Mongolian Nomad
Supporting nomadic practices that reduce over grazing and enhance soil carbon sequestration
Over the last generation, Mongolian Nomads have had to cope with major political and cultural changes. The traditional way of life of nomadic herders has been disturbed and much of their ancestral knowledge has been eroded.
Many nomads have adopted a more sedentary lifestyle, moving only once or twice a year. This has led to overgrazing and degradation of the pastures and ecosystem. CO2 is being released from the ecosystems and soils.
Regeneration of grasslands and nomadic culture
First of a kind Mongolian Nomad project
Mongolian Nomad Project (The Pastures, Conservation, Climate Action Project) helps to restore degraded grasslands and soils in rural Mongolia by making important contributions to nomadic herder livelihoods.
Much of this is about restoring the traditional nomadic way of life to reduce over grazing pressure on sensitive ecosystems.
Land area
77482 ha
Project Status
Active
Participants
116 families
Founding Partners & Year
Mongolian Society for Range Management, University of Leicester, 2013
Certified Under
Plan Vivo Climate
TCO₂ – total verified carbon removal
162,062
Project Type
Assisted natural regeneration
Key Species and habitats
Mountain Meadow, Mountain Steppe. Ibex, Saxaul Trees, Marmot and Gazelle
How it works
This is a community-driven carbon removal project developed under Plan Vivo Climate. The project is operating in 3 regions of Mongolia: Tov Aimag, Arkanghai Aimag and Bayankhongor Soum. In each area a Heseg, or extended family group is at the centre of the project. Livelihood uplift is crucial to the Nomads who are experiencing increasingly severe winters due to global warming. The project achieves carbon sequestration through improved rangeland management, as well as the conservation of a globally important biodiversity heritage and a range of ecosystem services.
What Makes This Project Special
Ecological and cultural regeneration are intertwined to enhance soil carbon
CO2 benefit is created as the Nomads shift back to traditional practices, allowing restoration of the grassland ecosystem and the uptake of carbon into the vegetation and soils.
Pioneering soil carbon sequestration
Focuses on the Eurasian Steppe – one of the planet’s largest but least protected biomes where grasslands store vast amounts of soil carbon.
Works with traditional nomadic herders
Builds on centuries old rotational grazing knowledge and protects nomadic culture alongside ecosystem recovery.
Strengthens biodiversity across migratory wildlife corridors
Grassland regeneration about soil health, native grasses, and grazing balance which supports wildlife as well as nomad herds.
Operates across a wild vast landscape
As a pilot the project can dramatically scale and work with many more Heseg, the Nomadic extended family clans.
Expands community climate action beyond forests
Nomadic clans are highlighting soil carbon and rangeland stewardship as a credible nature based climate solution and diversifying the geography of high-integrity credits.
Project Challenges
- Ecosystem degradation and carbon release
As nomads lose their traditional way of life and become sedentary, over grazing degrades the ecosystem and soils, releasing carbon.
- Loss of traditional nomadic lifeway
A way of life is in decline. One that has evolved over many generations to align with the ecosystems and landscapes of Mongolia.
- Biodiversity
Native animal species reliant on the grasslands are impacted by herder overgrazing.
Project Documentation
For a transparent overview of the project’s progress and impact, the latest annual report
is available for download.
Full technical documentation, including the Verification Statement and Project Design Document (PDD), is available to all partners through the dedicated Client Hub.
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