD 30x30 target.

Building on momentum from Kenya’s 2024 national dialogue, the workshop reflected on progress and gaps in aligning OECMs with the country’s biodiversity commitments. The sessions explored how OECMs can safeguard biodiversity while delivering tangible benefits to communities. They also sought to gain deeper insight into what risks the local stakeholders see.

Participants highlighted the value of recognising conservation areas outside formal protected areas, including wildlife corridors, wetlands, and community-owned rangelands. These spaces are vital for ecological connectivity, species protection, and sustaining livelihoods. As one participant noted, “Protected areas are not enough to protect species; OECMs give recognition and shared benefits opportunities to the stewardship communities already provide.”

The workshop also drew lessons from global and regional experiences, with presentations on potential and already designated OECMs in Peru and Southern Africa. They underscored the need for clear incentives, robust land tenure security, and participatory governance. The IUCN site-level assessment tool was introduced on the second day, enabling participants to evaluate potential OECMs against international criteria while ensuring Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC).

Discussions highlighted both optimism and caution. While OECMs offer a chance to expand Kenya’s conservation land area and meet the 30×30 biodiversity target, participants stressed that recognition must not erode community rights or become another top-down designation. Instead, OECMs should strengthen what is already working and empowering communities, securing land tenure, and unlocking equitable financing.

The workshop concluded with a clear roadmap for next steps. Key priorities include advancing legal reforms, building deeper trust with Indigenous peoples and local communities, and mobilizing resources to support site-level implementation. Moving forward, participants committed to deepening collaboration across landscapes and institutions, ensuring that OECMs serve as a tool for both biodiversity and social resilience.

The conversation is grounded in work already underway in these landscapes. Across Laikipia, Isiolo, and Samburu, the Wyss Academy and its partners have mapped wildlife and livestock corridors, restored degraded rangeland with communities, and supported nature-based livelihoods. OECMs offer a route to recognize that stewardship in law and policy.

Ultimately, the workshop reinforced the critical link between science, policy, and practice, and pointed to how national commitments can be successfully operationalized through local action. This joint effort contributes to a conservation model in Kenya that prioritizes community voices, enhances ecological connectivity, and establishes robust frameworks for equitable governance.

Text: Amanda Koech