Download GEF/UNEP Nomadic Herders International Project

GEF/UNEP Nomadic Herders International Project
Enhancing the Resilience of Reindeer Herders’ Ecosystems and Livelihoods
Why the Project is Important
Unprecedented challenges and threats to biodiversity, land degradation and low sustainability of reindeer herding
communities are also occurring in the taiga regions of Russia and Mongolia today. Projected global socioeconomic changes, combined with climate change, projected by experts as increase of mean temperature as much
as 5o C increase by 2050 will continue to challenge the adaptive capacity and resilience of these taiga ecosystems
and peoples. If unaddressed, these changes will affect land degradation, lead to the loss of biodiversity and
endangered species, and threaten the continued survival and economic and cultural wellbeing of reindeer herding
communities.
Objectives, Goals and Focus
The main objective of the GEF/UNEP Nomadic Herders International project is to develop methods and skills to
conserve and enhance biological diversity and reduce pasture degradation in selected areas of reindeer herding in
Russia and Mongolia, while sustaining resilience of ecosystems and livelihoods of reindeer herder communities.
A Central Strategy is to Strengthen the Role of Indigenous Peoples in Nature Protection & Improve the
Long-term Well-Being of Reindeer Herders. Indigenous Peoples and their traditional knowledge play a central
and integral role in this project. The place-based and bottom-up capacity building of the project is a unique
approach involving Indigenous Peoples themselves in protection of the taiga and its biodiversity. The long-term
capabilities of Indigenous Peoples will also be built during the project period, through the establishment of
Reindeer Herder Centres for the protection of biodiversity and sustainable development. Reindeer herders will
participate in the project activities and in the development of nature protection mechanisms and its implementation
in territories where they exercise their traditional economies.
The International Polar Year (IPY) EALÁT project has the Needed Experience: The Nomadic Herders
international project was initiated in 2009 by the Association of World Reindeer Herders (WRH), as a legacy and
continuation of the work undertaken by the International Polar Year (IPY) project EALÁT. IPY-EALAT was
bottom-up driven worked with reindeer herders through scientific and traditional knowledge co-production
throughout Russia, Mongolia and across the Arctic. In total, nine community-based workshops were held in the
Republic of Sahka (Yakutia) and two in Mongolia which engaged herders and local and regional administrators.
The International Nomadic Herders project is therefore nested within these herding societies and allows reindeer
herders actively participate in scientific, educational and nature protection activities, as well as in planning and
management of vast Taiga territories.
GEF Strategies are Addressed: This project addresses the GEF strategies to reduce land degradation, conserve
biodiversity and to strengthen protected areas and the residents therein:
 Land Degradation LD-1 (Maintain or improve the flow of agro-ecosystem services to sustain livelihoods of
local communities)
 LD-3 Reduce pressures on natural resources from competing land uses in the wider landscape, including good
management practice; and

Biodiversity BD-2 Mainstream biodiversity conservation and sustainable use into production landscapes and
sectors.
Project Outcomes
The Expected National and Global Environmental Benefits and Outcomes from the Project include:
 Providing a effective model for the conservation of globally and regionally threatened and endangered species
whilst also sustaining indigenous pastoral communities;
 Providing ways and means for reducing anthropogenic transformation, pasture land fragmentation and
degradation;
 Providing global support for achieving UNESCO World Heritage status for reindeer husbandry;
 Preserving and developing reindeer husbandry and its cultural base in the circumpolar north;
 Developing best practices for the co-existence of traditional, pastoralist societies and biodiversity
conservation and development;
 Preserving local Arctic languages and culture as part of a strategy to conserve biodiversity;
 Increasing the competence of the next generation concerning the central importance of indigenous pastoral
systems, the necessities to protect biodiversity and environment;
 Working towards the establishment of special types of protected areas, where reindeer herders will participate
through traditional use in the protection of the taiga in Russia and Mongolia.
 Establish reindeer herders centers for protection biodiversity and sustainable development.
Implementation Methods and Principles
Focus on Model Areas: The project will implement its program of activities in reindeer herding communities in
selected model areas: South Yakutia in the Russian Federation and Hovsgol province in Mongolia. The
implementation strategy and its methodologies will be established through a set of activities that include:
Development Phase (Component 1): The development of management tools through participation and coproduction will engage reindeer herder communities and scientists to provide a new knowledge foundation about
spatial and temporal land uses, biodiversity values and trends, and integrated landscape management. Traditional
and scientific knowledge about biodiversity, the environment and reindeer husbandry will be catalogued using GIS
mapping. The project will provide scenario analyses on climatic, land use, biodiversity and socioeconomic
variables to identify future opportunities and threats to biodiversity and land use change, and assist in developing
appropriate management and project recommendations. Unique biodiversity indicators for the region will be
included by applying community-based observation and monitoring, expressed through herders’ traditional
knowledge systems, for example related to reindeer, forest fires, biodiversity and food cultures and use of pastures.
