National Geographic - USA (2021-12)

(Antfer) #1
RIGHT
Kenya’s Nyakweri
Forest, at one time an
impor tant birthing
area for elephants, was
formerly communal
land: 800 square miles
of indigenous wood-
land. But the forest has
been subdivided, and
Maasai have made it
their home—no longer
moving with their live-
stock as they once did,
but rather settling
down and sending
their children to
school. Forested land
is of little use to cattle
herders, so the Maasai
hire people from other
tribes to cut down
trees and burn wood
to clear grazing land
and produce charcoal.
In East Africa, 80
percent of the urban
population burns
charcoal as the primary
energy for cooking.

BELOW RIGHT
Francis Peenko (point-
ing at screen) and
other Mara Conser-
vancy rangers work
with Kenyan-born
Marc Goss from the
Mara Elephant Project
to steer a drone carry-
ing a thermal camera
to hunt for poachers.
Brian Heath (at far
right) is CEO of
the conservancy.

PHOTO ESSAY: THE PEOPLE


GUARDIANS OF THE LAND

PAGE


NO. 9 4

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN PEOPLE NEED


MORE LAND, FUEL, AND FOOD?


FORESTS GET TURNED INTO CHARCOAL,


AND ANIMALS GET SNARED BY POACHERS.

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