mt kenya

Mount Kenya National Park, established in 1949, protects the region surrounding Mt.Kenya. Initially it was a forest reserve before being announced as a national park. Currently the national park is within the forest reserve which encircles it. In April 1978 the area was design a UNESCO biosphere reserve.  

The national park and the forest reserve, combined, became a UNESCO World heritage site in 1997.

The government of Kenya had four reasons for creating a national park on and around Mount Kenya. These were the importance of tourism for the local and national economics, to preserve an area of great scenic beauty, to conserve the biodiversity within the park, and to preserve the water catchment for the surrounding area.