Implementation phase (Component 2): The tools described and developed above will be implemented through
a “learning by doing” strategy which fully engages the local reindeer herders communities and seeks to optimize
conservation of biodiversity and enhance the establishment and management of protected areas. The new
knowledge foundation will be applied in each country through dialogue, partnership building, monitoring and
adaptive management to facilitate relationships between reindeer herders and different sectors including industry
and protected area administrations. Mechanisms will be piloted for the inclusion of reindeer herders in protected
area management. A feasibility study will investigate how telecommunication can be used to improve protection
of the taiga environment.
Establish Long-Term Capacities (Component 3): The project will build local competence through education,
training and awareness-raising as well as the necessary local capacity to sustain this after the project is completed.
Local Reindeer Herding Centres for the protection of biodiversity will be established in Mongolia and Russia to
improve the capacity and awareness of reindeer herders, administrations, and the private sector about biodiversity
conservation, mitigation of land degradation and resilience and adaptation strategies for reindeer herding
communities. These Centres will hold seminars and courses under the framework of University of the Arctic
together with national scientific institutions. The Centres will provide “knowledge hubs” for learning and
replication, by engaging youth in local schools, providing essential outreach for project results, and improving
environmental skills and monitoring using local telecommunications solutions. Reindeer herders will increase their
knowledge about on-going changes in their regions and across the Arctic and sub-Arctic. Practical field courses
will permit reindeer herders to monitor the changes in biodiversity and land use changes around them, and train
them in environmental and social impact assessments and in negotiations concerning industrial development
projects. The project will further focus on building the capacity of reindeer herders on handicrafts, tourism income
opportunities, increasing reindeer herd size (especially within Mongolia) and on reindeer meat production and
food culture. Similar tailored courses will be provided for industry, other private sector actors (e.g. tourist
operators), and local and regional administrators aimed at ethics, the understanding of traditional practices and
livelihoods and resilience of taiga ecosystems and reindeer herding societies..
International collaboration and Replication (Component 4): To provide essential international collaboration,
dissemination and replication, the International Centre for Reindeer Husbandry and GRID-Arendal have been
asked to provide international coordination in the project. There is considerable benefit to enhance cooperation
between the model areas to share lessons learned. Replication of achieved results will benefit other reindeer
herding regions of the World as well. International collaboration/cooperation is essential in order to devise good
solutions to global environmental problems. In this regard, the project will place Russia and Mongolia on the
international agenda for protection of biodiversity and land while at the same time providing an opportunity for
Indigenous Peoples societies. Within this component the project will hold joint meetings, online discussions,
cross-site field visits and the development of the website as a live information portal. Furthermore, the project will
participate in regional and international fora and symposia relevant to the issues of biodiversity conservation, land
degradation, pastoralism, traditional knowledge and Indigenous Peoples (such as Conference on CBD, sessions of
UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, work of UNESCO and Arctic Council, Assembly of Association of
World Reindeer Herders, etc.)
Conclusion
Over a period of four years, the Nomadic Herders international project will work to conserve biodiversity, mitigate
land degradation, and sustainably develop reindeer husbandry in rapidly-changing taiga regions in Russia and
Mongolia which are undergoing significant industrial development and socioeconomic and climatic changes.
This project will support the recently agreed partnership between Russia and UNEP to strengthen collaboration on
areas such as conservation of biological diversity and supporting shared environmental protection priorities such
as sustainable production and consumption, and informing and raising public awareness. Likewise, the project will
help to strengthen ties and support Mongolia’s efforts in protecting its environment in collaboration with UNEP.
The President of Mongolia’s recent visit to the taiga and support to the development of taiga reindeer husbandry in
Mongolia demonstrates the strong commitment of Mongolia to address these issues.
The Nomadic Herders project is a going to be unique GEF project initiated and implemented by Indigenous
peoples' organizations in cooperation with national states, based on knowledge co-production and aimed at the
conservation of biodiversity and mitigation of land degradation, with a special focus on sustaining reindeer
herders’ livelihoods.
Contact Information
National Coordinator, Russia
Mikhail Pogodaev, PhD
Association of World Reindeer Husbandry
Nevsky prospect, 128A, Saint-Petersburg, Russia, 121024,
Tel +78123237168, +79119169780, [email protected]
National Coordinator, Mongolia
Tsogtsaikhan Purev
The Taiga Nature Society
P.O.Box-183 Ulaanbaatar-46, Bayangol district 15 khoroo 29-33, Mongolia
Tel: 976-11-310317, 976-99075559, [email protected]
International Coordinators
Professor Svein Disch Mathiesen
Project Leader, Nomadic Herders
UArctic EALAT Institute, Int Centre for Reindeer Husbandry
Tel: +47 905 24116, [email protected]
www.reinportal.org www.reindeerblog.org
Björn Alfthan
Project Manager, Nomadic Herders
Polar & Cryosphere Division, GRID-Arendal
Tel: +47 907 344 32, [email protected]