The programme is completed by its final objective
which addresses the issues of the MMNR road network,
and sets out a series of actions designed to ensure that all new
developments are supporting the development of the tourism product
set out on the zonation scheme, and/or to enhance the security of
the area. The objective includes a number of management actions to
enhance the game viewing track network in the High Use Zone, ensure
that the Mara River Zone is easily discernable by visitors on the
ground, and to address longstanding road construction and
maintenance equipment needs.
Most visitors to the MMNR spend the vast majority
of their visit in their vehicles and on the Reserve’s
roads
(either game viewing or transiting to or from
their accommodations). As a result, the location,
distribution
and condition of the major roads and wildlife
viewing tracks have a significant impact on the quality of
the
visitor experience in the area, and especially on
wildlife viewing opportunities. In addition, the functioning
of
the MMNR management, security operations and
tourism facilities also depend on a reliable and
suitable
network of well-maintained all-weather roads
enabling year-round access to all parts of the Reserve.
However,
the existing network of game viewing roads and
tracks, particularly in the highly used areas of
the
MMNR, has not kept pace with the rapidly expanding
number of visitors to the area in recent years. In
some
cases this has contributed to heavy vehicle
congestion at wildlife sightings, and increased the overall
impression
that the area is heavily overused. Furthermore,
severe weather, and a lack of all-weather standard
roads,
has in recent years not only seriously impacted
management operations, but has in severe cases led to
large
number of tourists cancelling their planned visits
to the area, and seriously impacted on the quality of
the
visitor experience to those that have visited the
area during these periods.
This objective has therefore been developed in
order to upgrade and rehabilitate the entire MMNR
road
network, thereby optimising visitor use of the
Reserve, reducing congestion in heavily used areas,
increasing
access to new parts of the Reserve where
appropriate, and consolidating security coverage of the area.
Six
actions have been developed in order to achieve
this objective; these are elaborated in more detail in the
following
sections.
