Context:

Lake Natron lies within the Northern Tanzania tourism circuit. This is one of the world?s top tourism destinations and Ramsar sites due to its diverse and abundant terrestrial wildlife populations and spectacular landscapes. The indigenous Pastoralists Maasai communities have lived around Lake Natron for hundreds of years. Throughout this long period of time, Lake Natron ecosystem has continued to retain high value of natural resources, which includes: wildlife, forests and water resources. Over recent years, this pastoral-livelihoods system and the land they depend on have been facing serious land use changes, which are threatening Lake Natron biodiversity. This project aim at building the capacity of local pastoralists through strengthening of existing community based governance institutions such as village council and traditional system so that the Lake Natron ecosystem could be managed in a sustainable manner.

About the Proponent:

Ujamaa Community Resource Team (UCRT) is a non-profit making organization that focuses on environment conservation and promotion of social justice. Its target groups are pastoralists and hunter-gatherer communities whereby UCRT works with them to link improved livelihoods and conservation of natural resources. Last year, UCRT was awarded a globally recognized prize known as 2016 Goldman environment Award for its contribution in promoting Sustainable Development Practices in Northern Tanzania.

Project?s Primary Objective:

To enhance conservation of Lake Natron ecosystem through improved environmental governance and livelihoods of local communities.

Implementation Strategies:

1. Improve governance of natural resources within the main catchment areas
2. Link conservation of natural resources and community livelihoods through establishment of tourism enterprises
3. Involve youth and women in conservation and poverty reduction actions in order to achieve community-based natural resources management
4. Promote conservation of ICCAs to decrease land encroachment, overgrazing, deforestation and habitat destruction

Project sustainability Strategies:

? Strengthening capacity for conservation at the community level: This will increase conservation engagement by local communities, who are mostly the Maasai in their day to day life
? Operational sustainability: Revive and revamp Village Natural Resources Management Committee in the target area with the view to putting in place leadership for natural resources management roles at the local level.
? Financial Sustainability: Improved eco-tourism earnings at Engare-sero village

Anticipated results:

? Lake Natron ecosystem properly conserved through conservation by-laws that will be enacted
? Reduced siltation to the Lake Natron basin through conservation of vegetation around the Lake and promotion of conservation farming practices
? A tourism Management Plan established to control and regulate volume of tourism around the Lake in collaboration with conservation authorities.
? Increased income to Youths through Youth Tour Guide Association, Village Councils through Business Tourism Contracts between Village Councils and tour operators