The nature of drylands Diverse ecosystems, diverse solutions The Nature of drylands: Diverse ecosystems, diverse solutions IUCN Contents (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Office Mukoma Road Foreword from the IUCN Director General...... 1 P.O. Box 68200-00200 Nairobi, Kenya The IUCN Drylands and Livelihoods Initiative...... 2 Tel +254 20 890605-12 Fax + 254 20 890615 Another green revolution in the Sahel...... 3 [email protected] www.iucn.org/drylands Are external inputs the only hope for Sahel dryland agriculture?...... 4 Editors: Against daunting odds women in Nguru, Nigeria, flex their voices for Seneiya Kamotho water conservation...... 6 Wendy Strahm Caterina Wolfangel Maximising synergies between CBNRM initiatives and the UNCCD Design: Gordon Otieno Arara in Southern Africa...... 7 Printed by: KUL GRAPHICS Ltd. Urgent need for climate change adaptation ...... 8 ISBN: 978-2-8317-1111-9 Tunisian women integral to sustainable management of biodiversity ...... 9 Disclaimer Opinions expressed in this publication do Centre and garden for the conservation of threatened plants, Egypt...... 10 not necessarily reflect the views of IUCN, its Council or its members. Management of dry areas in Jordan...... 10 The aim of this booklet is to feature cutting- edge work on drylands being undertaken by Protecting Yemen’s unique heritage...... 11 IUCN Members. However with over 1,000 Members and thousands of Commission The Inner Mongolia Grassland Ecosystem Research Station: research for experts, we could only skim the surface. If conservation...... 12 you are interested in dryland conservation, we would be happy to hear from you. Rejuvenating drylands in Pakistan...... 13 Paper This booklet is printed on FSC paper. Strengthening traditional wisdom and resilience in India’s Thar Desert ...... 14 Photographs: Protecting the Desert Thorn Forest ecosystem in the face of Cover: ullstein-CARO/Riedmiller/Still Pictures; increased mining in the drylands of Kachchh, West India...... 16 p.2: IUCN Photo Library/ Brigitte Schuster; p.3: Chris Reij; p.4: Joost Brouwer; p.5: Joost Paying to sustainably manage watersheds and grasslands, India...... 17 Brouwer; p.6 James Workman; p.7: Masego Madzwamuse; p.8: Agni Boedhihartono; p.9: Integrated development in the Banni Grasslands, India...... 17 Biosphoto/Gunther Michel /Still Pictures; p.10: Kamal H. Batanouny; p.10: IUCN Photo Library/Imène Meliane; p.11: Paul Scholte; Two visions for the world’s drylands...... 18 p.12: IMGERS; p.13: Fauzia Malik/IC; p.14: Jal Bhagirathi Foundation; p.15: Jal Bhagirathi The great Indian bustard: a great indicator of ecosystem health...... 20 Foundation; p.16: Manojkumar Pardeshi; p.16: GUIDE; p.17: Prakash Patel; p. 18/19: IUCN Battle to conserve the endangered saiga antelope ...... 21 Photo Library/Michael Mortimore; p.20: Wildlife Circle, Pune; p.21: Valery Neronov, Anna Hidden wealth of drylands in Uzbekistan ...... 22 Lushchekina; p.22: Daniel Kreuzberg; p.23: TEMA; p.24: LPN; p.25: LPN; p.26: Hector Unprecedented law on soil protection and land improvement in Turkey...... 23 Hernández; p.27: Benito Bermudez; p.28 Nélida Barajas/TNC; p.29: Cristiano Nogueira/ The Nature Protection League, Portugal’s oldest NGO...... 24 CI Brazil; p.30: Ute Schmiedel; p.31: Ute Schmiedel; p.32: Piet Wit; p.33: IUCN Photo Rare cacti and the need to protect Mexican drylands...... 26 Library/Hichem Azafzaf; p.34: IUCN Photo Library/ Danièle Perrot-Maître; p.35: Chris Saving the peninsular pronghorn...... 27 Harris; p.36: Nikola Rass; p.37: Nikola Rass; p.38: Michael Martin; p.39: Michael Martin; The Chihuahuan Desert: a bi-national reservoir for biological diversity...... 28 p.40: John Newby\SCF Cerrado conservation: scientific challenges in a neotropical savanna...... 29 © 2008 International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources Drylands deserve more attention...... 30 IUCN - The International Union for Conserva- tion of Nature Cultural awareness and nature conservation...... 32 Founded in 1948, IUCN brings together States, government agencies and a diverse range of What’s happening to the birds in drylands?...... 33 non-governmental organizations in a unique world partnership: over 1000 members in all, Ecoagriculture in drylands...... 34 spread across some 140 countries. As a Union, IUCN seeks to influence, encour- The Temperate Grasslands Conservation Initiative...... 35 age and assist societies throughout the world to conserve the integrity and diversity of nature Pastoralists, the best custodians of drylands...... 36 and to ensure that any use of natural resources is equitable and ecologically sustainable. Sustainable land management in drylands – Challenges for IUCN builds on the strengths of its members, net- adaptation to climate change ...... 38 works and partners to enhance their capacity and to support global alliances to safeguard natural The Sahara Conservation Fund...... 40 resources at local, regional and global levels. Face to face...... 41 The nature of drylands: Diverse ecosystems, diverse solutions

Foreword from the IUCN Director General

t is with great pleasure that I have been asked to provide an introduction to The nature of drylands: Diverse ecosystems, diverse solutions. Not surprisingly, this booklet illustrates the incredible diversity of drylands and dryland issues. It also provides an insight into the far-reaching work of IUCN’s membership in dryland Iareas of the world. Drylands cover over 40% of the earth’s land surface, and are home to more than a third of the world’s popula- tion – many of whom are the poorest of the poor. Whilst drylands also support some of the world’s biggest cities, such as Mexico City and New Delhi, millions of rural dryland dwellers are directly dependent on local dryland ecosystem services for their daily survival. Climate change will have a disproportionate effect on dryland areas, contributing to desertification, and to increasing the vulnerability of people who live there. We need to put the conservation of dryland ecosystem services at the heart of development policy if we want to reduce poverty, and achieve the Millennium Development Goals.

By pooling its wide-ranging expertise in ecosystems, conservation and sustainable management of natural re- sources, IUCN aims to contribute to solutions that conserve the extraordinary biodiversity found in drylands, while at the same time ensuring that people’s livelihoods are improved in a sustainable way. Although this sounds ambitious, there are fortunately an enormous number of talented people and organizations working on these is- sues (some of whom you will read about in this booklet), as well as the political will enshrined in the Millennium Development Declaration. A clear focus on how drylands contribute to local and national economies, and how this can be enhanced through development initiatives that benefit people and nature, is of highest priority.

