Community based natural resource management in Altai Sayan Mountains
Full Solution
Naranbek Ristan, a herder supported by the project, on his monthly patrol of community lands to check on wildlife
Midori Paxton
The UNDP supported GEF financed project “Community-based Conservation of Biological Diversity in the Mountain Landscapes of Mongolia’s Altai Sayan Eco-region” worked with local communities within the area to apply community-based management and conservation strategies that empower herder communities to resolve forest and grassland management problems through partnerships with governments and NGOs.
Last update: 02 Oct 2020
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Context
Challenges addressed
Forest and grassland degradation through overharvesting and overgrazing
The above challenge is exacerbated by other factors such as seasonal fires and droughts, hunting and river pollution. Mining (both legal and illegal) also poses threats. Some key underlying causes for these include inadequate capacities of local and national governments to plan and enforce conservation actions, and poor incentives and involvement of local communities in natural resources management.
Location
Altai, Bayan-Ölgii Province, Mongolia
East Asia
Process
Summary of the process
The Altai Mountains are a critical area for global conservation. They are a key habitat for endangered species, such as the snow leopard. With the arrival of the market economy in the 1990s in Mongolia, pressure on natural resources has grown in the Altai Sayan region. The country has 10,898,000 ha of forest (7 % of total land area) of which 47% is primary forest, 7% is production forest, and 45% is under protection. Much of the forest areas are in the Altai Sayan Ecoregion. Wildlife numbers declined as a result of overhunting and overfishing, and livestock pasture lands deteriorated. At the start of the project, the number of Argali sheep was as low as 250 individuals. Overgrazing is one of the main causes of environmental degradation in the range, worsened further by the harsh effects of extreme weather events. To reduce threats to biodiversity from unsustainable use, the Altai Sayan Project has worked with communities to manage natural resources such as pastures, wild animals, and plants, while also improving livelihood by expanding opportunities for herders. This project was supported by UNDP, GEF, and the Government of The Netherlands.
Building Blocks
Formation of community groups and training
Formation of community groups and training in resource management and alternative livelihoods. Under the project, herders formed community groups of 10 to 15 members. These groups were given training as well as financial support in the form of small loans and grants to support the groups’ sustainable management of resources and diversify herders’ livelihoods. 64 herder communities were officially registered and issued with community certificates.
Enabling factors
Approach of the project to establish necessary systemic and institutional set up for supporting herder groups, rather than focusing only at site level support, including: National government level – policy and legal framework; Aimag level – political support and practical direction in implementing strategies; soum level – practical support of the community groups; local community level – embracement of the issues and eagerness to respond positively).
Lesson learned
Behavioural and Attitudinal Change. The combined result of trainings, establishment of information centres, successful linkages with museums and local stakeholders, and the institution of social mobilisers, signboards, and field-monitoring visits has contributed significantly to changing people's mind set and behaviour. In order to promote gender balance, the project invited men and women in all events. Moreover, special trainings such as wool and felt production and dairy product making were organized for women. 12 different trainings were conducted such as CBNRM, community internal rights, and pasture management.
Strengthening coordination and support at the local level
Strengthening coordination and support at the local level. The initiative instituted 20 environment units within the local government office to support the community groups. These units brought together local government staff such as land officers, agriculture officers, rangers, police, and others to jointly work on environmental issues on a regular basis, often sharing one office. Instituting these units to cooperate with local communities has helped to shift mindsets. Local authorities now see their role as supporting local communities in conservation efforts rather than protecting state resources from local people.
Enabling factors
Institutionalization of a support unit within the local government, ensuring the cross-sectoral integration for supporting community groups. This also resulted in mainstreaming of biodiversity conservation in various sectoral work - e.g. agricultural extension and land use planning.
Lesson learned
Importance of institutionalization of any support for assuring sustainability.
Amendment of the Law on Environmental Protection
As a result of the project’s advocacy efforts, Mongolia’s Environmental Protection Law was amended to include clear legal provision for community-based natural resource management. A total of 64 officially registered community groups, which include 912 herder families, were given rights to manage natural resources on land covering more than half a million hectares. To date, 62 herder groups have been officially formed and are legally entrusted with the care of 500,000 hectares of this unique natural environment.
Enabling factors
A strength of this project was that it was fully owned by the government and implemented through the government system which enabled this legal change.
Lesson learned
Wider rippling impacts can be caused by working at policy/legal level. In addition to the above achievement, through the Project's advocacy, the government designated the “Above 50 latitude Local PA” in Khovsgol, spanning over approximately 5.7 million ha. This effectively bans all the mining from the large area of the Mongolia portion of the Sayan region. In addition, the Government officially expanded the overall project approach to conservation and livelihoods nationwide through a June 2011 Ministerial decree.
Impacts
Diversified livelihoods. Over 7,000 herders were given training in wildlife management as well as new trades, including weaving, felt making, dairy product processing, marketing, and tourism Diversification of livelihoods has reduced pressure on resources (the population of globally important target species measurably increased over the project’s lifetime) and gives communities more options during extreme weather conditions. Improved coordination and capacity within the nomadic communities. Once groups of nomadic herders began organizing and managing their own natural resources, they started to support each other in additional ways. Many communities even decided to decrease the number of livestock to reflect what the grasslands could support. They also established a hospitality ger for tourists who want to experience the nomadic life. Fifteen percent of tourism income is put into the community fund and the rest is divided among the household.
Beneficiaries
Local herding communities in Altai Sayan Region of Mongolia. The 64 officially registered community groups involving 912 herder families manage natural resources on land covering approximately 513,500 hectares.
Story
Please see the communication piece which is attached below.
