A tale of two deserts: The Living Desert's partnership with Mongolian Conservation Initiative in the Gobi Desert
Desert ecosystems are some of the most richly diverse in the world and yet they are one of the most threatened ecosystems on the planet. Deserts, which account for one-third of the earth’s land mass, play a critical role in mitigation and adaptation to climate change and directly support the livelihoods of many human communities. They are home to tens of thousands of species, many of which are critically endangered due to climate change brought about by human impact.
The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens collaborates with conservation organizations globally to protect and restore desert ecosystems, spearheading 80 projects in 12 countries on three continents as well as in the Sonoran and Mojave Deserts in Southern California.
One of the global keystone projects for the Zoo is in the Gobi Desert ecosystem of southeastern Mongolia. The Gobi Desert is a world away from the Southern California deserts, a cold desert versus our hot deserts but with similar wildlife and geological landscape, like mirror images. Both ecosystems, separated by more than 6,000 miles, are facing similar challenges, including increased drought, less precipitation, and various anthropogenic disturbances (such as habitat loss and fragmentation). This is especially true in Mongolia, where nearly 70% of grasslands are degraded because of increased drought and expansion of mining, which is threatening the area’s unique biodiversity and its role in the cultural heritage, livelihoods, and well-being of nomadic herding communities.
In July 2023, a new partnership between The Living Desert and the Mongolian Conservation Initiative began. MCI, A nonprofit organization that I lead, has an interdisciplinary and ambitious Mongolian team. We have been working for more than 25 years to foster relationships, conduct applied research and support community-led conservation in Mongolia’s Ikh Nart Nature Reserve (Ikh Nart).
With support from various local and international partners, we have conducted extensive biological and ecological studies resulting in over 150 research and management publications. We have supported Ikh Nart management and herder communities with conservation strategies that have shown demonstrated success in improving wildlife populations and promoting community support in conservation. However, the increasing threats from climate change and overgrazing left MCI with a critical need for resources and support. To provide this assistance, our mutually beneficial partnership was forged with The Living Desert for advice, collaboration and shared research, ensuring the sustainability of our conservation work in Ikh Nart.
Responding to an urgent call to action for conservation, The Living Desert and MCI are working in Ikh Nart, located on the northern edge of the Mongolian Gobi Desert. The Reserve encompasses 160,000 acres of critical grassland steppe and desert ecosystems. Ikh Nart protects 40 mammal species, over two hundred bird species, seven reptile species and pastures for 150 traditional nomadic herding families. Moving seasonally across the landscape in search of pasture for their livestock herds, nomadic herder communities have served as stewards of these important ecosystems and wildlife for centuries. However, in the face of more frequent and longer droughts, increased pressure from mining, and overgrazing, herders are seeking support from conservation and management strategies that will ensure resilience of Mongolia’s Ikh Nart ecosystems and wildlife and directly contribute to their well-being.
The Living Desert and MCI's conservation teams are working directly with Ikh Nart herder communities, researchers, reserve managers and school leadership to target communities to take action to conserve wildlife locally. Also, the team will assist with ecological restoration components and with prevention of livestock-wildlife disease transmission in the Reserve.
The Living Desert conservation team are leading global desert conservation experts with a specialty in community-led conservation that results in behavior change efforts to benefit the environment and wildlife populations. Also, The Living Desert houses several species that are present at Ikh Nart: cinereous vultures, golden eagles, eagle owls, and bighorn sheep. Mongolian Conservation Initiative is eager to help save these species at their native land and involve The Living Desert’s staff in these joint projects.
Through honest community engagement, mutually beneficial relationships that leverage our unique skills and perspectives and a commitment to conservation for nature and people, our exciting new relationship with The Living Desert has already started to make a positive impact. We are certain that this partnership will not only result in the conservation of wildlife, ecosystems, and herder livelihoods in Mongolia, but will serve as a model for how international partnerships can amplify community-led and holistic conservation initiatives worldwide to protect desert ecosystems and help ensure a sustainable and healthy future of our world.
Gana Wingard, Curator of Conservation-Mongolia with The Living Desert and the founder of the Mongolian Conservation Initiative. Gana was born and raised in Mongolia. Gana speaks Mongolian, Czech, and English languages fluently, and she has over 20 years of field conservation experience and holds two graduate degrees – one from Charles University in Prague, and the other from the University of Montana. She can be reached at gwingard@livingdesert.org.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Partnership and parallels between The Living Desert and Gobi Desert ecosystems