First of all we need to change the widespread view of drylands as wastelands. Dryland ecosystems provide water, food, fodder, fuelwood, shelter and medicinal plants for many of the worlds poor. Drylands also produce a number of globally important commodities such as gum arabic, frankincense, and cashmere. Ecotourism, when properly managed, is an important growth industry in drylands that can benefit both local people and wildlife. In addition drylands provide an important food insurance policy - over 30% or our major food crops - including wheat, barley and other cereals as well as livestock - originate in drylands, and provide a precious resource of genetic diversity in wild crop relatives. Many dryland medicinal and other useful plants and animals are already contributing to both local and global economies, but these values are rarely reflected in decisions taken about drylands.

Whilst we of course need to address climate change, the greatest strength and opportunity in drylands are the people that live there. It is essential to empower local people and fulfil their rights if the many threats to dryland ecosystems at local levels are to be resolved. These rights are the basis for sustainable drylands conservation, and need to be coupled with concerted efforts at national, regional, and international levels to support dryland conservation, and to combat desertification.

At the World Conservation Congress in Barcelona, IUCN will adopt a new programme of work for 2009-2012, which will be extremely relevant to the world’s drylands, and will guide the Union’s work on dryland conserva- tion and development issues over the next four years. The challenge, as with conservation elsewhere, is great, but we have made progress and IUCN will continue to build on and add value to the work of our Members and partners to address the most pressing problems in drylands today. This short booklet illustrates the expertise of the Union which we will use to attract greater attention and improve understanding on the inter-linkages between dryland ecosystems, desertification and livelihoods, and lead to more effective conservation and development solutions that benefit both the biodiversity and the people that live the world’s drylands.

1 The IUCN Drylands and Livelihoods Initiative

IUCN’s vision for drylands includes a world where dryland ecosystems are sustainably managed and provide people with the foundation for their well-being. However given the diversity and wealth of projects being undertaken to conserve and sustainably manage dryland ecosystems (of which just a fraction are represented in this booklet), what value can IUCN add to this already substantial effort?

As our mission clearly states, IUCN will ‘influence, encourage and assist societies throughout the world to conserve the integrity and diversity of nature and ensure that any use of natural resources is equitable and ecologically sustainable’. IUCN can do this in a number of ways, first by building on what has been achieved in the past, and then by adding value and developing current work carried out throughout the world by IUCN members, commissions and staff. It is through developing and mobilizing cutting-edge knowledge, fostering partnerships, delivering policy advice based on practical experience, and creating increased awareness and attention to the world’s drylands, that IUCN can make a difference. But this will only be achieved by working effectively with all interested parties.

IUCN is well-suited to this task, having worked on many dryland issues through its thematic and regional programmes, its members and commissions. IUCN has worked with the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (CCD) since its incep- tion, and has a long history of experience and expertise on the conservation and sustainable management of biodiversity and ecosystem services. It is also practiced in making this information available to the public and to decision-makers. However there is still an urgent need to improve understanding of how dryland ecosystem services underpin livelihoods, and how best they can be sustainably managed as the basis for reducing poverty, adapting to climate change, and slowing the rate of biodiversity loss. In light of this need, and in responding to requests from the IUCN membership, it is now time for IUCN to move the drylands agenda forward by using its convening power to improve knowledge and gov- ernance over dryland issues, as well as to help empower all stakeholders to work on a united front.

IUCN’s emerging drylands strategy focuses on sustainable and equitable management of biodiversity, improved climate change policies and adaptation practice that reflect the needs of dryland biodiversity and people, implementation of sus- tainable energy systems, improved livelihoods and poverty reduction, and integrating ecosystem conservation values with economic policy. The strategy is informed by the major issues that the world’s drylands face and is consistent with the IUCN Programme 2009-2012. The draft IUCN Strategy on Drylands and Desertification will be discussed with Mem- bers and Partners at the World Conservation Congress in Barcelona in October 2008. Only by working together and sharing our vast and diverse expertise on the sustainable management of dryland ecosystems will the big environmental issues of today be solved. Africa Another green revolution in the Sahel

Chris Reij, IUCN Commission on Ecosystem Management

here has been, since the middle ing season for the crops is longer. Several in livelihoods, as well as environmental re- of the 1980’s, a spectacular en- tree species, and in particular Faidherbia habilitation and conservation. vironmental revolution amongst albida and Proposis africana, enhance In other West African Sahel countries, the farmers in the densely popu- soil fertility and improve crop yields. farmers also protect and manage natural re- latedT Maradi and Zinder regions of Niger. Local community initiatives at re- generation on their farms. Many examples A formerly barren landscape of at least 5 greening can be found all over the Sahel have gone unnoticed and are undocument- million hectares has been magnificently region. Another example is found in the ed. A Sahel Re-greening Initiative is now be- re-greened because these farmers began Yatenga Region of Burkina Faso, where ing developed to identify grass-root success to consistently protect and manage their farmers employ traditional conservation on-farm re-greening stories in the Sahel to trees and bushes, which would then re- methods of digging zai holes in which use them as starting points for scaling-up. generate spontaneously on their farms. they plant trees. Manure, and other or- The current thinking about responses to The scale at which they have done so is ganic fertilizer is used to fill up the holes the food crisis in the Sahel is focussed on amazing. A recent study, using a combination and this attracts termites, which furrow a conventional package, which includes the of high-resolution satellite images, aerial pho- through the manure while feeding on it, expansion of irrigation, increasing fertilizer tos and field visits, has revealed the extent of creating tunnels through which rainwater input, improved crop varieties and mecha- the re-greening, which has today been rec- can reach and water the trees. Through nisation. Building and strengthening tree- ognized as one of the most spectacular envi- this inexpensive traditional method, trees based systems does not yet seem to be part ronmental transformations in Africa. have re-grown successfully in areas that of the equation. This on-farm re-greening has, among were otherwise barren and thought to be The Sahel Re-greening Initiative is sup- other things, led to more complex and pro- unproductive and beyond rehabilitation. ported by an international alliance of NGOs ductive farming systems which are more With over 100 people/km2 the soil fertility and research institutes and will be implement- resilient to drought. Twenty years ago had markedly reduced due to increased ed in four Sahel countries by national allianc- much of the land in these areas was almost soil erosion, and expansion of cultiva- es of NGOs in cooperation with relevant min- barren, but now they have 20, 40 or more tion in marginal lands. Drought, poverty istries. It is possible to make Africa’s degraded trees/ha (small and big). According to the and famine in these Sahel regions ex- drylands productive again. Experience shows farmers this has reduced wind speed and acerbated the situation. The zai method that dryland degradation can be reversed if damage to their crops. When the land was served as a means of rehabilitating bar- farmers invest in the protection and manage- almost barren they had to plant three or ren land and ensuring that water and ment of on-farm natural regeneration and if four times before the crop would succeed, nutrients could be concentrated in one governments create policies which induce but now after the re-forestation they often spot. This method led to an increase in farmers to invest in their resources. plant only once. This means that the grow- agricultural income and an improvement

