As in any intensively used protected area,
adherence to the MMNR’s rules and regulations is vital for
ensuring that the high standards of the tourism product is
maintained, and that visitor use has the minimal possible impacts
on the area’s ecology and wildlife. In the past, it has often
proved difficult for MMNR managers to control visitor behaviour,
and enforcing the area’s rules has often been a problematic
and time-consuming task. This is due to a variety of factors
peculiar to the MMNR, including the predominant grassland habitat
in and around the area, which makes off-road driving relatively
easy, and which has contributed to vehicles crowding and
approaching extremely close to animals. In addition, the
area’s long and difficult-to-police border has also made it
easy for vehicles to either intentionally or unintentionally enter
the area without paying entrance fees. There has also been a low
general awareness of the area’s rules and regulations (and in
some cases inconstancies between the CCN and CCTM sections of the
Reserve) which, when combined with the inexperienced drivers and
guides used by some operators, has also contributed to frequent
infringement of MMNR rules. This situation has been further
compounded by shortfalls in personnel and equipment dedicated to
monitoring visitor activities, which has meant that the majority of
offences in the area have often gone either undetected or
unpunished.
Significant progress has recently been made to
address this issue, most notably in the Mara Triangle with the
introduction of three vehicles dedicated to regulating visitor
conduct. However, at peak times of year these resources are heavily
stretched, and visitor behaviour in the remaining part of the
Reserve remains unmonitored for most of the year. In addition, the
implementation of this plan’s Zonation & Visitor Use
Scheme, will necessarily complicate the situation on the ground
(through, for example, prohibiting 2WD vehicles and permitting
off-road driving in some parts of the Reserve), and will require
significant enforcement if it is to be successful. In response to
these issues, this management objective has been developed to bring
about the desired future state where all visitors and tourism
operations in the area are aware of and are following
the MMNR’s rules and regulations, with the
ultimate aim of enhancing the visitor experience and tourism
products the Reserve is offering, while ensuring the
protection of the area’s exceptional
resources.
