ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳

Touching Down in the Mara 

Nearly two days after leaving my home in a chilly Mystic, Connecticut, our 14-seater Cessna plane ground to a halt at the Ngerende Airstrip, a gravel runway within the Olchoro–Oirogua Conservation Ranch just outside of Kenya’s iconic Maasai Mara Game Reserve. 

Stepping off the plane, we were greeted by the warm smile of Dr. Antonio Uzal, Associate Professor of Conservation Biology at Nottingham Trent University (UK) and Lead Scientist for this ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ expedition. After piling our luggage into the back of an open-air safari vehicle, we set out on a red-dirt road into the bush. As we passed manyattas—traditional homesteads of the Maasai—children ran to the roadside, waving energetically as we called out ‘Jambo!’ (‘Hello!’) over the hum of the engine. Just before the sky opened with afternoon rain, we were treated to a breathtaking introduction to the Mara’s iconic biodiversity—herds of hartebeest, wildebeest, zebra, Maasai giraffe, buffalo, elephant, hippo, and more!

We emerged from the mist to find ourselves at the gated camp of Enarau Wildlife Conservancy—one of the northernmost conservancies in the Greater Maasai Mara landscape and our home for the next 11 days. A receiving line of Enarau staff was there to welcome us and show us to our cabins. Nestled quietly among the trees, the cabins were surprisingly well-appointed, each with an ensuite bath and two twin beds draped in vibrant black and red checkered shukas—the traditional cloth worn by Maasai warriors.

That evening, after settling in, we gathered around a hearty meal prepared by Chef James, including some warm soup and freshly baked bread! After a good night’s rest, we dove into detailed briefings and training to equip us to tackle the field research tasks ahead. 

Hands-On Restoration and Monitoring 

Clear on our mission, it was time to roll up our sleeves and get to work. Over the next ten days, our team rotated through field tasks, each offering a glimpse into the science of savanna restoration. Some mornings were spent clearing land at the farmland plots and preparing seeds and seedlings in the nursery, while others took us to sampling areas to measure the abundance and diversity of grasses, shrubs, and birds.

In the cooler afternoons, we conducted vehicle-based surveys of large mammals or deployed remote camera traps—digital cameras connected to infrared sensors to detect more cryptic species on the conservancy. Guiding us was a fun-loving, knowledgeable team: master biologists Victor Simiren and Albert Cheruiyot, field team leader Harrison Nabaala—CERK’s Savanna Hub manager and advisor to Enarau—and co-ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ Scientists Drs. Andrew Gichira and Stewart Thompson.

The field surveys were meticulous, and we all discovered a new sense of patience as we bent low to identify grasses and shrubs, squinted through binoculars to track birds, and recorded GPS coordinates of wildebeest herds along transects. Knowing our work supported Enarau’s restoration goals (and shady breaks snacking on delicious mandazi—East African fried donuts!) kept us motivated. Every measurement and observation fed directly into Enarau’s broader vision for restoring and protecting this landscape, and it was rewarding to celebrate each day’s efforts around a roaring campfire, surrounded by the chorus of the bush.

Sundowners and Storytelling 

After a final day of land clearing, planting, and field surveys, Dr. Uzal gathered the team to reflect on our efforts. At Enarau, we walked eight 1-km bird transects, identifying 107 species, completed 10 mammal surveys, assessed vegetation at 12 plots, cleared 524 m² of land for restoration plots, prepared over 1,500 seedling pots, and captured more than 500 wildlife photos with camera traps.

But beyond the data we collected, the wildlife we saw, and the incredible beauty of the Mara landscape that surrounded us, what will really stick with me is the feeling of being part of the beginning of something much bigger than the sum of its parts—a ‘conservation success story’ in the making that stands to yield tangible benefits for both wildlife and local communities.

As we spent a final evening together enjoying some sundowners, hearing stories from a Maasai elder, dancing, and taking in one last magical African sunset—I felt incredibly grateful for the opportunity to be reminded anew of the power of the ÐÓ°ÉÂÛ̳ mission of participatory science to bring a diverse group of people together in the service of critical conservation efforts. 

I hope I can return to Enarau someday to see how this vision has grown. Maybe then, I’ll see elephants, rhinos, and giraffes moving freely through a thriving protected landscape—a testament to the enduring impact of collaborative conservation.