3 Africa Are external inputs the only hope for Sahel dryland agriculture?

Joost Brouwer, IUCN Commission on Ecosystem Management

ome people say that agricultural using external inputs, but also through making Increased production without production in the Sahel cannot be more efficient use of locally available inputs. increased external inputs improved without external inputs Second, while farmers may have There already exist a number of examples because farmers have been farming tried ‘everything’, certain things escape of increased agricultural production through thereS for thousands of years, have tried their notice. In general, farmers have little increased knowledge, rather than through everything, yet production remains low. knowledge of what happens underground increased external inputs. Zai is a traditional Agricultural research, such as for the Green (e.g. leaching of nutrients), what happens at pit planting technique from semi-arid parts of Revolution in Africa, must therefore concentrate night (when certain pest insects are active), Burkina Faso. The technique is often used on greater external inputs. and what is too small for the eye to see. In to rehabilitate degraded land, where the pits While it is true that very large increases addition, they usually do not measure very collect runoff and allow easier establishment in yields can only be achieved using external precisely. If a particular level of extra inputs of sown crops as well as spontaneous veg- inputs, two points must not be forgotten. First, increases the yield from 0 to 500 kg/ha, the etation. Farmers often put some manure (or many dryland farmers in the Sahel, and in effect is more dramatic than if the same other organic matter) in the planting hole other semi-arid areas of Africa, cannot afford to extra inputs elsewhere increase production to provide nutrients and to attract termites, buy external inputs and will not be able to do from 500 to 1200 kg/ha. However, the latter which help open up the soil. Various studies so for the foreseeable future. And even if food would be the more efficient way of using have shown that introduction of the Zai tech- prices continue to rise as they did during the those inputs. It is through knowing what a nique can lead to an increase in agricultural first half of 2008, resulting in increased income farmer cannot see, measuring what a farmer production if only local inputs are used. Zai and allowing farmers to buy such inputs, they does not measure, and combining this with resulted in a 3 to 4 fold increase in grain yield are often hesitant to do so due to risk: a poor the farmer’s know-how, that agricultural on-farm when compared to flat planting. The rainfall season can mean a wasted investment. scientists and farmers together may water use efficiency was improved by a fac- Therefore agricultural research in the Sahel increase the yields and efficiency of zero or tor of about 2. Adding manure as well result- must look at increasing yields not only through low external input agriculture. ed in a further doubling of grain yields. Africa

I analyzed on an individual plot basis the creasing manure use efficiency in the Sa- works in drier years may not work in wetter results of a manure application experiment hel by applying different types of manure years, and vice versa, so farmers will not that the International Livestock Research In- at varying rates, based on differences want to put all their eggs in one basket. stitute (ILRI) carried out in the ICRISAT Sa- in microtopography of the farmer’s field. In summary, to improve agricultural helian Center in Niger. Soils on-site are ex- Independent on-farm measurements cor- efficiency In the Sahel, it is important to: tremely sandy but still show huge differences roborate this. It may also be useful to shift • Focus on more than just increasing in rainfall infiltration, from as low as 30% to some of the manure from over-manured the level of external inputs. 300% only 5-10 m away. This is related to areas around wells where animals are • Combine farmer and researcher differences in soil crust formation and micro- watered, to less fertile parts of the field. knowledge to improve the efficiency topography. of low external input agriculture. Calculations on the ILRI experiment Improving the efficiency of • Take account of variability in space showed that by twelve months after the ap- subsistence agriculture plication of 9-10 tonnes/ha of cattle manure (within-field soil and crop growth vari- (which is at the high end of what is normal- Simple ways can be found to improve the ability), and variability in time (rainfall), ly used in farmers’ fields), the average (wet efficiency of subsistence agriculture, for when developing new farmer manage- and dry plots) nutrient store between 1.5 and instance using a home-made rain gauge ment options. 2 m depth had increased by 1,070 kg/ha of to calculate how much water has infiltrat- • Increase farmer knowledge so that organic carbon; 91 kg/ha of nitrogen, and 19 ed into the soil in a particular plot or field. they can make decisions most suited kg/ha of phosphorus (averages of four plots). When a certain point has been reached, to their own goals and environment. In other words, 25% of the carbon, 36% of by also taking into account crop transpira- They know that what works in one the nitrogen and 95% of the phosphorus had tion, the farmer can divert any additional place in one year may not work in leached to that depth in a 12-month period, water to another field, or let it continue to another place or in another year. with similar amounts probably leaching be- the fields of his colleagues downstream. yond 2 m in depth. Examining the individual It is important to remember that in Agricultural research is conservation plots, we observed that the lowest, wettest these very variable, semi-arid environ- research, as more efficient and sustain- plots suffered the greatest leaching losses of ments, many farmers wish to avoid risk as able subsistence agriculture reduces cattle as well as sheep manure and urine. In much as to obtain high yield. Here water the pressure on the ecosystems around addition, sheep manure and urine appeared to and nutrients alternate in limiting crop pro- farmers’ fields. be a much more efficient organic fertiliser for duction from year-to-year and from day-to- acid, leached depressions than cattle manure. day, over distances ranging from hundreds There are therefore distinct possibilities for in- of kilometres to just a few metres. What

5 Africa Against daunting odds women in Nguru, Nigeria, flex their voices for water conservation James Workman, IUCN Water Programme

