Joshua Sese
Stretching across the windswept Kinangop Plateau in Kenya’s central highlands on the edge of the Great Rift Valley, the Kinangop Grasslands Key Biodiversity Area is a rare and irreplaceable ecosystem where open montane grasslands coexist with vibrant rural livelihoods. This site is neither a national park nor a gazetted reserve, but a mosaic of natural high-altitude grasslands largely under private ownership, making its conservation both special and challenging.
The area is globally significant for its exceptional biodiversity, most notably as the stronghold of the Kenya-endemic and endangered Sharpe’s Longclaw, which relies on intact grass tussocks for feeding, roosting and nesting. The site also supports the endangered Aberdare Cisticola, the magnificent Long-tailed Widowbird, over 200 recorded bird species and important amphibians such as the Kinangop River Frog and Mountain Reed Frog. The rolling plains and seasonal wetlands also contribute to local water systems, supporting downstream communities.
Despite its importance, the grassland faces mounting pressure. Conversion to crop farming, land subdivision and fencing, settlement expansion and infrastructure development have led to widespread habitat loss and fragmentation. Rapid human population growth has further intensified demand for land, accelerating the decline of suitable habitat for specialist species like Sharpe’s Longclaw.
To secure the future of Kinangop Grasslands, conservation organisations, researchers, local landowners and government agencies are working collaboratively to integrate biodiversity safeguards into land-use planning. Leading this effort is the Friends of Kinangop Plateau, Nature Kenya’s Site Support Group founded in 1997. The group has been instrumental in habitat conservation and restoration, biodiversity research and monitoring, environmental education and community empowerment.
Nature Kenya acquired four Nature Reserves to safeguard some of the grasslands in perpetuity. In the reserves, a controlled grazing system using sheep maintains grassland structure suitable for Sharpe’s Longclaw. Wool from the sheep is purchased by the Njabini Wool Crafters Cooperative Society, generating income for local communities whilst preserving habitat. One reserve also hosts a resource centre that serves as a hub for environmental education and conservation outreach, reinforcing the message that people and grassland biodiversity can thrive together.
HALF OF KENYA’S KBAs ARE UNPROTECTED, I BELIEVE.