The Zonation & Visitor Use Scheme elsewhere in
this plan makes provision for off-road driving in
the
MMNR’s Low Use Zone. When carefully
controlled, Off-Road Driving (ORD) has the potential of
significantly
enhancing the visitor experience, and premium
tourism product, in this zone, by permitting
closer
access to wildlife and providing a greater sense
of exploration and wilderness, a key characteristic of the
LUZ
tourism product. On the other hand, when
inappropriately conducted, this activity can result in
significant
damage to sensitive habitats, as well as a
deterioration of the visitor experience through harassment of
wildlife,
over-crowding, and visual impacts. As the major
focus of management through this tourism
programme
will be on improving the visitor experience and
the management of the high numbers of visitors in the
Reserve’s
High Use Zone, much of the responsibility for the
management of the ORD experience in the LUZ
will inevitably fall with the drivers and guides
undertaking this activity. While it is anticipated that
tourism
operators will use their more experienced drivers
and guides in this zone (due to the premium fees
associated
with entering the Reserve in a 4WD vehicle),
explicit regulations and guidelines governing this activity
are
still needed to ensure that it is undertaken in
the most appropriate manner.
The box overpage sets out the MMNR LUZ Off-Road
Driving guidelines that will apply in both the
Trans
Mara and Narok sections of the Reserve. Before ORD
is permitted in the Reserve, management will
raise
awareness of these guidelines, through for example
websites, email campaigns and/or in conjunction
with
KTF or KATO. These guidelines will also be
incorporated into a leaflet that will be given to all visitors
entering
the MMNR in an appropriate 4WD vehicle. In
addition, before ORD commences, zone boundaries
will
also need to be clearly marked, as well as any
areas closed to ORD demarcated (such as areas to the south
of
Keekorok Lodge). Monitoring of the ecological
impacts of ORD will be undertaken by the MMNR
Ecologist
(to be recruited under Action 3.2 of the PA
Operations Programme), and its impacts will also be
assessed
under an independent study to be overseen by MMNR
management (see Ecological Management
Programme,
Action 5.4). If unacceptable damage is occurring
as a result of this activity, management will in
due
course close off part or all of the Low Use Zone
to ORD, as appropriate.
