bc grasslands winter 2008

In the high mountain grasslands of Iran, about 50% of theplant species are endemic to Iran. Gardeners around theworld are familiar with many, including poppies, tulips,irises and foxtail lilies.

ABOVE Iranian poppies on Mt. Damavand, at 5,671 m the highest of theAlborz peaks. The Papaver bracteatum deep red flowers open up to 20 cmacross and its stalks can be up to 1.2 metres high. Commercialy, its usedfor the production of codeine.FAR LEFT A foxtail lily (Eremurus spectabilis) provides a colourful perch fora linnet (Acanthis cannabina).NEAR LEFT In such remote areas as the Alborz mountains, new plantspecies are still being found. This one found by Naroozi is called Alliumtuchalense after the Central Alborz mountain of Tuchal.

BC GRASSLANDS: WINTER 2008/2009 1177

GRASSLANDS OF SOUTH AMERICA

1188 BC GRASSLANDS: WINTER 2008/2009

Photographic Essay

The Temperate Grasslands Conservation Initiative (WCPA/IUCN*)recently held its first South America workshop, with 42 participantsfrom eight countries: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador,Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay. The objective was to start to define a strategyto increase the level of protection and sustainable management of fourtemperate grasslands eco-regions in South America: Paramos, centralAndes, Pampas and Campos and Patagonia steppe. As a result of the meet-ing, a scientific-technical network of communication and cooperation wasformed. The network will attempt to influence national and internationalpolicies through the elaboration and implementation of a South Americanstrategy. It also expects to work on the application of IUCN Red List crite-ria to temperate grasslands ecosystems in the continent.

(*) The initiative is led by the World Commission of Protected Areas (WCPA) of theInternational Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), with the support of Asia andSouth America Regional Offices of IUCN.

South America:The Next StepsAndrea Michelson, International Union for the Conservation of Nature,Regional Office for South America (UICN Sur)

SOUTH

AMER

ICA

Map assembled by Fernando Miarro/Fundacin Vida Silvestre Argentina.To view status information, see the Compendium of Regional Templates on the Status

of Temperate Grasslands Conservation and Protection (click on Publications athttp://iucn.org/about/union/commissions/wcpa/wcpa_work/wcpa_strategic/wcpa_co

nservingsd/wcpa_grasslandstf/)

BC GRASSLANDS: WINTER 2008 1199

ONE CONTINENT, MANY GRASSLANDSFACING PAGE A scene from the Paramos grasslands of thenorthern Andes. FRANCISCO CUESTA AND BERT DE BIEVRE

THIS PAGE, TOP Central Andes grasslands and Sajamamountains of the Sajama National Park in Bolivia. Thegrasslands and wetlands begin below the tree line ofPopylepis spp. trees.JUAN CARLOS LEDEZMA

MIDDLE, LEFT Pampas grasslands in Argentina. FERNANDO O. MIARRO/FUNDACIN VIDA SILVESTRE ARGENTINA (FVSA)

MIDDLE, RIGHT A Pampas deer in the future national parkof Campos del Tuy in Buenos Aires province, Argentina.The Fundacin Vida Silvestre Argentina (FVSA) has agreedto donate the Campos del Tuy to the National Parks

Administration to make it the first national parkdedicated to the conservation of natural

grasslands in the Pampas eco-region andthe first to protect the emblematicPampas deer.

CLAUDIO BERTONATTI /FVSA

BOTTOM Gauchos moving cattlethrough the temperategrasslands of a Patagonianranch; Chubut Province,Argentina. BRIDGET BESAW/THE NATURE

CONSERVANCY

Lessons for the World, p. 10Cacti of the Chihuahua, p. 13

CHIHUAHUA DESERT, MEXICO

The Grasslands Before Us, p. 8

BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA

Grasslands of the World

Temperate grasslands, savannas and shrublandsTropical & subtropical grasslands, savannas and

shrublandsDeserts and xeric shrublands

Montane grasslands and shrublands

Flooded grasslands and savannas

Mediterranean forest, woodlands, and scrub

Tundra

Grasslands and Arid Biomes

This map provides one of the best general representations of the worldsgrasslands available at this time. For other classifications andrepresentations of global grasslands, please go to the World ResourceInstitutes EarthTrends (http://earthtrends.wri.org/text/forests-grasslands-drylands/map-229.html). For greater definition at the continental andcountry levels, please see the articles in this magazine and reports in theCompendium of Regional Templates on the Status of TemperateGrasslands Conservation and Protection, available under Publications athttp://iucn.org/about/union/commissions/wcpa/wcpa_work/wcpa_strategic/wcpa_conservingsd/wcpa_grasslandstf/

The Next Steps, p. 18

SOUTH AMERICA

Beyond the Ordinary, p. 26

ALTAITERRITORY, RUSSIA


Grasslands of the World

Personal LandscapesPastoralNomadism in Mongolia, p. 35

MONGOLIA

Fauna: Chinas Glories, p. 22

CHINA

Understanding Climate Change, p. 15

ALBORZ MTNS, IRAN

Making Biodiversity StewardshipWork, p. 32

SOUTH AFRICA

Farmers Conserving Grasslands, p. 30

TASMANIA, AUSTRALIA

BC GRASSLANDS: WINTER 2008 2211

Fauna

THIS PAGE FROM TOP TO BOTTOM:Swallowtail butterfly amongst clover.Dewy grass head.Herd of kiang or wild ass on the Tibetan Plateau.

FACING PAGE ANIMALS CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Chinese water deer, great bustard, marmot and a lapwing in the snow.BOTTOM Grasslands of north east China.KIANG: XIE YAN BUSTARD: DUAN WENKE OTHERS: JOHN MACKINNON


ChinasGloriesHUMANS HAVE LIVED FORTHOUSANDS OF YEARSWITH THE BEAUTY ANDDIVERSITY OF CHINASGRASSLANDS. HOW MUCHLONGER WILL THIS BEPOSSIBLE?by John MacKinnon, EU-China Biodiversity Programme, Expert

In ancient times, great herds of gazelles, antelopes andwild horses migrated with the seasons in wide annualcircuits across the vast swathe of steppe grasslands ofnorthern China and Mongolia and across the alpine grass-lands that clothe much of the Tibetan Qinghai plateau.Wolf packs and brown bears preyed on the weak or sick,and cranes and bustards stood tall over the birds and rep-tiles that also made this their home.

At higher altitudes, yaks and wild sheep grazed the rugged mon-tane meadows, stalked by elusive snow leopards and gliding eagles.In spring and summer, the grasslands blazed with flowers andhummed with insects. In winter, they froze and dried, with only thehardiest creatures still in residence.These wonderful ecosystems proved rich hunting for early human

settlers. Hunting then gave way to pastoral herding. Tibetansdomesticated yaks and sheep, whilst the Mongolians domesticatedhorses and cattle. Goats were domesticated further west and weregradually added to the mixed herds. Only the moister, more fertilelands were farmed, and for centuries the traditional herdsmenevolved their own nomadic and migratory patterns of using thegrasslands, in parallel to the patterns of the herds of wild animals.Even today, there are places on the Chinese grasslands where

wildlife is able to continue as it did when human rhythms matchedthose of nature. Larks and pipits breed and spend most of theirtime in the open grasslands. Bright blue grandalas and gloriouspink rose-finches (see the picture on the front inside cover) feed onthe seed heads of the upper pastures and alpine scrub, where sever-