he soft-spoken mother, Khadija Knowledge alone is not enough. Ahmed Ahmed, holds no academic de- needs well-connected allies, and an opportu- gree. She is no international ex- nity to bring change. Through its Water Pro- pert. But she understands better gramme in thirty developing countries, IUCN’s thanT most the forces that were silently sap- challenge has sought people like Ahmed to co- ping life from her Nguru homeland. Water develop sustainable solutions and initiatives. stress grew from unpredictable climate Rather than bypass people on the ground to changes that were desiccating the River engineer an outcome with a technocratic fix, Hadeija. When she was young, that tribu- IUCN puts its extensive network of members, tary of the Komadugu Yobe River used to scientific commissions, government and pri- flow with a seasonal pulse until reaching vate sector partners to work for Ahmed. She is Lake Chad. It had once been the lifeline for at the centre of any and all water management millions of people in Nguru in North-east decisions. She is the fulcrum. From there, Nigeria. Unfortunately, in recent decades, IUCN further contributes towards the conser- new dams, diversions, escalating water vation of water biodiversity by promoting, in- extraction and irrigation eroded the fragile fluencing and catalyzing sustainable use and soils, degraded the floodplains, spread an equitable sharing of resources according to infestation of noxious weeds, and reduced the expressed needs of people like Ahmed. the Hadeija River’s powerful pulse to an The IUCN Water Programme works in many anaemic, steady trickle. arid and semi-arid landscapes in which water Top-down large-scale interventions, is often the most valuable resource. Integrated unsustainable water use, and ignorance of water and drylands management are closely in- the specific bio-climatic characteristics and terlinked. Improved grazing and sustainable land management requirements of drylands led management directly affects the watershed and use and decisions in a dozen stressed watersheds to food insecurity, degradation and conflict river flows. Sustainable dryland management worldwide. In Africa these include the Lake Tanganyika in hometowns such as Ahmed’s. Officials requires a whole set of knowledge and skills to basin, and the Pangani, Senegal, Okavango, and Ko- failed to recognize the interdependence of cope with the highly seasonal availability of wa- madugu Yobe River basins. water users within the entire watershed: ter and erratic rainfall. To mitigate risks, dryland Ahmed observes that no aspect of life – health, what happens upstream affects down- resource use often requires management of food, livelihoods, hygiene – can be separated from stream users; land management affects large areas and diversified livelihoods. water. So she began to speak up in the dialogue fo- water resources; aquifers and surface wa- Some call Ahmed’s arid home a ’forgotten rums, first to other women, then to men who, to her ters are closely interlinked. landscape’, too often overlooked by green- surprise, began to listen and agree with her. Adjust- Though no agronomist, Ahmed sees seeking environmental and development orga- ing to this kind of participation in an IUCN supported the tiny dry season farm plots shrivel under nizations. Yet the world’s drylands are likely to venture was difficult for Ahmed at first; she was one stress, which radically reduced the maize, be most affected by climate change, given the woman facing nine men around a single table. But millet, rice, wheat, sorghum, cotton, ground- existing water stress. Against this reality IUCN she was encouraged both by the many hundreds of nuts, and beans people grew. Though no hy- is pioneering new ways to further develop and women who supported her, and by the fact that the drologist, she knew water scarcity was one implement a focused Union-wide Water Pro- men appreciated her unique perspective. major constraint to ensuring food security in gramme and influence global debate and de- Ahmed amicably but firmly vouches for Nige- drylands (and that according to the Millen- cisions on conservation and sustainable use rian women, “we are the majority in the country, nium Assessment, the availability of water of water. The most effective approach has especially in the rural parts, and deeply involved is expected to decline further due to popula- been the development of multi-stakeholder in every aspect of fishing, herding and farming, tion increases, and land cover and climate dialogues, led by farmers, fishermen and pas- from planting, to harvest, to selling at market. We change). Though no politician, she under- toralists like Ahmed, learning how to allocate should not be empty handed.” Based on her ex- stands how human water management af- who needs how much water, why and when. ample, and the connections she has forged with fects ecosystems and nature - particularly in That is why IUCN and its partners backed up other WUAs throughout the Komadugu Yobe Riv- the world’s drylands - which in turn affects people like Ahmed in local Water User Associations. er basin, they won’t be. the livelihoods of villages such as hers. Hundreds of such associations have been sponta- neously forming in recent years to help guide water www.iucn.org/water

IUCN Water Programme and the grapple between modernity and dryland conservation

The IUCN Water Programme is actively involved in, IUCN’s efforts have borne fruit in many regions. able lands. IUCN helped support projects in these areas and supports, a wide range of water-related projects In the small Barra de Santiago - El Imposible basin that conserved, restored and optimized the benefits of the in different locations around the world. It works at the in El Salvador, lack of water, inequity, environmental freshwater, soils, and ecosystems through capacity build- regional, national and local levels in various IUCN degradation, erosion, pollution and saltwater intru- ing, awareness-raising, and sustainable management. operational regions across Asia, Middle East, Africa, sion are some of the problems that led IUCN and Through IUCN (and other stakeholders) regional Europe, and America. This is because water is vital other partners to support the initiation of projects that water programme covering West Asia/Middle East and for all living organisms and major ecosystems, as would improve access, quality and distribution of wa- North Africa (Regional Water Resources and Dryland Pro- well as for human health, food production, and eco- ter and ecosystem services. This was accomplished gramme – REWARD), due attention has been given to nomic development. Hence water scarcity adversely through building capacity and encouraging dialogue poverty alleviation, community development and gender- affects all these areas. on water-related problems with relevant representa- related issues through a range of demonstration projects What is happening in Nguru is reflective of how tives including locals from the grassroots, and help- involving the local communities. As part of REWARD’s re- drylands globally are grappling with modernity and the ing develop a sound sustainable management plan. gional networking and together with other regional institu- resultant loss in biodiversity and ecosystem services. In the township of San Francisco Menéndez, tions, such as the Arab Water Council, UNEP, the Global Drawing of water has damaged much of Nigeria’s nearly one-third of major illnesses are related to poor Water Partnership and CEDARE, IUCN will launch a Fo- wetlands including the Hadejia-Nguru wetlands. This water quality, and an estimated 70% of lands suf- rum for Dialogue on sustainable ground water manage- is a Ramsar site that is famous for breeding birds, fer from erosion. In Tacana, Guatemala, Mexico, an ment through a series of regional meetings. plants and animals. A large number of farmers, fish- area renowned for the production of biological coffee, ermen, and pastoralists depend on the biodiversity in deforestation led to flooding and mudslides. Sugar this area for their livelihood, and it also provides wild cane plantations also led to pollution of the water, resources to the surrounding villages. and large-scale farming led to degradation of avail- Africa Maximising synergies between CBNRM initiatives and the UNCCD in Southern Africa IUCN Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Office outhern Africa’s drylands are home pacity building and streamlining policy formula- approx. US$60 million, almost matching the to almost 50 million people in a tion to meet such objectives. total investment in CBNRM by government range of countries: South Africa, and donors of approximately US$66 million. Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Swa- A number of case studies clearly Sziland, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Income is also generated by conservancies, reveal the success of CBNRM most of Tanzania, some of Angola, Zambia which provide employment for the local com- and Madagascar. The global Multilateral work in SADC munity. This extra income is then invested in craft and agriculture and to improve commu- Environmental Agreement on Drylands, the Most communities involved in CBNRM pro- nity infrastructure such as schools and com- United Nations Convention to Combat De- grammes highly appreciate local natural re- munity gardens. Diversifying rural incomes sertification (UNCCD) uniquely calls for a sources and have improved skills for monitor- and employment opportunities is also one bottom-up approach in policy development ing, sustainable cultivation and harvesting, and of the key strategies of the UNCCD. The in- and implementation, where countries devel- choose not to rely entirely on government and come generated by CBNRM projects should op strategies that deal with the root causes government-related institutions. of desertification while taking into consider- be earmarked to local desertification, drought ation the interlinkages of desertification and In Botswana, CBNRM allowed the community to issues and general natural resource manage- poverty. shift from cattle management to wildlife-based ment issues, to further enhance its contribu- incomes that has led to greater local apprecia- tion to UNCCD implementation. Community Based Natural Resources Man- tion of wildlife and has reduced wildlife-human The UNCCD places a major emphasis on agement (CBNRM) projects have reversed conflict. The community has also planted eco- the participation of local communities in the and prevented desertification and degrada- nomically important tree species (marula) and implementation of desertification response tion, supported wildlife hunting or ecotour- received training in sustainable harvesting strategies. In this regard most CBNRM case ism management projects, alleviated pov- techniques. erty, helped establish local institutional studies suggest that substantial strides have structures for resources management, re- In Malawi extensive woodlots have been estab- been made towards the strengthening of lo- stored degraded areas by commercializing lished to mitigate for deforestation in the area, cal institutions and empowerment of local non-timber forest products (veld products), and animal species are starting to move back communities. Capacity building of local in- and impacted policy formulation in all SADC into the forests where they had become locally stitutions for sustainable land and resource countries. Despite this, SADC countries do extinct. There are also reports that rivers are management is a critical element of the UN- not well represent CBNRM in their report- starting to become perennial again. CBNRM CCD. interventions can have very positive impacts in ing to UNCCD and experience of CBNRM The discrepancy in the recognition of CBNRM reducing the environmental components of de- in over 20 years of successful projects in in UNCCD and the NAPs and SRAP is easily sertification while benefiting the communities. these countries are not well integrated into explained – they all have a different focus – national UNCCD strategies, and are almost The UNCCD identifies a direct link between de- local, national and regional that needs to be non-existent in SADC sub-Regional Adap- sertification and poverty and CBNRM projects better integrated. The focus of the National tation Programmes (SRAP). Case studies in South Africa have helped alleviate poverty Action Plans should shift from national plan- in some of these countries revealed that and diversify household income streams, again ning to local implementation and CBNRM CBNRM and UNCCD could enjoy greater underlying the synergy that exists between the could be of great benefit. The UNCCD should synergy as both believe in local community two. For example, the total contribution of the in addition assist with the provision of appro- active participation, sustainable use of re- national CBNRM programme to net national priate legislative frameworks that enable lo- source management, diversification of rural income and increased capital value of wildlife cally sustainable land management. incomes and employment opportunities, ca- in northwest Namibia from 1990 to 2003 was A the same time, the CBNRM community needs to actively engage with national and regional UNCCD initiatives and demonstrate their success with both the improvement of rural livelihoods and the reduction of deserti- fication. In this regard national CBNRM proj- ects need to provide information of success- es to the UNCCD focal point proactively and in time for national UNCCD progress reports. From the case studies it became clear that there is poor contact between the CBNRM community and UNCCD initiatives. Creating synergies between CBNRM and the UNCCD could therefore be a critical step in moving national and sub-regional desertification strategies from policy to action. www.iucn.org/esaro

