Senior environmental officials gathered in Ulaanbaatar for a protected areas reform discussion on May 1. Protected area directors also attended the meeting at the Ulaanbaatar Hotel. Currently, Mongolia protects 120 areas covering 32.8 million hectares. This protected territory represents 20.8 percent of the country’s total landmass. Consequently, protected areas reform must help reach the 30 percent target by 2030. Mongolia also aims for 35 percent protection of its territory by 2050.
Uranchimeg Ts., head of the Protected Areas Policy Department, presented the legal revision needs clearly. She explained that the 30×30 target comes from the 1992 Convention on Biological Diversity. Mongolia actively participates in this global conservation effort as a committed member. However, protected areas reform may also include territories protected under international treaties. Therefore, improving the legal framework and ensuring policy coherence remain essential tasks. She emphasized establishing an integrated registration and information system for all protected areas. Furthermore, the reform needs clear criteria for internal zoning within each protected area.
This protected areas reform must also specify different regimes for each zone type. Strictly protected areas, national parks, nature reserves, and natural monuments need distinct rules. With rapid tourism development, the law must regulate permitted activities in each zone. Additionally, the reform should ensure sustainable use of natural resources across Mongolia. Oyunsuren B., director of the Zed-Khantai-Buteeliin Nuruu Strictly Protected Area, spoke next. She noted that the 1994 law no longer fits current socio-economic conditions on the ground. The increasing number of herder households and livestock causes severe overgrazing pressure. Restrictions on accessing protected areas create misunderstandings among local community members. For instance, residents criticize that officials mobilize them to fight wildfires. Yet those same authorities prohibit other access to the protected areas normally.
The protected areas reform must address the shortage of professional staff in rural regions. Park rangers need higher education, but remote areas attract limited interest from graduates. Therefore, the revised law should improve social guarantees for rangers significantly. Housing support, livelihood assistance, and household income measures would help retain staff. Meanwhile, the reform should maintain strict principles for designating protected areas properly. It should also incorporate a co-management system with local community participation actively. Ariuntsetseg D., director of the Dariganga National Park, called the revision timely and necessary. The reform expects to address herder household livelihoods in an environmentally sustainable manner.
Conservation efforts should shift from state-led to collaborative management with local communities. This protected areas reform prioritizes local participation over centralized urban frameworks for management. A notable example is the restoration of Ganga Lake in Dariganga National Park recently. Climate change had significantly degraded this ecologically rare ecosystem over several years. After state protection and restoration efforts, the lake recovered close to its 2005 level. Consequently, this success contributes to environmental protection and serves as a restoration model. It also supports sustainable tourism and creates positive local economic impacts for communities.
Overall, the protected areas reform balances environmental protection with social needs and economic development. The discussion aimed to improve coordination between central and local government institutions effectively. Participants highlighted that local administrators’ ground-level experience ensures practical implementation of new laws. The revised draft law on Special Protected Areas represents an important step forward for Mongolia. Looking ahead, Mongolia will continue working toward its 2030 and 2050 protection targets. The government must finalize the legal revision and secure adequate funding for enforcement. Additionally, training programs for rangers and community engagement will prove crucial for success. If successful, this protected areas reform could become a model for other nations worldwide. The May 1 discussion provided valuable input for the final legislative draft now.
