Conservation Investment Plan for Mara Wetlands

The Mara Wetlands Conservation Investment Plan (CIP) is a resource mobilization document developed for the government of Tanzania to assist in the solicitation of funding for the sustainable management and conservation of the Mara Wetlands area. The CIP targets potential donors and investors in wetland conservation to secure funding for conservation of the Mara Wetlands landscape. It outlines the conservation goals for the area and identifies the most critical conservation funding priorities, and serves as a tool for mobilizing new funding. 

The populations living around the Mara Wetlands depend on it for fresh water and to support agricultural production, which sustains their livelihoods and local economy.  The Wetlands also provide a habitat for local flora and fauna, some of which are critically endangered. But the wetland is threatened by upper catchment degradation and deforestation, agricultural intensification and increased water extraction for human use, reducing the quality and flow of water into the Wetlands.  

The Mara Wetlands CIP provides an avenue to help conserve threatened species in the Mara Wetlands. It will also integrate wetland concerns into community planning and decision making. The economic value of the Mara Wetlands (USD 5,000,000 per year) provides a strong justification to ensure the conservation and sustainable management of the landscape. The cost of implementing the CIP is significantly less than the value of the ecosystem services that are reaped from Mara Wetlands, clearly demonstrating that it pays to conserve.