7 Urgent need for climate change adaptation Béatrice Riché, IUCN Forest Conservation Programme

Pan-African project funded by the matic changes affect crop production and However, a lack of climate change aware- Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Fin- that cutting trees affects their local climate, ness and understanding amongst decision land and implemented by IUCN but they are less aware of global debates makers and development project planners, in Zambia highlights the need and opportunities for example regarding and a low capacity to assess and address Afor local communities to become more carbon markets. Most climate change is vulnerability, hinders the inclusion of climate aware of their traditional coping strate- caused by activities in the First World, yet change adaptation in decision making, proj- gies in the face of climate change. climate change is felt most acutely and ex- ect development and national policies. ”Droughts have destroyed almost all tensively in the developing countries and by The findings of the community-based our crops this year. Our livelihood mostly their communities. analyses together with the international sci- depends on agriculture, so we need to IUCN therefore helps communities be- entists’ latest predictions on climate change find other means of survival…” stated vil- come more aware of global climate change, in Eastern and Southern Africa lead to a de- lagers around the Dambwa Local Forest build on their traditional climate coping strat- cision by Finland to fund a 3-year, full-size in Zambia, during a community-based cli- egies, assess risks and opportunities and pan-African project (including Mozambique, mate change risk assessment exercise. then feed the findings into national adapta- Zambia and Tanzania) on climate change The community around the Dambwa tion plans and projects, so that these are adaptation. The project aims to ensure that Local Forest, located in the dry South- built on community grounded knowledge. climate change related policies and strate- ern Province of Zambia, was one of the Communities have strategies to cope gies lead to adaptation activities that empha- seven communities in this country to par- during the times of extreme climate events, size the role of forests and water resources ticipate in climate change vulnerability but these come often with high socioeco- in supporting people’s livelihoods and asso- assessments. nomic and environmental costs, such as in- ciated farming systems. The results of the analyses revealed creased poverty and deforestation. that communities are well aware of cli- Community-level projects, mainly those www.iucn.org/forest matic changes but the factors underlying dealing with ecosystem or natural resource www.iucn.org/climate these changes are not commonly known. management, can either improve adap- Communities are normally aware that cli- tive capacity of communities or constrain it.

8 Africa Tunisian women integral to sustainable management of biodiversity Leila Bahri, Union nationale de la femme tunisienne, IUCN Member

orth African countries share a com- deterioration of the coastal region affects tourism, To stem this tide, the important role of women mon environment and history that is which is a major or in some cases the main source of in the community, in preserving the environment entwined with that of the Mediterranean income for countries in the region. and in adapting to natural disasters needs to be Sea. Arid conditions are the norm, ex- The loss of biodiversity and soil, and the ad- appreciated. But it will be very difficult to conserve Ncept for a narrow, more humid stretch along the vancing Sahara has increased urban migration, biodiversity without a clear adaptation strategy Mediterranean coast, where the main economic particularly towards the coastal zones. As the aimed at halting unsustainable use of natural re- activities are located. Principal concerns in the standard of living is already low for most of the sources, economic stagnation, increased urban region are water scarcity, desertification, soil ero- population, the problems of access to water and to migration, and loss of cultural heritage. sion and land degradation. Poor irrigation meth- energy for these immigrants increases the risk of ods and pollution from industrial and domestic internal conflict and social instability. Way forward for Tunisian women wastewater has resulted in poor water quality. Women are often the bearers and protectors of Unsustainable use over the past decades has led The evolving role of women indigenous knowledge, as well as the creators to reduced water pressure, salinization and salt The deterioration of the environment and natural of new methods of managing biodiversity and water encroachment into the interior. resources impact women in particular who are the the environment. However, for a long time they Climate change poses an additional threat primary providers of water and energy (principally have been forced to assume a secondary role in to fresh water availability, already scarce in fuel wood) for the family. society. To improve things, women need equal North Africa, as well as an increase in sea lev- In agriculture, women constitute more than half access to economic activities, commercial op- els and salinization of agricultural zones. Less the number of farmers, and are involved in planting, portunities, property rights and natural resources. water and overexploitation of the land com- harvesting and production but rarely in resource New technologies to improve rural living condi- bined with increased economic activity has af- management. Here women do not inherit land, tions are necessary so that women can use their fected the vegetation cover of the region. making access to land and credit facilities difficult. knowledge to improve their standard of living and The loss of woodlands and overgrazing Tunisian women, however, are adapting to climate adapt to changing environmental conditions. It is has led to a significant decrease in biomass change and natural disasters. For example, they also essential for women to develop a sense of and grassland species, and an increase in make and wear woollen dresses adapted to the cli- identity and to validate their position in society. less palatable exotic species. Yet, grasslands mate, and prepare food that rehydrates as well as The IUCN 2008-2012 Programme for Sus- provide key fodder resources for the livestock on nourishes the body. Women use wild plants for fam- tainable Management of Natural Resources in which the local population depends. Grassland ily medical care; to dye wool; to produce clothes, North Africa was developed by UNFT and other species in the North Africa drylands are carpets and beauty items; and also to sell for food. North African members, with the support of the increasingly threatened by genetic erosion, or IUCN Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation. have disappeared. For example, two leguminous This programme includes projects which will plants, Hedysarum humile and H. flexuosum, Women fleeing to urban areas help the communities to adapt to environmental have disappeared in Tunisia and can only be Today’s generation of women is more educated and and climatic change, using new technologies for found in small, isolated pockets in Morocco and have rejected the harsh and subservient lifestyle of sustainable use of natural resources. Algeria. the older rural generation, leading to a desire to Indiscriminate land clearing transforms water live a different life in urban areas. Latest census www.unft.org.tn/ courses, exposing the ground to water and wind figures reveal that 14% of rural women migrate to erosion. Local people are already experiencing the urban areas in search of work. If this continues, harmful effects of environmental change, which af- pressure on the urban and coastal zones of the fect economic activity and social equilibrium. The country will increase. Africa / Asia Centre and garden for the conservation of threatened plants, Egypt Kamal H. Batanouny, IUCN Commission on Ecosystem Management

