Mongolian Journal of Biological Sciences 2003 Vol. 1(2): 49-54 Protected Area Status in Mongolia Jamsranjav Jargal Steppe Forward Programme, Faculty of Biology, National University of Mongolia, P.O. Box 537, Ulaanbaatar 210646A, Mongolia e-mail:
[email protected] Policy and Legislation The Mongolian Law on Environmental Protection of March 1995 proclaims that ‘land and Under the present constitution that was revised its soil, underground resources and their mineral in 1992 all land, forests, water, fauna, and flora wealth, water, plants, animals, and air will be and other natural resources in Mongolia belong protected from any adverse effects to prevent exclusively to the people and are under State ecological imbalance’. The purpose of this law is protection. Apart from some limited areas given to to regulate the interrelations between the state, the citizens of Mongolia for private ownership, the citizens, economic entities and organizations in land as well as the subsoil with its mineral wealth, order to guarantee the human right to live in a forests, water resources, and game, is State owned. healthy and safe environment, with ecologically The tradition for protecting nature goes back to balanced social and economic development, the 13th century when many forested hills were protection of the environment for present and future protected as holy areas. Kublai Khan, grandson of generations and proper use of natural resources. Ghengis Khan (Chinggis Khaan), extended Environmental impact assessment is incorporated protection to forests and also decreed a law in the into Article 9 of the Mongolian Law on 13th century forbidding hunting of any game during Environmental Protection in which it is stipulated the summer months under penalty of death.