Our Projects
Olokeri Carbon Project
Project Overview
The Olokeri Carbon Project represents a transformative partnership with Maasai communities to protect the Naimina Enkiyio Forest—”Forest of the Lost Child”—a landscape of profound cultural significance and exceptional biodiversity in Kenya’s Loita Hills.
This landscape-scale initiative addresses critical deforestation drivers through a 40-year commitment to both protecting existing forest and restoring degraded areas. By blending traditional Maasai knowledge with modern conservation approaches, the project aims to preserve vital habitat within the Eastern Afromontane Biodiversity Hotspot while generating significant climate benefits.
Through community-led land use planning and sustainable livelihood development, the project fosters a model where climate action strengthens rather than competes with cultural heritage. This integrated approach ensures the forest continues serving as a critical “water tower” for surrounding plains while maintaining its role as a sacred site for Maasai ceremonies and traditional knowledge.
Download the Olokeri Carbon Project Brochure
Learn more about this restoration project and its impact on local communities and ecosystems. Our detailed project brochure provides key information about implementation strategies, current progress, and partnership opportunities.Ecosystem
The Olokeri project area encompasses exceptional biodiversity within the Eastern Afromontane Biodiversity Hotspot, centered around the Naimina Enkiyio Forest. This landscape features a mosaic of interconnected ecosystems including dense Afromontane forest with diverse understory, riverine forest corridors along water courses, open savannah woodlands, and perennial wetlands that collectively form a critical water catchment for surrounding regions.
This ecological treasure faces mounting threats from agricultural expansion, timber extraction, and unrestricted grazing, resulting in annual deforestation rates of 0.94% for closed forest and 0.46% for open woodland. Despite these challenges, the area supports numerous threatened species including endangered African elephants, vulnerable lions and leopards, and several endemic plants like the recently discovered Craterostigma iloitaii and an undescribed chameleon species unique to this forest.
By addressing the drivers of forest loss, the project aims to maintain the landscape’s capacity for carbon storage while protecting its rich biodiversity and essential ecosystem services.
| Stat Label | Stat Value |
|---|---|
| Project Area | 153,000 hectares |
| Carbon Potential | 8-29 million tCO₂e |
| Biodiversity Protection | 5+ endangered or threatened species |
| Implementation Timeline | Phased approach across 3 community areas (2025-2027) |
Community
The Olokeri Carbon Project centers on partnership with Maasai communities in Loita Ward, where approximately 33,700 people across 6,400 households maintain deep cultural connections to the forest. For generations, these communities have protected Naimina Enkiyio Forest through traditional management systems, with the landscape containing numerous sacred sites essential for ceremonies, rituals, and rites of passage.
Traditional Maasai livelihoods revolve around pastoralism with seasonal migration patterns, including designated dry-season grazing reserves (olokeri) within the forest—which inspired the project name. However, recent land adjudication processes converting communal land to private ownership have begun to undermine traditional conservation practices.
Through collaborative land use planning and sustainable livelihood initiatives, the project creates a framework where carbon finance supports both forest protection and community wellbeing. This partnership approach ensures that cultural heritage and traditional knowledge remain central to conservation success while creating new economic opportunities aligned with forest stewardship.
Technical Approach
The Olokeri Carbon Project implements both REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) and ARR (Afforestation, Reforestation, and Revegetation) activities to address different landscape challenges. The project follows Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) methodologies VM0047 and VM0048, with additional certification under Climate, Community and Biodiversity Standards (CCB) to verify social and environmental benefits.
Our implementation strategy focuses on:
- Community-based forest protection and monitoring using both traditional knowledge and modern technology
- Participatory land use planning to designate conservation areas based on ecological and cultural significance
- Active reforestation of degraded areas with native Afromontane species
- Sustainable grazing management systems that respect traditional pastoral practices
- Fire management programs to reduce forest loss
The project employs a phased geographical approach across three implementation areas, enabling adaptive management and learning while respecting the unique needs of each community. Regular monitoring includes forest inventory plots, biodiversity surveys focused on indicator species, and community wellbeing assessments to track progress across all dimensions.
Progress and Impact
The Olokeri Carbon Project is currently in the project development phase, with implementation planned to begin in 2025. Key progress to date includes:
- Engagement with community representatives across the project area to discuss the carbon project concept
- Initial partnership discussions with local conservation organizations
- Stakeholder mapping and consultation process underway
- Baseline carbon assessment initiated to quantify potential carbon benefits
As the project advances through 2025, we will focus on completing the Project Design Document, conducting Vision + Design workshops with communities, establishing baseline carbon measurement plots, and developing detailed land use plans for Phase 1 areas. These foundational activities will set the stage for successful implementation while ensuring full community participation in project design.