rylands are home to important medicinal plants, this is also the case for Egypt. Slow Dgrowth rates and unsustainable use have led to a situation where many medicinal plants have been depleted. While cultivation is not part of the Bedouin culture that is based on livestock herding, the Bedouins of El Hammam, 65km west of Alexandria, recognized the need to grow me- dicinal plants and engaged in the establishment of a centre and garden for the conservation of threat- ened plants. The objectives of the centre range from the ex situ conservation of rare and threat- ened plants and awareness raising, to document- ing traditional knowledge for the benefit of the lo- cal population. The Centre is cultivating more and more plants and attracts numerous visitors as well as hosts scientific meetings. Seedlings of threat- ened plants are used to replenish plantations and are also given to interested people. This project was implemented by the Academy of Scientific Research and Technology with funds from the Swiss Development Cooperation through IUCN, in collaboration with the Egyptian Botanical Society and its President Kamal H. Batanouny. Building on the results of the Centre, a Small Grants Project (GEF) will now be implemented in the area.

Management of dry areas in Jordan Mahmoud abu Setta, Director, Rangeland Directorate, Ministry of Agriculture, IUCN State Member ordan is mostly covered by drylands, ranging Rangelands 4. Firewood collection. from arid areas to deserts, where livestock Rangelands in Jordan cover 8 million ha., consti- 5. Inadequate legislation. grazing has been the major activity. During the tuting about 90% of the total area of the country. 6. Lack of participation of users of rangelands in past six decades, these areas have been se- They can be sub-divided into three natural ecologi- decision-making. Jverely degraded due to unsustainable use, coinciding 7. Other unfriendly uses in the dryland environment cal zones: with a decline and erratic fluctuations in rainfall. This 1. Desert rangelands. These cover an area of 7 mil- (mining of phosphate, rock and sand). has led to the desertification of large tracts of land. lion ha. and receive less than 100 mm of rain/ 8. Groundwater depletion. The government has implemented a number of year. These lands are mostly owned by the State. 9. Increasingly harsh climatic conditions (low and initiatives aimed at improving the socio-economic de- These are mainly pastoral areas in the eastern erratic rainfall distribution). velopment of the inhabitants living in drylands through and southeastern parts of the country. the implementation of rangeland development, wild- Development efforts in the desert 2. Steppe rangelands. These areas cover 1 million life protection, infrastructure and water harvesting ha and receive annual rainfall ranging between In conclusion, a multifaceted approach towards solv- projects. The Badia, or Jordanian desert, remains the 100-200 mm/year. 90% of this area is privately ing the many problems facing the drylands in Jordan greatest challenge to development. owned. is needed. To date the following projects have been undertaken and are being further developed: Currently drylands in Jordan are used in a number 3. Mountainous rangelands. These have an area of 1. Restoration of degraded rangeland ecosystems. of ways: approximately 45,000 ha and receive more than A number of projects have been implemented 1. Grazing. This is the most widespread use, noting 200 mm of rain/year. aimed at the protection, development, and man- that free-grazing has resulted in overgrazing. Challenges facing drylands in Jordan agement of controlled grazing in the rangelands 2. Rain-fed agriculture. Large tracts of the best graz- through the establishment of range reserves. 33 ing land are being annually ploughed for cereal Numerous challenges and issues confront dryland rangeland reserves have been established by cultivation. management and conservation in Jordan. These the Ministry of Agriculture in addition to a number 3. Irrigated agriculture. More than 45,000 ha of dry- include: of areas managed by cooperatives. lands are exploited through irrigated agriculture 1. Cultivation of the rangeland for crop production 2. Watershed management. There are many agri- using underground water. and ownership issues. cultural projects designed to conserve soil and 4. Urbanization. 2. Overgrazing. Large numbers of animals grazing water, and to increase agricultural productivity. 5. Nature conservation. There is a burgeoning eco- in rangelands over long time periods reduce the 3. Water Harvesting. Jordan suffers from water tourism industry in the desert to observe wildlife. number of edible plants, while at the same time shortages, especially in desert areas. In the past 6. Mining. Large tracts are used for phosphate, oil increase the numbers of unpalatable plants. the focus was to dig artesian wells in order to shale, gas and stone mining. 3. Early grazing, which does not allow plants suf- ficient time to complete their life cycle. meet the needs for water of nomads and their animals. Today, projects aim to harvest rainwater and floods through the establishment of dams and “hafirs” (a local name for water reservoirs) to collect water to be used by livestock. 4. Nature conservation. Jordan is home to a number of threatened species including ga- zelles and oryx, and captive-breeding and re- introduction projects are being undertaken. 5. Human, social and economic development ini- tiatives. The government provides educational and health services needed by the population such as water, electricity, communication and others facilities, in addition to development projects and small enterprises leading to fam- ily income-generation. Asia Protecting Yemen’s unique heritage Paul Scholte, IUCN Commission on Ecosystem Management, IUCN Species Survival Commission