CHIN

A


al pheasant species also roam on the high mountains. Chukor par-tridge and sand grouse live in the drier grasslands and the magnifi-cent Great Bustard is king of the wide steppes. Storks and Chinasnine species of crane range through the moister grassland types thatfringe important wetlands. With good visibility and scant cover, grasslands are the ideal hunt-

ing grounds for birds of prey. Shrikes prey on insects and lizards,making sudden dives from bushy perches and impaling their prey onthorny spikes. From the sky, cineraceous vultures and lammergiersscour for larger dead and dying prey, whilst falcons, from the daintyhovering kestrel to the powerful saker and peregrine, play the speedgame, outpacing lesser birds in flight. Amur falcons chase the thou-sands of dragonflies that live on the moister grasslands in summer

and autumn and migrate in large numbers each spring and fall.Rough-legged buzzards rest on stumps or telegraph poles for a betterview of the pikas, hares and marmots that provide their main prey.The burrows of these small mammals double as nest holes for snakes,short-eared owls and the perky ground jays and Humes ground peck-ers that are such a familiar feature of the northern grasslands. But the great steppes, where once the hordes of Genghis Khan

swept proudly west into Europe and north India and east over north-ern China and where Mongolian bowmen hunted gazelles from thesaddle, are becoming tamed and degraded. Despite the establish-ment of many nature reserves, the changes to the landscape broughtabout by farming and modern rangeland management have changedthe biota forever. Its only in the past 40 years that the old patterns have been aban-

doned in the name of development. Sedentarization, the fencing ofgrasslands, intensification of stocks, expansion of farming, drainageof marshes and extension of road networks have all played theirpart. Revenues have indeed been generated and the volume of meatand farm produce increased, but at grave cost to the environmentand the sustainability of the ecosystems and the valuable servicesthey provide.Oriental white storks, bustards and most of the noisy cranes are now

endangered species, falcons are smuggled out to the falconers of theMiddle East and thousands of larks end up in the bird cages that hangamong Chinese markets. Wild horses and saiga antelope are extinct inChina, and wild yak and Tibetan antelope populations are heavilydepleted. The Tibetan antelopes, or chiru, have wool so soft that it issought to make precious shatoosh scarves in northern India, Pakistanand Afghanistan. Consequently, chiru have been hunted heavily. Onlythe wild ass, or kiang, seems to survive the pressures of a changingworld and still roams in fair numbers across the plateau grasslands.Tragically, despite the assurance by ecologists that pikas are good

for wildlife, good for grasslands and a keystone species in ensuringthe health and productivity of the grasslands, the Chinese Ministryof Agriculture sees them only as pests and launches a massive aerialpoisoning campaign against them each year. Along with the manymillions of pikas killed, collateral species are also killed, foodsources to support many carnivores are eliminated, and otherspecies lose access to the burrows that the pikas create for them.Even many of the grassland plants are in danger from over har-

vesting. Sack loads of fritillary bulbs, gentians and other medicinalplants are harvested from the grasslands for Chinese traditionalmedicine. One of the most valuable is the strange summer grasswinter worm. When a particular fungus attacks this undergroundcaterpillar, it climbs to the surface, where it dies and dries out and isthen eagerly collected for its supposed almost magical healing prop-erties.Active and careful conservation is desperately needed to save

many grassland biota; such efforts are underway and a glimmer ofhope may yet remain. The Chinese government has establishednature reserves on 15% of the land surface, including some hugereserves in grassland areas. In addition, China is tightening up lawenforcement, environmental impact assessments and pollution regu-lations and is investing heavily in green energy and in combatingdesertification. The European Union also gives a helping hand. The$80 million EU-China Biodiversity Program (ECBP) has 18 fieldprojects in China, including several in grassland areas, and forms

STATUS OF CHINAS TEMPERATE GRASSLANDS With a total of 320 million ha, grasslands account for about

40% of Chinas land area. Around 60%, or 196 million ha, can be classified as

temperate grasslands; most are in Western China and on theTibetan Plateau.

196 million people, many of whom are herders, live on thegrasslands.

53% of indigenous temperate grasslands are still in a naturalstate.

63% to 95% is subject to varying degrees of degradation,predominantly from grazing.

35% of temperate grassland areas are formally protected, inprinciple, in 87 natural reserves.

Opportunities for Protection: Increasing public awareness;favourable government policies; improved legal framework;preferable government funds.

Constaints on Protection: Knowledge and technology gaps;conflicts between conservation and development; insufficientcoordination and participation; low capacities at the locallevel; shortage or instability of funds.

Map provided by author. Status information and map are from the Compendium of RegionalTemplates on the Status of Temperate Grasslands Conservation and Protection

(click on Publications athttp://iucn.org/about/union/commissions/wcpa/wcpa_work/wcpa_strategic/wcpa_con

servingsd/wcpa_grasslandstf/)

GRASSLANDS OF CHINA

Grasslands

partnerships between government, non-governmental organizationsand local communities to protect biodiversity. In Changtang, on thenorthwestern Tibetan Plateau, ECBP helps to protect the plateaufauna of yak, chiru, bears and wolves. In Rouergai marshes, on theeastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau, the program helps save thebreeding grounds of black-necked cranes. In Hulunbuir, InnerMongolia, the focus of conservation is the Mongolian gazelle, whichruns a gauntlet of hunters and fences when it migrates each yearbetween Mongolia and China. On the Gobi Desert on Chinas north-ern border, the program in Alashan is developing ways to restorescrub and grassland vegetation to combat the growing menace ofdesertification.

It is a race against time, the pace of Chinas amazing developmentand the looming threat of global warming. Change is inevitable; howmuch of the biodiversity of Chinas great grasslands will survive thechange remains unclear.

CLOCKWISE FROM RIGHT Chukor partridge, Orientalwhitestork eating a sparrow, chiru (also known asTibetan antelope), cineraceous vulture (or Eurasianblack vulture) and pika.CHIRU: XIE YAN OTHERS: JOHN MACKINNON

John MacKinnon, a naturalist and ecologist since boyhood, hasworked all his life studying and conserving wildlife in Africa and Asia.He reached fame through his pioneer field studies of orang-utans andhis discovery of a new genus of forest bovid: the saola in Vietnam. Hefirst worked in China on Giant panda management in 1987-90 andhas been an advisor to the Chinese Governmnet on biodiversity issuesfor many years. The most recently published of his 20 books is A FieldGuide to the Birds of China, with Karen Phillipps.


The Ozerki steppe tract in southern Siberia can bethought of as extraordinarily ordinary. Its far frombeing the largest steppe tract in Russia, its not the rich-est in rare species, nor does it maintain the highest biodiver-sity. Its not even the only steppe tract like it; there are severaldozen similar ones throughout the country. But its in its ordi-nariness that the Ozerki steppe tract and its like stand out, by

providing a natural steppe haven for biodiversity in a landscape frag-mented by cultivation, settlements and mining. In a land where lessthan 15% of the steppe grassland is in a natural state and less than 5%is protected, such samples are significant and important.While the common image of Russia, and Siberia in particular, might

be of a country of great taiga forests and deep winters, its also a coun-try of vast areas of natural grasslands that glow in the southern sum-

mer sun. Its on these lands that nomadic herders historical-ly grazed their sheep, horses, camels and cattle. Much ofthe landscape began to change in the 17th century with theintroduction of European crop-based agriculture to thenorth-west corner of the meadow steppes. By the end ofthe 19th century, crop-based agriculture had expandedeast and south to reach the desertified steppes near theCaspian Sea and on the Mongolia border. The conversionof the virgin steppes of the Altai Mountain foothills, onwhich Ozerki is located, to arable lands began as long agoas the middle of the 18th century. Steppe grasslands onhills such as Ozerki also continued to be used as rangelandfor cattle and sheep. Given the reduced scope of the natu-ral grasslands, remnant tracts like Ozerkis play an impor-tant role in maintaining biodiversity and species richness. Ozerki, which means small lakes in Russian, is named

for a small nearby village in the Shipunovo municipalregion of the Altai Territory of the Siberian FederalDistrict. To reach the steppe tract from the Ozerki village,you cross prairie fields and former crop fields lined withpoplar shelter-belts and abutted against steep hillsides ris-ing to the tract. The hills are covered with steppe grass-lands and dense tickets of shrubs nestled in deep hollows.Climbing to the hilltop, you can gaze over the vast steppecountry to the south bound by a wide deep-green belt ofbottomland forest alongside the Charysh River. Rollinggrassland hills run to the skyline. Bisecting the hills arefour parallel valleys cut by small streams bound by aspenand birch. The steppes outer, western and southern,slopes are steep and covered with rock outcrops anddebris, while the inner slopes are mainly gentle androunded.

