East Africa Herbaria Network

The Maasai Mara University Herbarium is a growing academic herbarium that supports botanical research, teaching, and conservation in one of Kenya’s most ecologically important landscapes—the Maasai Mara ecosystem and the wider Narok region. Hosted by Maasai Mara University, the herbarium serves as a reference collection for plant diversity across savanna, grassland, riverine, woodland, and montane habitats of southwestern Kenya.

The herbarium plays a key role in undergraduate and postgraduate training in botany, ecology, environmental science, and natural resource management. Its collections are used for plant identification, taxonomy, ecological studies, rangeland assessments, and environmental impact research, particularly in landscapes influenced by wildlife conservation, pastoralism, agriculture, and climate variability.

With a strong regional focus, the Maasai Mara University Herbarium documents plant species from the greater Maasai Mara–Serengeti ecosystem, providing essential baseline data for biodiversity monitoring and conservation planning. The herbarium contributes to understanding plant–wildlife interactions, invasive species dynamics, habitat change, and sustainable land-use practices in and around protected areas.

Through collaboration with national institutions such as the East African Herbarium and partnerships with conservation organizations, the Maasai Mara University Herbarium strengthens regional botanical capacity and supports evidence-based conservation. As its collections continue to expand, the herbarium is becoming an increasingly important resource for preserving botanical knowledge and training future scientists in one of Africa’s most iconic conservation landscapes.