he entire country of Yemen is dryland, and To address increasing pressure, the Government of area presently under formal protection (terrestrial ± 2 2 with 40% of its population living below the Yemen has, since 1999, gazetted five protected areas: 5,000 km , marine ± 18,000 km ). poverty level, Yemen is one of the develop- the Socotra Archipelago (‘island of the dragon blood In addition, the Government will increase its ing countries which have contributed the least trees’), the ‘forgotten forests of Arabia’ (Bura’a and support for conservation, by: Tto the emission of greenhouse gases, but are among Hawf), the Aden Wetlands and the cultural landscape 1. The creation of an island-wide administra- the most vulnerable when faced with the effects of of Outmah. In some of these areas, notably Socotra, tion on Socotra (2008-10), assuring the climate change. Redistribution of precipitation and Aden Wetlands and Bura’a, conservation management, planning, supervision and coordination of increasing frequency and intensity of droughts with mostly through collaboration with local communities, the archipelago. possible increases in air temperature entail negative has started. These initiatives have been supported by 2. An increase in employment of Environment consequences, particularly for its natural resources several international partnerships (GEF, UNDP, as well Protection Authority (EPA) – protected area and thus its inhabitants. A more arid climate will result as bilateral cooperation). These areas represent the personnel on Socotra (1997: 4, 2007: 28, in further desertification, along with significant declines highlights of the natural wealth of Arabia, but several 2008: 54, 2009: 71). in wetland areas. Such changes will have important more sites dispersed over the country have been iden- 3. An increase in EPA personnel for other pro- consequences for plants and animals with restricted tified that merit protection status. Ultimately, they may tected areas. distributions, facing increased risks of extinction. form the backbone of a representative protected area Studies undertaken on the island of Socotra, Ye- system in Yemen. Local communities have expressed What is needed from the men’s “jewel in the crown” that this year has been de- their strong willingness to support these initiatives. clared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, suggest that international community? To reach this goal and more importantly, assure two-thirds of the island’s precipitation originates from Importance of protected area’s its long-term sustainability, the Government of mist captured by the native vegetation, although some services, including fresh water Yemen calls for support of the international com- models predict that by 2080 the extent of this native Much underestimated by the conservation community, munity in assisting Yemen with: vegetation will decline by almost half. This will not only several protected areas in Yemen (most notably Hawf, reduce the area’s biodiversity value, but will also un- 1. Understanding biodiversity and ecosystem Bura’a, and Skand on Socotra) comprise watersheds services dermine its capacity in capturing mist, thus jeopardiz- that provide essential services to surrounding com- ing the provision of increasingly scarce freshwater. a. Inventories resulting in a prioritization of munities, including firewood, medicines and, most conservation efforts. Therefore there is an urgent need for mitigation important, fresh water. Hawf protected area provides b. Surveys on ecosystem services (e.g. measures to protect the vegetation that is already water for tens of thousands of people in the 30 km long water provision, role in agricultural pro- under increasing pressure by grazing and (fire-) coastal plain East of Al Gheidha. Skand protected area duction) resulting in detailed manage- wood extraction. Only then can protected areas con- encompasses the catchment of the water provision of ment proposals. tinue playing their vital role. Hadibu, capital of Socotra with 12,000 inhabitants and 2. Institutional capacity building Mouri with several thousands of people. Yemen hosts globally important a. Targeting decentralized, community Lack of (financial and other) supportive capacity of the Environmen- biodiversity tal Protection Authority Situated at crossroads between the Afrotropical, resources to cope with the b. Formulation and creation of endow- Oriental and Palearctic regions, Yemen has been increasing pressures ment funds. identified by several global studies (WWF’s “Global In addition to the increasing pressures, both local (with 3. Long-term funding 200 Ecoregions”, CI’s “Conservation Hotspots”, and increasing local community aspirations) and global (cli- a. Seed-money for the replenishment of IUCN/WWF’s “Centres of Plant Diversity”) as host- mate change), protected areas in Yemen cope with a conservation endowment fund(s). ing globally important biodiversity. serious lack of funding and management capacity. This Conservation has always been of high impor- b. Development of ecosystem services’ holds notably for Hawf and Outmah protected areas, tance in Yemen, where some of the world’s first pro- payments and users’ fees. but even for the high-profile Socotra Archipelago, as tected areas were found. Community protected areas, c. Development of other long-term fund- long-term funding is not secured, despite significantly ‘mahjur’ and ‘waqf’, have played an important role in ing options. increased national funding over the last three years. protecting natural vegetation in often intensively cul- 4. Community assistance activities tivated and grazed areas. These patches of natural The proposal of Yemen a. Empowering communities in protected vegetation have for centuries provided services to lo- At the CBD - COP-9 (Bonn, 2008) the Government of area management. cal communities, including fresh water. Yemen and the respective local communities commit- b. Tapping nation-wide resources for their ted themselves to double, over the next 5 years, the management.

The article above is an extract of a proposal that the author wrote for the Government of Yemen that was presented at CBD COP9 in Bonn, Germany in 2008. Asia The Inner Mongolia Grassland Ecosystem Research Station: research for conservation

Xingguo Han, Institute of Botany of the Chinese Academy of Science, IUCN Member he Inner Mongolia Grassland Ecosys- Our mission and on-going emy of Sciences, and other agencies, including tem Research Station (IMGERS) was welcome support from abroad. In total, over 60 established in 1979 and is part of the research scientists have active research projects on-site. Institute of Botany of the Chinese Acad- The station is dedicated to a three-fold mission com- Current research efforts have focussed emyT of Sciences (CAS), an IUCN affiliate mem- posed of long-term monitoring, ecological research, on vegetation structure and succession, bio- ber since 1986. The work of IMGERS is focused and dissemination of the results. geochemistry, ecophysiology, biodiversity and on (1) long-term monitoring of the key biotic and greenhouse gas dynamics of the region. Results abiotic factors driving typical steppe ecosystem Long-term Monitoring from these studies are essential for a number processes, (2) studies on structure, function, bio- Through long-term monitoring of water, soil, at- of reasons. They improve knowledge on the diversity, and ecosystem responses and feedback mosphere, and biological and ecological ele- structure and function of temperate grassland to global change, and (3) development of practical ments of the grassland ecosystem, IMGERS has ecosystems, the impact of grazing, the life-his- techniques and methods for grassland ecosystem collected a vast amount of key biotic and abiotic tory strategies and physiology of various native management, particularly sustainable resource data since 1979. This has been made available to grasshopper species (which are key grassland utilization and grassland restoration. the scientific community and the public through a pests), as well as provide input into developing number of databases. These databases include effective management strategies for controlling Why Inner Mongolia? hydrological changes in the Xilin River Basin, bio- rodent pests. IMGERS is located in the Xilin River Basin in In- logical and soil dynamics in typical grasslands, Spreading the message ner Mongolia, where typical steppe ecosystems of and meteorological records. IMGERS has set up Based on the results of long-term monitoring and northern China are found. These Eurasian steppe six long-term experimental plots encompassing research, IMGERS then disseminates best prac- grasslands are rich, housing some 650 species of 800 ha, which include two plots studying typical tices for grassland ecosystem management to a flowering plants. The area is dry (with mean an- local dominant grasses (mainly Leymus chinensis broader public, in order to support sustainable nual precipitation about 358mm, mainly occurring and Stipa grandis), a restoration plot, a grazing development through ecological conservation from June to August) and cold (with mean annual plot, a rodent observation field, and a plot study- and to improve socio-economic levels in north- temperature around –0.4°). Average elevation is ing meteorological phenomena. ern China. A model that integrates ecological approximately 1100 m. With its sandy, silty, loamy development, natural resource use and socio- soils, the region is one of the most important Research economic development has been produced and pasturelands in China. It is therefore essential to Ecological research is the central activity of IM- applied in the region. have an important research station in this region. GERS. Researchers including scientists from the IMGERS boasts infrastructure including facilities Institute of Botany as well as visiting investigators Restoration and management housing its administrative offices, a meeting room conduct field research on a wide spectrum of taxa, for up to 60 participants, and comfortable lodging ranging from studies on individual organisms to of the grasslands of northern (including broadband internet) for visiting investi- landscape and global-scale processes. Ongoing China gators. In addition, long-term housing is available research includes physiological ecology; popula- The ultimate goal of IMGERS is to provide the for site staff, graduate students, and researchers. tion and community ecology of plants and insects; facilities and opportunity to researchers and Two buildings contain 22 laboratories equipped and ecosystem, landscape and grassland resto- the public at large to contribute to the sustain- with state-of-the-art equipment. Moreover, vari- ration ecology. Studies of ecosystem dynamics able development of the grasslands of northern ous ongoing research or monitoring programs emphasize productivity, nutrient cycling, below- China and elsewhere. This important area, both maintain on-site facilities such as weather and ground processes, biodiversity and ecosystem biologically and economically, has attracted and stream monitoring stations which support long- functioning. As of 2000, over 400 scientific books continues to attract enormous interest locally term ecological research. The site provides a and articles in peer-reviewed journals have been as well as from abroad. However it will only be unique outdoor laboratory in a typical steppe eco- published. Much of this work is supported by the when the research results are used to improve system for basic biological studies, ranging from National Science Foundation of China, as well current practices that the mission of IMGERS taxonomy to ecosystem processes. as the Ministry of Science and Technology of the will be achieved. People’s Republic of China, the Chinese Acad- www.ibcas.ac.cn Experiment of Fire Ecology Asia Rejuvenating drylands in Pakistan Arjumand Nizami, Sahibzada Irfanullah, Intercooperation, IUCN Member