Special FeatureRUS

SIA

Beyond the Ordinary on the Russian SteppeTo be an ordinary, natural tract on the Russian Steppe today is to beextraordinary. But the few remaining remnants still offer conservationlessons for Russia and the world.by Catrina Crowe, the Grasslands Conservation Council of BC, from an email interview with Ilya Smelansky of the Siberian

Environmental Center

STATUS OF RUSSIAS GRASSLANDS There are estimated 670,000 km2 of grasslands in Russia, of which

approximately 500,000 km2 is in the steppes areas. Steppe grasslands are represented in 36 administrative provinces south of

the 55 N parallel. The 15 provinces at the core of the Eurasian Steppe Region were once

almost entirely covered with steppe; now only 10-30% remains. No accurate estimate of the current status is available. Best estimates are that less than 15% of the indigenous steppe is in natural

grasslands and less than 1% remains of typical meadow steppes. Less than 1% of indigenous steppe grasslands are formally protected at the

federal level and less than 5% protected in total.Status information and map are from the Compendium of Regional Templates on the Status of Temperate

Grasslands Conservation and Protection (click on Publications athttp://iucn.org/about/union/commissions/wcpa/wcpa_work/wcpa_strategic/wcpa_conservingsd/wcpa_grassl

andstf/)

GRASSLANDS OF RUSSIA

High mountains grasslands (tundra steppe, etc.)Mountainous forest steppeMountainous steppeMountainous subtropical steppeMeadow steppeGenuine steppeSemidesert: desertified and desert steppeCentral Asia genuine steppe

At 5,650 hectares, the Ozerki tract is a very small portion of the tectonic terrace that borders thewestern foothills of the vast Altai mountains, which run east into Mongolia and south intoKazakhstan. On its western edge, the terrace drops over a steep cliff to a low plain that is a part of theWestern Siberian Plain, which stretches westward for 1,500 km. The Altai steppe foothills were historically inhabited by nomadic peoples, whose different tribes

and states superseded one another. By the 17th century, the last of the nomadic people, theTelenghits, had become vassals to the Dzungarian State. After several wars between Dzungars andKazakhs and between Dzungars and Chinese, most of the Telenghit tribes were resettled to the south.Russia then began to colonize the area, attracted by mining developments. During the 18th century,this area was the most important source of silver for the Russian treasury. However, while silver andcopper mines were numerous in the area, there were none within the Ozerki steppe tract. Therefore, meadow steppe was able to

remain as the dominant grassland type ofthe Ozerki tract. Its only in hill countriessuch as these that the meadow steppe isself-maintained, without pressure fromforests or oak savannas. Elsewhere inRussia, only a few large tracts of meadowsteppe survive: the Irendyk Ridge in theSouth Urals; several tracts in Altai; andthe meadow steppes of the Central Asianregion of Eastern Siberia, in the BuryatRepublic. While the Russian steppes

are fragmented and little is ina natural state, they still sup-ports many plants and ani-mals of interest, many endan-gered. The steppe eagle, eagleowl, red grouse, Demoisellecrane, golden eagle, imperialeagle, steppe harrier, Sakerfalcon, red-footed falcon, andswallowtail butterfly areendangered nationally and/orinternationally. Many plantsare nationally endangered:

the bulb Gymnospermium altaicum, steppe peony, and grasses,such as Stipa dasyphylla, Stipa pennata, and Stipa zalesskii. Atthe provincial level, many more species are recognized asbeing of special concern: plants like the Tulipa patens, Irisglaucescens, Adonis wolgensis and animals such as the steppeviper, bee-eater, white-winged lark, steppe pika, and severalspecies of bats. For endangered species, the remaining tractsprovide needed havens, but these too are not secure.Some of the pressures facing the Ozerki steppe tract are

tied to the massive restructuring of land ownership thatoccurred following the transition from the former SovietUnion, as well as the fact that the tract is divided betweentwo municipal districts. In the Soviet era, the border between

ABOVE Genuine Russian steppe in June. ILYA SMELANSKY

RIGHT The Ozerki steppe tract outlined in blue, surrounded bycultivated fields and bisected on the lower edge by the CharyshRiver. The tract is in a southern municipality of the Altai Territory(shown in red in the top map) of the Siberian Federal District.

Ozerki Village


the districts was also a border between two collectivefarms. After the privatization and agriculture collapseof the early 1990s, the land of one of these collectivefarms was transformed into the Karpovo joint-stockcompany, which now controls about a half of thesteppe tract. The collapse of the Soviet Union also led to changes

in land usage. In the early 1990s, virtually all crop-lands scattered among steppe hills were abandoned.The hills then became places of spontaneous stepperestoration, where feather grass, fescue and largepatches of wild strawberries are gradually replacingweeds. Recently, the spontaneous restoration has begun to

be checked. Formerly abandoned fields in theKarpovo estate have been re-ploughed and used ascroplands for wheat and forage. With the recent glob-al food crisis and biofuel boom, there are new incen-tives to re-plough abandoned crop fields or evenplough virgin steppes for crop production across theRussian steppes. While the thousands of sheep thatused to overgraze the steppe tract pastures have com-pletely disappeared in the Shipunovo municipal dis-trict, 2,000 remain in Karpovo. In both districts, cat-tle are now the dominant grazers, while horses,including some semi-wild herds, also use the pas-tures. The cattle and horses are better for the steppeecosystem than sheep, but their grazing patternsdont necessarily provide adequate habitat for somesteppe animals, such as raptors and sousliks (a largeground squirrel). Large-scale bee keeping is also hav-ing an impact on the native steppes insects andplants, as the domestic bees strongly compete withwild pollinators. The Karpovo joint-stock company intends to man-

age the whole of the steppe tract. If so, it would

return all the abandoned fields to crop and forageland and increase the number of cattle dramatically.However, because of difficulties it has operating inthe Shipunovo municipal district, the companysplans are on hold at this time.While expanding agricultural practices put pressure

on the grasslands, the greatest potential threat to theOzerki steppe is mining. Some large ore depositshave been identified in the vicinity of the tract. Nomore than 20 km to the west, a Russian companycalled Buryatzoloto, a subsidiary of Toronto-basedHigh River Gold Mine Ltd., has identified golddeposits. Further threats, of a persistent if not so acute

nature as mining, arise from increasing recreationalpractices, including the use of off-road vehicles andthe illegal hunting of ungulates, hares, foxes, andgame birds, especially in the snow season. Of specialconcern is the illegal trapping and smuggling ofSaker falcons for markets in the Gulf countries,which, when combined with common agriculturalthreats, such as poisoning and the decline of preynumbers, has made the Saker highly endangeredworldwide. As the Ozerki tract is an important siteon the Sakers seasonal migration route, illegal Arabhunters visit every year in August to October to trapyoung female Sakers. Although all levels of the opera-tion, from trapping to the transboundary trading ofSakers, are absolutely illegal, its an internationalcrime thats hard to stop. With so many threats against the grasslands, the

Siberian Environmental Center (SibEcoCenter), anon-governmental organization based in nearbyNovosibirsk, has taken the lead in researching andprotecting the grasslands of Ozerki since 2002. In the

ABOVE FROM TOP TO BOTTOMDemoiselle crane, Clematisintegrifolia, and feather grassseeds (Stipa zalesskii), allspecies typical of the Russiansteppe.

RIGHT Charysh River runningalong the edge of the Ozerkisteppe tract, which is in theforeground.ALL PHOTOS ILYA SMELANSKY


past couple of years, its also been assisted by theGebler Ecological Society (named for FredericGebler, a 19th century doctor and naturalist) in theterritorys capital of Barnaul. While no local organi-zations are presently involved, in 2008 some localpeople volunteered to be Important Bird Area (IBA)keepers.Despite the limited involvement, there have been

some developments towards grasslands conserva-tion since 2000. Based on information gatheredduring the SibEcoCenters research on the status ofthe grasslands, the steppe tract has been recognizedas a provincially important nature site. The Centeralso nominated it as an Important Bird Area(Krasnoschekovskaya) of international significance.Further, in 2008 the steppe tract was included inthe List of Prospective Federal Protected Areasdeveloped by the World Wildlife Fund Russia forthe Federal Ministry of Natural Resources andEnvironment. Some actions against illegal huntingand falcons trapping were undertaken. TheSibEcoCenter is also working to raise public aware-ness, including through articles in local newspapersand posters.The SibEcoCenter believes the most effective way

to protect the steppe would be to develop directagreements with land holders and users.Unfortunately, Russian legislation is not friendly toconservation on private agricultural lands. So, theSibEcoCenter has access to only very restrictedlegal instruments. Another constraint to steppeconservation is the continual reshuffling of envi-ronmental protection authorities at both the federaland provincial levels, as well as Russias very entan-gled land legislation. The situation in Ozerki is rather typical of steppe

conservation work being done elsewhere in Russia,in that low levels of local interest and governmentbureaucracy slow the work. However, the Ozerkisteppe tract can still provide outstanding examplesof opportunity for other ordinary yet essentialtracts on the Russian steppes. It remains relativelyintact, and some programs have been developedaround its conservation needs. But for the tract toremain successfully ordinary, which is extraordi-nary given the pressures on it, conservation effortswill need to be intensified.

