NAIROBI – Kenya – Kisite Mpunguti Marine National Park and Reserve has won the 2024 Eco Warrior Awards’ Leading Protected Area in Biodiversity Conservation title.
The award ceremony was held on Thursday, October 17, 2024, at a Nairobi hotel.
“Our dedication to preserving these underwater marvels has made waves, from vibrant coral reefs to thriving marine life,” the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) stated.
This recognition is courtesy of Ecotourism Kenya, a membership association mandated by the Kenyan tourism industry to champion responsible and sustainable tourism practices.
“This is a testament to our unwavering commitment to conserving Kenya’s marine resources while leading the way in sustainable tourism! Here’s to many more victories in conservation,” the KWS statement further reads.
Where is Kisite-Mpunguti Marine National Park located
Y News understands that Kisite-Mpunguti Marine National Park is located on the southern coast of Kenya, near Shimoni and south of Wasini Island in Kwale County, close to the Tanzanian border.
The KWS manages it, featuring beautiful coral reefs, diverse marine life, and a rocky coastline.
The area is known for its picturesque scenery, including coral forests and baobab trees. These provide perfect conditions for adventure diving, with clear waters full of diverse marine life.
September is the perfect diving season, as the water is calm and clear.
What we know about Kisite-Mpunguti Marine National Park
It has two tiny villages, a low rag coral forest cover, many baobab trees, and a charmingly sculpted rocky beach.
The amiable “Wasini Women’s Boardwalk” oversees the unique grey-white coral gardens in Wasini Village. These gardens were once beneath the waters but are now only washed by the incoming tide.
They have a handicraft store, cold refreshments, and guided walks.
A winding boardwalk winds through the circuit’s two-and-a-half acres of mangrove swamps and petrified coral gardens.
Beautiful and sun-kissed, the Park was established to protect the scenic islands and unique habitats of a wide range of endemic marine animals and breeding migratory birds.
Y News knows that the Park lies in the coral gardens south of Wasini Island and encompasses three small coral rag forest islands, each with considerable areas of fringing reef.
What is the essence of the 2024 Eco Warrior Awards
In the meantime, the award-winning ceremony honoured and celebrated trailblazers setting the standard for sustainable practices in various industries under the topic “Realising Sustainable Development Goals Through Sustainable Tourism.”
This year’s awards were especially noteworthy since they brought attention to how vital tourism is to advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations (UN).
The awardees have contributed outstandingly to environmental preservation, community support, and sustainable tourist industry growth via creativity, teamwork, and commitment.
John Ololtuaa, the Principal Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife, was the chief guest on this occasion.
“His presence, along with other key tourism leaders, showed stakeholder engagement and support for responsible tourism,” the event organisers said.
The 2024 Ecowarrior Awards featured ten competitive categories, with each winner showcasing outstanding achievements in their respective areas.
