Development challenges and management strategies on the Kenyan National Park System: A case of Nairobi National Park
Faith Mwangi, Qinghai Zhang, Han Wang
Abstract
In the over seventy years of Kenya's national park practice, Nairobi National Park, the oldest one among 24 national parks in Kenya, has plentiful experience as a representative in conservation, nature education, and management mechanisms on Kenya national parks. Therefore, it is the epitome of exploring the Kenyan National Park System. This paper takes Nairobi National Park as a case to analyze the Kenyan National Park System. It pragmatically explains the park's role in biodiversity conservation, its socio-cultural and economic value, and the threats it faces, and then highlights the management strategies set to address these challenges. It reviews the relationship between the three elements (roles, threats and management of national park system) and how this relationship influences the state of national park system. It proposes that the ideal state of the national park system is where roles are fulfilled, threats are managed and the governing policies are effective, efficient and economic.