Ilya Smelansky is an ecologist and conservationistworking in the Siberian Environmental Center(Novosibirsk, Russia), a non-governmental organiza-tion, where he heads the Steppe Conservation pro-gram. Hes a founder and editor of the only Russian-language periodical specially dedicated to steppe con-servation, restoration, and sustainable use, theSteppe Bulletin. In recent years, he led a team ofRussian NGOs elaborating on the Russian SteppeConservation Strategy (NGOs position).

Unique to the SteppesAnna Barashkova (Siberian Environmental Center, Novosibirsk)

With less livestock on their territory and prohibitions on hunting them, thePallas cat and steppe eagle have benefited from improved conditions onthe Russian Steppe. Nevertheless, the changes may prove to be temporary,so conservation efforts need to be vigilant to maintain their numbers.

PPaallllaass CCaattThe Pallas cat, alsoknown as Manul, is theonly small steppe catspecies in Siberia. Aboutthe size of a largedomestic cat, it hasstriking round pupils, afeature unique amongfelines. Its double thick,long fur, necessary forSiberian winters, hasunfortunately also madethem appealing tofurriers. The Pallas cat,a denizen of uplanddeserts, semi-desertsand steppes of Central Asia, sparsely populates a large sweep of habitat thatstretches from Tanscaucasus to Transbaikal, Mongolia and northwesternChina. A loner and secretive, the cat requires a hunting territory of severalsquare kilometres populated by adequate prey and cover. It sets up dens inrock niches and crevices, where the females raise their litters on their own.While it has a short and thick body designed for winter living, the season canbe hard for it on the open steppe, as the Pallas cat doesnt like deep snow,under which hides its prey of small creatures, such as rodents and picas. Thecultivation of the steppe in the 20th century, overgrazing, shepherds dogsand traps set for foxes and marmots all impacted the Pallas population,extirpating it from some regions.

SStteeppppee EEaagglleeThe steppe eagle is themost common of thelarge birds of prey of theRussia steppes. Itshabitat varies greatly,from hills on plains andi n t e r m o u n t a i ndepressions to tundraareas in highmountains. Althoughthe steppe eagle is abird of open areas, italso requires slopes andhills. They like placesthat have a high densityof small mammals, such as sousliks and picas. While the eagle will seekprey while in flight, itll also sit on the ground near burrows, ready to grabthe residents when they appear. The steppe eagle nests on the ground,usually on slopes, where they build their nests on low rocks, outcrops,shrubs, ledges of river valleys, etc., sites that will provide them wide viewsof their surroundings. As most of the steppe territories the eagle favourshave been ploughed, theyve been left to survive on hilly islets in seas ofcultivated fields. Nevertheless, large populations do continue to live inpasture areas.

PALLAS CAT ATTEMPTING TO HIDE IN THE OPEN STEPPE.DR. VADIM KIRILYUK (DAURIA INTERNATIONAL PROTECTED AREA, CHITA)

ILYA SMELANSKY

Special Feature

I love a sunburnt country, a land of sweeping plains,Of ragged mountain ranges, of droughts and flooding rains.

The essence of the Australian landscapewith its extensivenatural grasslandswas captured above in 1904 byDorothea MacKellar, one of Australias best known poets,in her poem My Country. Sadly, two hundred years of Europeansettlement have seen these vast plains reduced to small scat-tered grassland remnants. For even these remnants to remain,urgent conservation work is needed, which in turn requires theparticipation of private land owners, most of whom are farmers.For this, innovative programs and tools are being developed,sometimes at the insistence of individual farmers.In 1800, natural grasslands covered millions of hectares of

southern temperate, high-rainfall regions of Australia. Since

then, domestic sheep and cattle have replaced soft-footed kangaroosand other unique Australian macropods in many places, introducedweed species have displaced diverse native herbs, and plant and mam-mal species have gone extinct. Small mammals, and their ecologicalrole of disturbing the soil while digging for plant foods, have beenlost, too. Gone also from the grasslands are the land managementtechniques, including traditional indigenous burning regimes, of theAustralian Aboriginal people. Clearance for agriculture and urban development has seen the

reduction of Australias vast grassland areas to less than 2% of theiroriginal extent. The more productive lowland systems have sufferedthe greatest loss, with less than 100,000 hectares remaining, of which

Farmers Conserving Grasslands

AUSTR

ALI

A

by Louise Gilfedder, Department of Primary Industries & Water, Tasmania, Australia


almost 25% is in protected areas. Upland grasslands have fared some-what better. Much of the original 120,000 hectares of upland grass-lands remains, with more than 90% in protected areas. The protectedareas include both formal reserves managed by state conservationagencies and perpetual reserves on private land. However, whilenational parks and other public reserves serve as the cornerstone forconserving Australias unique biodiversity, much of the lowland tem-perate grasslands is on private land, where sheep and cattle graze nat-ural patures. The essential biodiversity conservation needs of temperate lowlands

have triggered the development of a range of new policies and pro-grams. Drawing on these novel approaches, largely targeted at private-ly-owned, sheep and cattle grazing properties, Australian farmers andconservationists are exploring legal instruments that serve both thegrasslands and farmers. For example, whereas many commercialfarmers are wary of perpetual covenants and easements, they aremore receptive to recently introduced fixed-term arrangements, whichrange from 10 to 50 years. In addition, conservationists have beenshifting from the practice of pursuing strict conservation objectives,which include increasing the level of protection in reserves, to allow-ing more broadly for the sustainable management of naturalresources. For example, using outcomes-based approaches to monitorthe impact of stock grazing on properties that are protected underconservation management agreements moves the emphasis away fromprescriptive approaches (such as not allowing for livestock grazing orsetting stock levels) that are a disincentive to many landholders toentering into such agreements in the first place.Market-based approaches,

such as giving stewardshippayments in exchange for pro-viding ecosystem services, areanother incentive for privatelandowners to engage in con-servation activities. Some newprograms offer competitivebids or tenders that offer pay-ment for the management andmaintenance of native vegeta-tion on private land. For

example, Plains Tender in the state of Victoria has successfully con-served significant areas of lowland temperate grassland, as has theMidlands Biodiversity Hotspot Tender in Tasmania.Further market rewards for good management practices may be pos-

sible through the development of environmental accreditation for thewool and cattle industries. Consumers worldwide increasingly askquestions about the environmental credentials of the products theypurchase and want verification of producer claims. In response,schemes to provide environmental accreditation and eco-labelling ofsustainable land management practices, biodiversity protection, animalwelfare, wildlife-friendly management practices and organic certifica-tions are emerging to reassure consumers. However, the consumerswillingness to pay for these environmental goods and servicesremains a key factor in determining the success of these approaches.

Innovation in TasmaniaThe southern island state of Tasmania provides some interesting casestudies of innovation in grasslands conservation. Of the more than100,000 hectares of lowland temperate grasslands on the island, only3% is in protected areas. The Tasmanian Midlands, the fine wool andagricultural heartland of the state, has been identified as one of four-teen biodiversity hotspots in Australia, rich in endemic species.Grasslands and grassy woodlands, with their rich complement ofthreatened plant and animal species, are the priority for the hotspot.Conservation efforts have largely focused on facilitating landholderstewardship, with financial incentives paid to secure conservationagreements that enshrine sustainable natural resource management.

