Environmental conservation work in Mongolia

Open Day “Together For Sustainable Development” was organized in Western Mongolia

Local communities of western aimags including Khovd, Uvs, Govi-altai and Zavkhan aimags gathered for an Open Day on “Together for Sustainable Development” in Chandmani Soum of Khovd Aimag on 19-21 September 2008.  The Open Day organized by the WWF Mongolia, was attended over 270 individuals representing environmental conservation partnerships, community representatives, environmentalists from the Aimags, rangers and researchers.  Participants of the event discussed about prioritized issues raised by overgrazing and climate changes and potential options to overcome constrains. Additionally, they discussed about the ecological importance of biodiversity including globally endangered species e.g. Argali sheep, Snow leopard, and Saiga and their threatening causes. During the event, a lecture-meeting was organized among the secondary school children in Chandmani Soum.

Moreover, a contest “DEVJEE” on environmental laws was organized and a team from Chandmani Soum was at first place. During the contest one hour show of wool products made by partnership members were displayed. For instance, only 30 gram wool turned into a product that cost 2000 tugrigs.

This three day public event that was attended by herders, communities and some local government officials from Western Mongolia provided local communities and authorities with good opportunities to discuss and exchange their views on the prioritized environment and wildlife concerns and seek for more applicable management options. The Open Day participants are going to present the Recommendations and proposed actions to the Government and public hearings.

Was MNT 330,000 paid as compensation for the livestock killed by Snow leopard?

Starting from last year, a pilot project “sheep grant” has been implementing in a Soum of Uvs Aimag. The project beneficiaries are the indigenous herders, who have been living in the remote areas in their preceding generations. The project is implemented in order to lessen complains of herders, who lost their livestock by attacks of Snow leopard. 

Under the pilot project the herders who lost their livestock by attacks of Snow leopard are granted a head of sheep per a head of livestock killed by the species. Nature of this pilot project should be clearly understood. For instance, granting sheep to the herders doesn’t mean “congratulations for making pastureland of domestic animals overlapped with the wildlife habitat OR sorry for the attacks by snow leopard to your herds of livestock and please take sheep for compensation”.  Nevertheless, this pilot project is being implemented to support and assist the herder families, who are used to live in harmony with nature in remote areas next to wildlife habitats and to build more friendly attitudes towards wildlife among local residents.

Since its start, the herders, project beneficiaries, have been happy with the project. However, some local residents try to deceive in order to get sheep in wrong ways. For instance, some herder families, especially not project beneficiaries, come to the programme people to get sheep for the livestock caught by wolf by misleading that “they were caught by Snow leopard”.  However, the group of experienced people and experts identifies whether snow leopard or other predators attacked to the livestock killed. According to the latest reports by the group, there were totally six heads of livestock of two herder families attacked by snow leopard on May 14. The herder families were paid with MNT 330,000 as compensation. Not only the project beneficiaries but also other local residents are willing to protect wildlife species.  For example, they have initiatives to put saltlicks and saline to wildlife species.

Filming of Mongolian saiga biology and ecology

WWF Mongolia has contracted with the Scientific and Environmental Cinematographic Society of Mongolia for filming of Mongolian saiga biology and ecology and it is implemented first stage of the filming as “Mongolian saiga breeding behaviour” in late May, 2008.

This shows you that the breeding behaviour of Mongolian saiga such as giving birth, life of new calf and adaptation to the new environment.
It was very difficult for filming mobile animals like saiga, but filming group was worked hardly in the hot line and finally spied the saiga calves.
"Saiga life" documentary film will be ended within this year particularly early spring. We wish you every success for everybody who are supporting to saiga conservation and studing Mongolian saiga!

B.Chimeddorj

WWF MPO’s partnership in Royal rite ceremony of Sutai Mount

On June 17-18th a specific ceremony for the mount was held and Sutai has become one of the Royal rite mounts of Mongolia. About 600 vehicles and more than 4000 people came to the rite.

^{Sutai Mount is one of the ice-topped and naturally adorable mounts of Mongol Altai mountain range. It locates between Khovd and Gobi-Altai aimag territory and it’s respected by thousands and thousands of residents for years.
WWF MPO’s partnership in the rite was that to call people towards “environmentally friendly” worship. In order to strengthen people’s respectful approach to the nature WWF MPO has Sutai san (blessing book) translated from Tibet language into Mongolian and published and spread to local people. Also during the Royal rite ceremony many worshipers from both aimags but also from other places gathered near the mountain for few days. As you know where people are, there is waste. So as a well-experienced conservational NGO in Mongolia WWF MPO paid more attention to the pollution. We have prepared Letter to the public on not polluting area during these days, waste collecting bags and passed our messages successfully to the public. As our work result we’ve found 3 track waste in special-made garbage place instead of finding waste everywhere!  
G.Altantsetseg (WWF Mongolia)}

Where shall the fate of wild gazelles turn?

May 14th, 2008. WWF Mongolia has received news from WWF Russia during the past week that a large number of Mongolian gazelle have got tangled in the border fence on Ereentsav, Dashbalbar soum in Dornod aimag.

