ABSTRACT
Africa's second-highest mountain is a unique equatorial peak that provides critical water supplies throughout the region. Mount Kenya sits in the heart of Kenya in eastern Africa. It is located 298 miles from the Indian Ocean and is part of Mount Kenya National Park, an 808-square-mile protected national park. Its first five-year management plan for Mount Kenya had three goals: preserve the afro-alpine ecosystem, enhance the traditions and values of a high-elevation wilderness area for the enjoyment of visitors, and protect Mount Kenya as a whole. Goals included improving water management practices, developing the livelihoods of rural residents, advancing the governance capacity of the local government, and improving environmental conservation. In 2009, the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) began an environmental assessment of the ecology of the Mount Kenya Reserve to establish baseline data to address one of the recurring problems in the region conflict between wildlife and people.