FACING PAGE Australiangrasslands form a continuumwith grassy woodlands, wherethe dominant grass species aretussock-forming. They occurfrom sea level to alpineregions, and much is used forgrazing domestic livestock onprivate land.MATTHEW APPLEBY

RIGHT The Galah is a cockatooof the open grasslands andgrassy woodlands. Endemic toAustralia, it has benefittedfrom the clearing of forests.SIMON BARLOW


This voluntary approach is delivered through the Private LandConservation Program, a partnership between the TasmanianLand Conservancy (a conservation not-for-profit organization),the Tasmanian government and the Australian governmentsNational Reserves System Program.With new legal instruments available, some farmers are taking

innovative steps to incorporate them into their conservation andfarming efforts. For instance, three farming families in theMidlands want to formalize a long-term conservation partnershipwith the government that would result in some of the best existinggrasslands in Tasmania remaining in large relatively intact units.They believe that incorporating conservation practices into theirland and livestock management should provide them with anannual income stream. To this end, they plan to establish a trust tomanage conservation investment funds from both the governmentand philanthropic sectors, as well as develop an innovative legalinstrument that provides an evergreen, or rolling, agreement forfive years. As a performance-based approach to conservation man-agement agreements, it leaves landholders, rather than govern-ments, to settle on how to get the agreed-upon results. If thesefarmers are successful, their agreements could lead to the protec-tion of an additional 3% of the states remaining grasslands. The ancient and complex grasslands of South Africaslowly evolved to be a species-rich repository ofglobally significant plant, bird and invertebrate

diversity. Today, theyre also the lands upon which themajority of South Africans live, as well as the source oflarge coal deposits, gold fields and agricultural produc-tion. In order to sustain and secure the rich biodiversityand other ecosystem services of the grasslands in the faceof human needs for economic development, South Africarecently launched a Grasslands Program. The programseeks to incorporates stakeholders from all spheres of gov-ernment, the private sector and civil society.

The task of conserving grasslands is particularly important asthe ecosystem covers 29% of South Africa, making it the countryssecond largest biome. The majority of the grasslands are on thecountrys high central plateau (highveld), the inland areas of theeastern seaboard, and the high-lying ground of the provinces ofKwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape, and Mpumalanga. A portion alsoextends into the mountainous areas of Lesotho. Nearly half of the34 mammal species unique to South Africa are found on thesegrasslands, or velds.The term "grassland" creates the impression that the biome con-

sists only of grass species. In fact, only one in six plant species inthe biome is a grass. The remainder are bulbous plants, such asArum Lilies, orchids, red-hot pokers, aloes, watsonias, gladioli andground orchids. The biome is also formed by many animal species,habitats and ecosystems, including rivers and wetland systems.One of the most diverse biomes in the country, with over 80 vege-tation types, the grasslands are also home to South Africa's nation-al bird, the blue crane, and the critically endangered wattled craneand Rudd's lark. Unfortunately, in common with other temperate grasslands

across the globe, South Africas grasslands are critically threatened.Thirty percent of the area has already been irreversibly trans-formed by human activities, and less than 2% is in protected areas.As a result, the South African governments National Biodiversity

MakingBiodiversityStewardshipWorkby Anthea Stephens, Grasslands Programme Manager,

South African Biodiversity Institute (SANBI)

SOUT

H AFR

ICA

STATUS OF AUSTRALIAS GRASSLANDS 87,850 ha of lowland temperate grasslands. 192,00 ha of upland grasslands. Estimated pre-1750 distribution of lowland grasslands was

about 6 million ha (less than 2% remain). Temperate grasslands and grassy woodlands are one of

Australias most under-represented biomes in terms ofconservation efforts.

Most of the remaining grasslands is on privately-owned land. 21,000 ha of lowland and 120,000 ha of upland grasslands

are in the Protected Area system.Status information and map are from the Compendium of Regional Templates on the Status of

Temperate Grasslands Conservation and Protection (click on Publications athttp://iucn.org/about/union/commissions/wcpa/wcpa_work/wcpa_strategic/wcpa_conservings

d/wcpa_grasslandstf/)

TEMPERATE GRASSLANDS OF AUSTRALIA

Temperate Grasslands

. . . continued on page 37

Strategy and Action Plan has identified the grasslands biome as a pri-ority for conservation action.An assessment of conservation priorities identified broad biodiversi-

ty priority areas located across the grasslands. These areas, whichamount to 37% of the biome, represent what needs to be conserved tomaintain grasslands biodiversity. Much of the biodiversity lies outsideprotected areas, on land allocated to livestock production, agriculture,and afforestation with exotic tree species. The landscapes occupied by grasslands make a significant contribu-

tion to the countrys economy, through agriculture, forestry, miningand industry. However, these production activities also constitute themain threat to grasslands biodiversity. South Africas largest urbancentrethe conurbation of Johannesburg and Pretoriais also locat-ed within the grasslands. Because the biodiversity of greatest impor-tance is largely found on private commercial and communal lands andin pockets within urban centres, its not feasible to create large pro-tected areas. Other strategies are needed. An alternative approach to conserve priority biodiversity areas in

the grasslands is to work with landowners and producers and to

enable them to become stewards of their rich biodiversity. To this end,the Grasslands Program is implementing interventions in various pro-duction sectors and across provinces and is seeking to mainstreambiodiversity objectives into the agriculture, forestry, urban develop-ment and coal mining sectors. It aims to provide tools, knowledge andexamples of how production sector practices can be adapted toachieve biodiversity management objectives. Further mainstreamingcan be enhanced by building capacity within sectors, institutions andat government policy levels and by correcting market failures. Theprograms key strategy is to promote the concept that grasslands biodi-versity and ecosystem services have real monetary value.

Biodiversity stewardship in the agricultural sectorThe ecological services that grasslands provide may be most evidentin the agricultural sector. Approximately 88% of the grasslands areused for cultivation and rangelands. Cultivation, which has causedhabitat loss and fragmentation, has already occurred across 23% ofthe biome. If plans to plant biofuel crops and expand plantationforestry onto uncultivated land proceed without due regard for biodi-

versity priorities, further significant losscould occur. The other 65% of the biome used for agri-

culture is grazed, predominantly by cattle,sheep and game. Under the right manage-ment practices, rangeland use is highlycompatible with sustaining the biodiversityof grasslands. However, to be compatible-land owners and land users need to imple-ment sustainable stocking densities and veldmanagement systems that focus not only onproduction but also on sustaining biodiver-sity. The red meat sector, from farmers,feedlotters and abattoirs to retailers and thecustomer, can play a critical role in securingand sustaining this biodiversity lifeline forSouth Africa. Therefore, the GrasslandsProgram is seeking to implement interven-tions across the red meat supply chain, byengaging policy-makers, industry leaders,consumers and land owners to change pro-duction practices and use market mecha-nisms and regulatory instruments.

Most of South Africas economic activities occur on its grasslands.So, to protect grasslands and their rich species diversity, theGrasslands Programme is developing innovative incentives toencourage land users to adopt conservation practices.

ABOVE Grass owl.GAUTENG DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, CONSERVATION ANDENVIRONMENT

LEFT TOP Grasslands near Wakkerstroom.BOTTOM Communal landowners of grasslands.BOTH PHOTOS ANTHEA STEPHENS


Farmers protecting South Africas grasslandsIn a pilot project, the Grasslands Program is working in partnershipwith the World Wildlife Fund South Africa and the Botanical Societyof South Africa to support commercial farmers and communal landowners in the Wakkerstroom/Luneburg area of Mpumalanga to pro-tect and maintain the biodiversity on their farms. In this area, thefarms primarily produce red meat and wool. Almost 80% of the182,108 hectares of land in the project is in a natural state. The regionitself has high biodiversity significance and plays a critical role inwater production, as it straddles the catchments of four of SouthAfricas major rivers. In the demonstration area, the Grasslands Program works with fif-

teen individual land owners to manage 22,000 hectares of priority bio-diversity land that is under conservation stewardship. Conservationstewardship refers to the formal proclamation of private land underconservation. It involves assessing the biodiversity value of the landand reaching an agreement with landowners and conservation agen-cies on which portions of land can be taken out of agricultural pro-duction and conserved. Management plans for the conserved areas arethen negotiated and typically include agricultural practices, such asgrazing, as a biodiversity management tool. A formal motivation forconservation status is then submitted to the provincial minister, whois then able to proclaim the area for con-servation. In addition to conservation stewardship,

the Grasslands Program works with landowners to develop and implement biodi-versity good management practices on anadditional180,000 hectares. This includesdeveloping and rolling out guidelines inwhich biodiversity management is inte-grated into agricultural good practice..