We collaborated with the Border guard and got confirmation that more mongolian gazelles have flocked here than usual. Therefore, the joint research team of WWF Mongolia and the Biological Institute of the Mongolian Academy of Sciences departed on the 15^th at around 17 hours to get information about the gazelle herds, whether the border fence is influencing migration, and why gazelles have started flocking in large numbers in the first place. We will present more information shorty.

The main population of Mongolian gazelles live in the east and south-east portion of the country. The separate populations that separated in the last decade exist in the south and west aimags. Researchers emphasize the fact that the last main group of steppe ungulates live in the Dornod steppe region.

Until the beginning of the 20^th century Mongolian gazelles were spread to all of the Mongolian steppe and forests, the Chui steppe in Russia, the Daurian steppe and north-east China. Combined, these reached almost one million square kilometers. However it has shrinked and the population has been reduced even in the most plentiful places. The Mongolian gazelle now lives only in some parts of Dornod, Khentii, Sukhbaatar and Dornogovi. Apart from these, only some isolated herds with small numbers are present in other parts of the country.

Onon Yo., Species Programme Manager onon@wwf.mn

2008.04.21 Both Governmental and Non-Governmental organizations are uniting under the issue of the Environment

Mobile training was organized and conducted from April 13-21 to increase the involvement of governmental agencies in stopping the illegal commercial use of flora and fauna

150 people from border posts’ Border Defence Force in Borshoo in Uvs aimag, the International Tsagaan lake in Bayan-Ulgii, Yarant in Khovd and Burgastai in Govi-Altai, Customs’ Inspection, and Border Inspection were included in this mobile training.

The Mobile training team for “Increasing the cooperative involvement of governmental agencies in stopping the illegal commercial use of flora and fauna” included representatives from the Ministry of Justice and Domestic Affairs, Border Protection Agency, State Specialized Inspection Agency, General Police Office, General Customs Office, and CITES Authority. The involvement of these people resulted in making the training session more worthwhile.

This became a real example on how good cooperation by these organizations’ members can contribute to a strong outcome.  For more information please see the mobile training team’s report.

2008.04.03. Information on Mongolia’s Protected areas have been added to Geographic Information Systems

Work to incorporate and add information on Protected Areas to GIS began in May of 2007 with the cooperation of WWF Mongolia Programme Office and the Agency for Land Affairs, Geodesy and Cartography

In the last few years, turning land into protected areas to protect the land from becoming licensed areas for the survey and use of minerals by authorities and citizens has become widespread. Please see this work report on how the main objectives and sources of making areas protected are becoming lost.

2008.03.28. A forum of the users of Buyant river has been organized in Khovd city

The participators conclude that this forum has been well-timed and had an important impact on developing a sustainable mechanism on the use of the ever-thinning water supply.

The forum was jointly organized by WWF Mongolia and GTZ on May 11 and 12. Many Provincial Organizations and the Mongolian Water Agency took part, giving it much significance.

The recommendations proposed by the participants of the forum were likely to  help establish water users' associations, societies, or communities for the sake of freshwater conservation.

2007.11.15-26. Environmental organizations in Mongolia have met for work on Protected Areas

The Convention on Biological Diversity happens every two years, and during the 2004 convention, the “Programme of Work on Protected Areas” (PoWPA) was agreed upon.

Environmental organizations in Mongolian have met to discuss this programme’s fulfillment in Mongolia from November 15 to 16, 2007 in Ulaanbaatar (more information)

WWF Mongolia in the Altai Sayan Ecoregion

On June 1995 WWF Mongolia started its first conservation activity in the Altai Sayan Ecoregion for suppoting the government to establish new National Park.

As a result, Khar-Us Lake included into National Park system. Some specific highlights of WWF Mongolia conservation successes for the past years include:

• 33.6% of the total protected territories in the Altai Sayan Ecoregion was established as official Protected areas by initiative and support from WWF Mongolia
• WWF Mongolia has supported the development and implementation of the Management Plan for Khar-Us Nuur NP and Uvs Nuur PA.
• Conservation of priority species (Snow leopard, Argali sheep, Saiga antelope) has been supported and been implemented in accordance with approved National Programs and Management Plans for the conservation of the species.
• In order to stop poaching and illegal wildlife trade 2 mobile units IRVES were established and active since 2002.
• WWF Mongolia has Invested approx. 3 mln euro for conservational activities in the Altai Sayan for the past years since 1995.
• WWF Mongolia has focused on establishment of herders' conservation community groups with belief that conservation will not succeed without involvement of local herders.
• Well formalized partnership relation with the Government agencies and the other conservation partners.
• First ever in Mongolia initiation of Integrated River Basin Management concept in Mongolia.
• WWFMongolia is an effective partner for the national policy level improvement and developement of the environmental legislation.

The Medical College Student's Eco-Club on Health & Environment was set up b students of Medical College in Altai town of Gobi-Altai aimag. The Club is unique in terms of its composition as the members of the Club are all to be and future medical personnel and they are natives from Saiga habitat range soums. All of them, they plan to go back home upon graduation from college and continue their environmental work. The students will be supported for working with Saiga ranger network on public outreach activities during their summer break. The group reached the WWF Mongolia office on methodological guidance and support. Their work will be integrated into the Three Year Public Awareness and Education Plan to be approved for the MAVA funded Saiga Conservation project with WWF Mongolia.