Reversing Grassland Degradation and Improving Herders' Livelihoods in the Altai Mountains of Mongolia

Abstract

Abstract In Mongolia, grasslands and steppes are currently home to over 25 million head of livestock and 192,000 herding families. Nomadic livestock producers are the backbone of the economy. As in other areas in the region (eg western China), herders are facing very serious pasture degradation. Government officials and herders agree that many local carrying capacities are exceeded. These problems have been aggravated by 3 recent extremely severe winters. A multidisciplinary, multi-institutional research team, coordinated by the Mongolian Ministry for Nature and the Environment, is addressing this challenge through a combination of participatory, action-oriented field research activities in 3 of the country's major ecosystems—the dry steppe, forest steppe, and Altai mountains steppe. Efforts include direct involvement in national policy-making, encompassing the drafting of new laws. Two innovative action research activities are the formation of community herder groups and the establishment of pasture co-m...