Early lessons The Grasslands Program is still in earlystages of implementation, having had itsofficial launch on InternationalBiodiversity Day, May 22, 2008. However,valuable lessons have already emerged from it. Conservation steward-ship is proving to be an essential strategy for meeting conservationtargets on the grasslands, especially since South Africa has low levelsof formal protection and much of the important biodiversity is foundon private land. Identifying champions for conservation amongstindustry role players and private landowners is critical to integratingbiodiversity management into other sectors. The willingness and com-mitment of individuals are essential building blocks upon which con-servation stewardship depends. However, in order for concepts like biodiversity stewardship to make

a meaningful contribution to meeting conservation targets, institution-al support is required. In South Africa, this has required conservationagencies to re-orientate their thinking from protecting what lies withinpublicly proclaimed nature reserves to offering conservation servicesto landowners as part of a contractual arrangement. In many instances,additional budget, posts and skills are required. A sound economicargument and the right incentives are equally important for effectivestewardship. Conservation as a land use needs to make economic sensecompared to other land uses. Fiscal reforms are gradually being intro-

duced to ensure tax benefits for conservation. Other incentives, such aspreferential access to technical assistance programs, are also tailoredtowards landowners engaged in conservation stewardship. The greatest challenge for grasslands conservation in South Africa

lies in the need to realize the real value of the goods and services pro-vided by the grasslands biome in land-use decisions. Without a soundeconomic case, the productive value of land in the grasslands for otherland uses will outweigh the benefits of retaining the land in its naturalstate, despite economic returns from conservation-compatible landuses, such as grazing and eco-tourism. Quantifying the value of thegrasslands biome and ensuring returns on this value to landownerswill greatly enhance the conservation of South Africas grasslands.

Anthea Stephens has years of experience in managing complex environ-mental programs, having previously worked at IUCN (World ConservationUnion) as acting director and manager of the country program. Her MScin Environmental and Geographical Science, is from the University ofCape Town. She also holds positions on the board of PhytoTrade Africa,the Southern African National Products Trade Association, and on theadvisory panel of Fair Trade in Tourism South Africa.

STATUS OF SOUTH AFRICAS GRASSLANDS The grasslands biome is South Africas only biome not

represented by a national park. Nearly half of the 34 mammal species unique to South Africa are

found in the grasslands biome. 22% of the 195 reptile species endemic to South Africa and one-

third of the 107 threatened South African butterfly species occurin the grasslands.

Of the 72 vegetation types in the biome, 1 is listed as criticallyendangered, 14 are endangered and 24 are classed asvulnerable.

83% of the river ecosystems in the grasslands are ranked asthreatened, with 48% critically endangered.

Maps provided by author. Status information from Compendium of Regional Templates on the Statusof Temperate Grasslands Conservation and Protection (click on Publications at

iucn.org/about/union/commissions/wcpa/wcpa_work/wcpa_strategic/wcpa_conservingsd/wcpa_grasslandstf/)

Grasslands Biome

FIGURE ABOVEWakkerstroom/LuneburgAgriculture DemonstrationArea (areas of biodiversityimportance shown in red)


GRASSLANDS OF SOUTH AFRICA

Personal Landscapes

GREEN GOLD is a termMongolians use to describe thewealth and importance of theirgrasslands. Imagine a country one and ahalf times as large as British Columbia,all of which is pasture land mostly com-prised of native grasses. In the summerof 2008, we travelled across this vastcountry for seven days on primitiveroads and saw only grasslands, distanthills and a small riparian strip along

one river. We felt we had stepped back in time, atime long before the Hudson Bay Company pas-tured their horses on our BC interior grasslands,a time when Genghis Kahn ruled half the oldworld and Marco Polo led expeditions across thisvast landscape. With the Gobi desert to the southand Siberia to the north, the lesser known coun-try of Mongolia is sandwiched between two ofmost harsh climates on the globe. We were there, seeing, sensing and smiling at

each other. Is this really what we expected? Thegrasslands where we travelled are in the oldworld, and it is still old. We didnt see grass up toa horses belly, despite the small horses, but wecould imagine it. This grass was short, well usedand the life blood of the animals and people whoshared this beautiful yet harsh environment. Wehad both experienced similar placestheCanadian wilderness, the Serengeti, and theCanadian prairiebut this was different. Therewas minimal infrastructure, few roads and mil-lions of hectares of grasslands. The Mongolianslive on the land, move camps with the seasonsand survive only if their animals survive. All thegrass we saw was used, but it was still green and

Pastoral Nomadism inMongolia

A LAND WHERE PAST AND FUTURE INTERSECTby Phil Youwe: P. Ag., Range Officer, Kamloops Forest District, BC, Canada and

Wendy Gardner: P. Ag., Professor; Department of Natural Resource Sciences, Thompson Rivers University, Kamloops

MONGOLIA


Summer camp of a Mongolia family. PHIL YOUWE

growing. The Mongolian grasslands we were exploring still support-ed the people and their livestock, but as we would find out, the sus-tainability of these grasslands is coming under question. In July of 2008 we were lucky enough to have an opportunity to

travel to Mongolia to tour the grassland steppe region of Mongolia.The journey began with a joint research project between ThompsonRivers University and the BC Ministry of Forests and Range on theoutcomes of seeding after the 2003 wildfires. The data from thisstudy was summarized and presented in two posters at the jointInternational Rangeland Congress and International GrasslandCongress that was held in Hohhot, China. The Congress was attend-ed by approximately 1,600 people, and over 40 countries were rep-resented. We attended the pre-conference workshop on conserva-tion of temperate grasslands, attended the various sessions andtours throughout the conference, met many interesting delegatesand enjoyed the hospitality of our Chinese hosts, but the highlightof our trip was the post-congress tour to Mongolia.We left Hohhot by bus and travelled to the border of Mongolia.

There we transferred to a train and travelled north across the Gobidesert to Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia. In Ulaanbaatar wewere met by members of the Mongolian Society for RangeManagement, who guided us for the next seven days. It was a fairlydaunting task for any organization, but especially for one that wasformed only a year before the tour!Mongolia is a land-locked country, bordered to the north by

Russia and to the south by China. Approximately 156.4 millionhectares in size, Mongolia is slightly smaller than Alaska. Its anindependent country and is not politically connected to InnerMongolia, which is actually part of China. The terrain of Mongoliais diverse, ranging from desert to grassy steppe to mountains; theelevation rises from 518 metres to over 4,300 metres. On our tripwe travelled west from Ulaanbaatar for 600 km, through the grassysteppe to the ancient city of Ikh Tamir.Historically, Mongolias economy has depended on herding and

agriculture. The population of Mongolia is currently estimated to bearound 3 million people, but approximately half of the populationnow lives in the city of Ulaanbaatar. While theMongols held the largest land empire in histo-ry in the 1200s, since the 1600s, Mongoliawas under the direct or indirect rule of China,Russia or the USSR. Following Perestroika inthe USSR in 1989, the Mongolians undertooka democratic revolution, and in 1990Mongolia held its first democratic election.The country now operates under a mixed par-liamentary/presidential system. The change inpolitical structure also impacted the manage-ment on the land base, as livestock have gonefrom being state owned to being privatelyowned, while the land has remained com-mon. Mongolia is a country without fences. As a

society, every aspect of the Mongolian way oflife has been shaped by pastoral nomadism.

Even though theres been movement of people to the city, close toone third of the population is still involved in herding. The herdersin Mongolia are considered semi-nomadic pastoralists, as theymove twice a year with their animals between summer and winterranges. The average herd size is around 100 animals; thus many ofthe herders would be classified as practicing subsistence agricul-ture. Estimates of the number of animals varies depending on thesource, but most data suggests there are 30 million head of live-stock, with 40% being sheep, 30% goats, 21% cattle, 8% horses, and1% camels. The numbers continually fluctuate, with the number ofgoats currently rising as the market demand for cashmere increas-es. The large numbers of animals are having an impact on thegrassy steppe area that we travelled through.Extreme variability in the environment, marked by vast changes

in temperature and precipitation, including severe winters (calleddzuds), has forced the Mongolians to seasonally exploite theirresources. A nomadic way of life is necessary to convert the grass-land forage into the milk and meat essential for their survival. Theharsh winters, where the average temperature in January is aroundminus 25 C, creates the greatest challenge to a nomadic existence.Damaging storms in mid-winter or at spring lambing season canwipe out entire herds or severely impact numbers. Since the 1950s,authorities have been working to help provide shelters and winterfeed for the herds.Shortly after the transition to democracy in 1992 and the move to

a market economy, major changes began to occur on the Mongolianlandscape. The first changes were brought about by a move to theprivate ownership of livestock. Privatization has resulted in a dra-matic increase in animal numbers, as the Mongolians hang on tothe only thing they have to make money: their animals. Over thelast 16 years, the increase in livestock numbers has exceeded thecarrying capacity of the grassland pastures by 40%. Today approxi-mately 18% of the pasture areas are severely degraded. In 2002 the Mongolian government passed a Law on Land, which

authorized the formal possession of land used as winter and springcampsites. The land area allocated to herders is relatively small

