Informing Equitable Governance and Engagement of Maasai Communities in Carbon Markets to Ensure Benefit Sharing and Effective Conservation

Past Student Researchers

Owen Tucker '25, Major: Finance; Major: Integrative Conservation (2024)

Michael Foley '26, Major: Economics (2023)

Riley Kelley '24, Major: Biology; Major: Environment and Sustainability (2023)

Julia Wack '24, Major: Integrative Conservation; Minor: Environment and Sustainability (2023)

Faculty Mentors

Dr. Fernando Galeana-Rodriguez, Graham Henshaw  (2023), and  Erica Garroutte (2023)

Project Description

The Amboseli Ecosystem has a unique history and approach to community conservation, serving as a global model. The Maasai communities of Amboseli are stewards of their land, using pastoralist livelihood strategies that are not only compatible with but also sustain biodiversity and ecosystem health. The conservation success of Amboseli’s rich biodiversity is largely due to community-led initiatives and equitable governance structures that balance Maasai livelihoods with conservation goals. However, challenges such as frequent droughts, land-use changes, group ranch subdivisions, and the influx of outside markets are threatening both biodiversity and the pastoralist livelihoods of local Maasai communities.

Carbon markets present a promising opportunity to mitigate climate change impacts, promote environmental conservation, and support the continued livelihoods of Maasai communities. To be effective, however, these markets must be grounded in a thorough understanding of Maasai perspectives on carbon trading and the governance structures needed to ensure equitable benefits for the community, along with sustainable conservation outcomes. This exploration of the political ecology of conservation decisions in Amboseli will help guide the region’s group ranches and communities in planning and making decisions that ensure carbon markets align with local goals.

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Project ID - Format

23-019-23 - CRP Year

23-019-24 - CRP Year