Goats and sheep on the Mongolian steppe.PHIL YOUWE


(approximately 25 m x 25 m) and is only sufficient to place a ger(Mongolian for yurt, a portable dwelling) and winter shelters for theirlivestock. The law further specified that summer and autumn pasturesshall be used in common by herders in one sub district. The law doesnot authorize ownership of any seasonal pastures, but does empowerlocal authorities to regulate and enforce carrying capacity of pasturesand seasonal livestock movements. Local grassroots organizations havedeveloped to take collective action to control seasonal movements andenforce deferred grazing and the resting of pastures. Challenges arisewhen drought or severe winters force some herders from their seasonalareas and they take up their nomadic ways to look for better pastures.The new range laws take a step closer to sustainable pasture use andhelp to improve pasture management at the local level through localgrazing plans, while meeting the needs of outsiders by developingcross-border agreements. One cannot help but compare the current grazing situation in

Mongolia to what it was once like here in British Columbia. In the late1800s and early 1900s, the grazing of large herds of livestock in thegrasslands and dry forests of the interior was not regulated. Cattle num-bers expanded as demand for beef increased to supply the prospectorswho came for the gold rushes and then the increasing number of set-tlers. Most land was government Crown land, and ranch propertieswere just beginning to be pre-empted from the Crown. The ranches hadwinter feed, but those that could get by without putting up hay did. Theranges were mostly open and unfenced, and there were many conflictsbetween ranchers as to who had rights to which seasonal ranges.

Mongolias rangeland management is at a similar stage today as BCswas following the Grazing Act of 1919 and regulations imposed by theForest Service through to the early 1960s and 70s. Theyve establishedtheir ranch base and are just beginning to establish their commongrazing areas. Theyre setting their common ranges and carryingcapacities based on groups of herders and have yet to construct fencesto establish boundaries. Lets hope Mongolia can learn from what hap-pened in North America, and more recently in China, where rangesand individual animal ownership led to livestock numbers surpassingpasture-carrying capacities. Perhaps its already too late in parts ofMongolia. We saw huge areas of degradation and desertification, butwe also saw some short-term exclosures, where productive communi-ties of native plants were evident. The plant communities are diverseand green during most of the grazing period, and with some properrest, the pastures should improve. The challenge that faces Mongoliansis balancing the need for security of tenure with the need for flexibilityand mobility that is necessary on Mongolias semiarid and pastoralrangelands.

Phil Youwe continues to be active in his Range Officer role and the BCchapter of the Society for Range Management. He and his wife, Gloria,will raft and hike this summer on the Firth River in the Yukon, Canada,Phil will volunteer at the 2010 Olympics, and they both plan to attend theInternational Rangeland Congress in Argentina in 2011. Wendy Gardners passion is teaching. As well as teaching range ecology,range management and agricultural science, she is a coach for theThompson Rivers University Range Club and is active in helping to supportstudents to attend conferences related to range and reclamation. Her cur-rent research interests centres around disturbance ecology and succession.

Grasslands of Australia

continued from page 32

STATUS OF MONGOLIAS GRASSLANDS Grasslands occupy about 70% of the country. Much of Mongolias grasslands remain in a natural state. Most of the land is owned by the state. About 10% of the grassland area is under state protection. Conservation policies are outlined in national documents,

including the Millennium Development Goal to increase coverageof protected areas to up to 30% of the land.

At the same time 30% of the country is under lease for mineraland mining exploration.

With a population of 2.5 million people, the countrys populationdensity is 1.5 persons per sqare kilometre.

Status and map from Life in a Working Landscape, Appendix 2: Compendium of Regional Templateson the Status of Temperate Grasslands Conservation and Protection (click on Publications at

iucn.org/about/union/commissions/wcpa/wcpa_work/wcpa_strategic/wcpa_conservingsd/wcpa_grasslandstf/)

GRASSLANDS OF MONGOLIA

Latitudinal ZonesSteppeGoviDesertForestsMountainsHigh Mountains

Where to from here? Australias grasslands are under renewedpressure. The last three years in southern Australia have seen theworst drought in the countrys history, with significant impact onnatural grasslands. This has led to increased pressure for drought-proofing, which involves establishing water storage dams, often invalley floors on remnant grasslands. The decline in the value of woolhas forced many sheep graziers to diversify their farm enterprisesinto high-value irrigated cropping and tree plantations. Regulationhas traditionally been the tool of governments to prevent clearanceand conversion; however, its not proved to be an effective policymechanism for grasslands, where subtle changes in management canlead to significant degradation. Without the strong voluntary sup-port of landowners, the grasslands will continue to suffer degrada-tion and biodiversity will be lost. Working in partnership with pri-vate grassland custodians is the key to success for protecting the lastof the once vast Australian temperate grasslands. We might not beable to return to the sweeping plains of MacKellars time, but we dohave options for protecting what does remain.

Louise Gilfedder is an ecologist with the Department of PrimaryIndustries and Environment in Tasmania and is a member of theTemperate Grassland Conservation Initiative. She works on developingnew mechanisms to establish protected areas on private land in agri-cultural regions.


Thompson Basin Grassland PortfolioA recent highlight of GCCs work was the launch of the ThompsonBasin Ecosection Grassland Portfolio. Its the first in a series that willprovide municipal, regional, provincial, and First Nations govern-ments with a framework and guide for grassland conservation andstewardship that ensures priority grasslands need no longer be lost.Having identified 87 priority grassland areas within the Thompson

Basin, supported by maps, descriptions and data, the portfolio offersstrategic recommendations on managing human activities both withinthe priority grasslands and in surrounding grassland landscapes.Intended to be used in conjunction with the Green Bylaws Toolkit

and other development and land use planning resources, the grasslandportfolios are tools to help achieve long-term sustainability of ourgrassland communities and valued working landscapes and the irre-placeable biodiversity they support.

Public Forums Add to Planning for Change WorkshopThe Planning for Change local government workshop held inCranbrook this fall was the last of the successful series arranged bythe Grassland Stewardship and Sustainable Ranching program.Participants from throughout the East Kootenay trench took part inone of the most engaging workshops to date. New to this workshopwere two open houses organized by the GCC and Ducks UnlimitedCanada: one in Invermere and one in Cranbrook. Deborah Curranpresented ways in which citizens can become more involved in howtheir communities are shaped. Both open houses were well attendedand engaging. Another great success of the program was the adoption of the

Aberdeen Area Plan by the City of Kamloops, which was a result of anecological assessment done by the GCC after the Planning for Changeworkshop in Kamloops in 2007. The area plan includes a growth man-agement boundary that protects some of the highest value grasslandsin the development area and incorporates many tools from the GreenBylaws Toolkit. The GCC is in the process of completing another eco-logical assessment for the City of Kamloops for the Lac du Bois area,which will be completed in the spring of 2009.

Species at Risk CoordinatorIn partnership with the provincial government, the GCC has hired aSpecies at Risk Coordinator, Alison Peatt, to support Species at Riskrecovery plan implementation throughout the Southern Interior. Asthe coordinator, Alison will collaborate with stakeholders, communi-ties and industry to find ways to effectively implement recoveryactions for over twenty-five species at risk, specifically those depend-ing on grassland ecosystems. As an early joint project, the GCC willco-sponsor a series of workshops entitled From Species to Landscapes:Extending knowledge on dry forest and grasslands species at risk to beheld in February and March in Penticton, Kamloops and WilliamsLake. The interactive workshops will provide an opportunity toexplore multi-species, ecosystem-based frameworks for conservingspecies at risk and the habitats on which they depend. In addition, theworkshops will review extension and media techniques for broaden-ing awareness of the biodiversity of BCs dry forests and grasslands.

Members Corner

GCC Program Highlights


OUT AND ABOUT WITH THE GCCTOP GCC staff, guests and hosts on our 2008 staff tour, this year to EastChopaka, in the very south of the Okanagan Valley near Osoyoos. DEBBIE CLARK

BOTTOM David Zirnhelt presenting to staff, board members and hosts atthe Fall 2008 Directors Meeting tour in the Nicola Valley. Stump Lake isshown behind.BRUNO DELESALLE

The reach and influence of the GCCs work to conserve grasslands continues to expand, with new products,research and workshops, not to mention new programs. As with the programs, so too has the GCC staff grown.

Thank YouTThhee GGCCCC ssiinncceerreellyy tthhaannkkss tthhee ffoolllloowwiinnggffuunnddeerrss ffoorr tthheeiirr ggeenneerroouuss ssuuppppoorrtt iinn tthhee22000088//22000099 ffiissccaall yyeeaarr..

PPRROOGGRRAAMM FFUUNNDDEERRSSAgriculture Environment InitiativeBC Ministry of Agriculture and Lands BC Ministry of Environment BC Ministry of Forests and Range BC Ministry of Public Safety & Solicitor

GeneralBC Gaming Commission Beef Cattle Industry Development FundBullitt FoundationCity of KamloopsDucks Unlimited CanadaHabitat Conservation Trust FundHabitat Stewardship ProgramThe Nature Trust of BCThe Real Estate Foundation of BC and

Communities in TransitionTula Foundation Vancouver Foundation

AANNDD SSPPEECCIIAALL TTHHAANNKKSS TTOO .. .. .. All GCC members and donors, whosecontinued support has helped make ourprogram a success; Our many dedicated and hardworkingvolunteers who have donated their time andenergy to help the GCC grow and prosper; Ducks Unlimited Canada for providingaffordable office space; and The Ministry of Forests and Range and theIntegrated Land Management Bureau forproviding the GCC office space andinfrastructure for our Priority GrasslandsInitiative.

TTHHAANNKK YYOOUU TTOO TTHHEE SSPPOONNSSOORRSS OOFF TTHHIISSIISSSSUUEE OOFF BBCC GGRRAASSSSLLAANNDDSS .. .. ..JM Kaplan FundInternational Union for the Conservation of

NatureWorld Commission on Protected Areas BC Ministry of Agriculture and Lands BC Ministry of Environment BC Ministry of Forests and RangeBC Ministry of Public Safety & Solicitor

General BC Gaming Commission Tula Foundation Vancouver Foundation

Maintaining healthy, reliable grass fromyear to year while dealing with fluctuat-ing climatic changes and shifting opera-tional needs can be challenging. Whetheron Crown or private lands, monitoring isa useful way to measure change on yourgrassland community. The Grassland Monitoring Manual forBritish Columbia - A Tool for Rancherswill be unveiled and ready for use thisseason! For more information or to be placed ona distribution list, please contact GCC at250-374-5787 or [email protected].

Greetings to New GCC StaffOwen FritchGeographic Information Systems (GIS)Technician

Having grown up in the Stikine wildernessof northern BC, Owen earned his BA inAnthropology from the University of BC. Healso has a Diploma in GeomaticsEngineering Technology (Surveying) and anAdvanced Diploma in GIS. Work during andbetween studies took him to the high grass-land plateaus of Spatsizi and the dry grass-land breaks of the Stikine River Canyon andto surveying in the Yukon and northern BC.At the GCC, hell be able to integrate therange of his knowledge and experience intohis work, contributing to the GCCs PriorityGrasslands Initiative.

Melissa LigertwoodExecutive and Adminstrative Assistant

Melissa was born and raised in Kamloops,BC, and completed her BA in Psychologyand Political Science at Thompson RiversUniversity. After graduating from universi-ty, she spent a year teaching English inSouth Korea and the past two years manag-ing a professional psychology practice inKamloops. Her move to GCC was inspiredby a desire to work for the non-profit sec-tor in a capacity that would offer new chal-lenges, friends and perspectives, as well ascontribute to her interest in preserving andadvocating for the environment.

Alison PeattSpecies at Risk Coordinator

Since completing her Masters of Sciencedegree in Zoology (University of BC), Alisonhas spent more than two decades living andworking in BCs southern interior, presentlyin Penticton. A Professional Biologist(RPBio), shes worked for government min-istries and non-governmental organizations,consulted extensively and managed her ownlimited company. Her projects have includedland use planning, wetlands and grasslandsmonitoring, national park design, andrecovery planning for species at risk. Sheauthored the BC Grasslands StewardshipGuide, as part of The Stewardship Series.She also has personal experience in ranch-ing and mining with family membersinvolved in both industries.

Karl J. Vandegoede, CGAFinancial Officer

Karl is pleased to join the GCC team, bring-ing with him a wide range of accountingexperience, including with governments,businesses and not-for-profit and publicorganizations. He has also been a schooltrustee for six years, three of which he actedas chair; a past member of Rotary, includ-ing a two-year term as treasurer; a memberof Toastmasters, and a college instructor foraccounting and business courses. Karl wasborn in BC and enjoys cycling, camping,hiking, skiing and fishing, to name just afew of his favourite activities.

For Upcoming Events, please see the new Calendaron our website: www.bcgrasslands.org

GRASSLANDS FOREVER Leave a legacy to BC grasslands. Your gift to theGrasslands Forever Legacy Endowment Fund will ensure

your continued support of BC's unique and life sustaininggrasslands. Help current and future generations enjoy BCsbeautiful grassland landscapes and cultures.

Your contribution to the Endowment Fund will support neededconservation, stewardship and research activities. Togetherwe can ensure that the diverse grasslands of BC and thebiodiversity they support are preserved for current and futuregenerations.

Learn more about the Endowment Fund and how you canhelp keep BCs Grasslands Forever:Call 250-374-5787 or go to www.bcgrasslands.org

Power raft down the Fraser River in safety andcomfort, while learning about the grasslandslandscape and history sliding by you.

Enjoy amazing meals carefully prepared withfresh, healthy ingredients. Dinners at camp arecomplemented by a deliciousselection of BC wines.

The Grasslands Expedition: A Rivers PerspectiveJoin us on a five-day raft trip down the Fraser River from Sheep Creek to Lillooet August 10-14, 2009

Help keep BCs

The GCC has made arrange-ments with Fraser River RaftExpeditions to guide the trip.For details, please contactMike Kennedy at 250-256-4836or [email protected]

for youfor your childrenfor your grandchildren

RICHARD DOUCETTE

RICHARD DOUCETTE PETER SULZLE

BC Grasslands MagazineISSN 1496-7839

Grasslands ConservationCouncil of British Columbia

BC Grasslands is intended toserve as a platform for informingreaders about GCC activities andother grassland programs acrossBC and Canada, as well asproviding a forum on grasslandecology, range management,grassland conservation andstewardship.

BC Grasslands and the GCCwelcome submissions of letters,articles, story ideas, artwork andphotographs for each issue.

BC Grasslands reserves the rightto edit submissions for clarity andlength. However, every effort willbe made to work withcontributors to ensure contentremains unchanged.

Contributions, comments andinquiries can be made to:

BC GrasslandsGrasslands Conservation Council of British Columbia954A Laval CrescentKamloops, BC V2C 5P5

Tel: 250-374-5787 Fax: 250-374-6287 E-mail: [email protected]

PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENTNO. 40672540

RETURN UNDELIVERABLECANADIAN ADDRESSES TO:Grasslands Conservation Councilof British Columbia954A Laval CrescentKamloops, BC V2C 5P5

This magazine was printed onCougar Opaque, which contains10 percent post-consumercontent and no elementalchloride.

A young guanaco (Lamaguanicoe), separated from its

mother, being raised incaptivity on the 6,700hectare La Esperanza

Reserve, on the ValdsPeninsula of the Atlanticcoast of Argentina. Thereserve, which is in the

Patagonian Steppe ecoregionof temperate grasslands, is

managed by FundacinPatagonia Natural.

PHOTO: BRIDGET BESAW/THE NATURE CONSERVANCY

Publication Agreement #40672540 In our next issueThe Summer 2009 BC Grasslands wll be a specialissue, focused on the GCCs 10th Anniversary. Weencourage you to submit articles, photos andother artwork by May 31, 2009.

Please send your submissions to: BC Grasslands, 954A Laval Crescent, Kamloops, BC V2C 5P5Fax: 250 374-6287

For more information, please contact us at 250-374-5787 or [email protected].

To order a copy today, visitwww.chrisharris.com or

www.bcgrasslands.org

Discover the beauty of BCs grasslands through the eyes of Chris Harris

bc grasslands winter 2008

Documents

strategicw grasslands

left pampas grasslands

central andes grasslands

south america workshop

conservation of nature

south americanstrategy

national parksadministration

future national parkof