ost of the people living in the drylands The Soil Conservation Department constructs and Surface water resources of southern Pakistan are extremely rehabilitates walls and water tanks for farmers. Ag- Rainwater harvesting and storage in natural or artifi- riculture research stations are constrained by insuf- poor, and they depend on livestock cial ponds is carried out in many arid areas of Paki- ficient funds. Regional development projects distrib- rearing and subsistence agriculture stan. Locally called toba, these ponds provide water ute free seedlings among communities for planting Mfor their livelihoods. It is normally difficult to ac- for livestock and household uses where there is acute on communal lands. The situation prevailing in these cess these rural areas as infrastructure is not shortage of water. The Farm Forestry Support Project developed, and livelihood options such as off- areas calls for strategies that are tailor-made to the assisted the construction of water ponds to develop farm jobs are limited. Rainfall is scarce and un- changing environmental and socio-economic param- forest plantations and fruit orchards. These ponds predictable, and extreme weather causes crop eters. Interventions must be simple, cost-effective consisted of earthen catchments to which water was loss through scorching and freezing. Small land and build on indigenous practices while addressing diverted from seasonal and perennial streams and holdings are rare; women’s mobility is limited, the local farmers’ needs. mini-catchments, and in addition helped meet many and many of the landless share resources. local needs, especially for women. The local people depend highly on natural Working hand-in-hand with the resources and livestock. These are ecologically local community Lessons learned from the Farm fragile areas and the people are locked into de- pendency on low productivity drylands and use- The Farm Forestry Support Project, implemented Forestry Support Project patterns which result in natural resource degra- over the past nine years with financial support from • Communities need to keep land fallow for 2-3 dation. For example, overstocking is widespread, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation years to allow full regeneration, while ensuring whilst cultivated rainfed lands are increasingly be- (SDC), initiated rehabilitation work in the drylands of that the landless, who often depend on livestock ing abandoned due to prolonged droughts. These North West Frontier Province. This entailed improving (particularly small ruminants), are not affected. the existing silvo-pastoral system with hillside ditches, challenges are particularly evident in Karak district • Land tenure is crucial for any land rehabilitation and Kurram Agency of the North West Frontier sand dune stabilisation, and surface water resource activity. development with the help of the local community. The Province (one of the four provinces in Pakistan). • Involving grassroots organisations is a key ingre- Since people’s livelihoods heavily depend objective was to increase productivity cost effectively and to improve the resources that support livelihoods dient in successful community involvement, and on these drylands value efforts to reverse degra- they must have a gender-sensitive approach as dation, as this has a direct effect on their income. so that they could act as avenues for income genera- tion. Dryland rehabilitation activities through the Farm women suffer the most in a resource-scarce en- As populations have increased, the pressure on vironment. Women, for example, chose species Forestry Support Project started in 2004 after consul- pastures has resulted in the severe degradation for replantation which had more fodder and fuel tation with the local people who also contributed finan- of natural resources. value, as well as those that provided better raw cially. Local NGOs helped mobilise the farmers. Thirty million people live in the drylands of material for handicrafts. Pakistan, and these drylands cover almost 75% of Rehabilitation of silvo-pastures • The interventions were cost-effective and could the country. In one year, the country receives less thus be easily replicated. than 250mm of rainfall. The communities of Karak On limited patches of land, ditches and pits were dug and Kurram have experience in growing drought- to help drain rainwater into the planted land. The • The extensive nature of the drylands in Pakistan resistant crops, trees and shrubs for food and fod- patches were built so as to retain as much rainwater demands the involvement of Government in der. Cropping is characterised by a prolonged fallow for plant growth as possible. The men and women of such rehabilitation interventions. period for free grazing. During the cropping season, the community helped in the selection of the species Thanks to the Farm Forestry Support Project there animals are taken to the foothills for grazing. to plant. A 60% plant survival rate of plants was re- has been a marked increase in vegetative cover The provision of financial support by the corded and the tree density increased from 14 to 218 (trees, shrubs and grasses), and this means that the Government is limited because these dryland per hectare. Local annual and perennial grasses also women in the area use less time to fetch fuelwood areas are not prioritized in national development grew in abundance, increasing from 12% to 45%, and and look for fodder. It has also meant that the local strategies. The Forest Department, however, runs soil fertility improved due to moisture conservation. people have time to develop products for sale. Many a few programmes in the area such as tree plant- of the wells in the area have also been rehabilitated ing, fencing and manual watering of the areas. and provide water for the community. There is need to support replication of similar projects in the dry- lands of Pakistan to improve livelihood security. www.intercooperation.org.pk Asia Strengthening traditional wisdom and resilience in India’s Thar Desert

Kanupriya Harish, Jal Bhagirathi Foundation, IUCN Member

ajasthan is the largest state in India. own systems around these Tankas that were groups and communities for their access and Although the state covers 10.5% of related to its construction (size, location and use. During prolonged periods of water stress the country’s geographical area, it contribution in labour), maintenance and water households sell their livestock at bargain pric- shares just 1% of its water resourc- distribution. es in order to use less water, meaning they Res. The Marwar region of western Rajasthan These systems have the potential to meet receive a low return on their investment and includes the districts of Barmer, Jodhpur and the challenge of water management in the loss in future income. Pali. These districts constitute a major part of region and possess adaptive capacity to ad- The Jal Bhagirathi Foundation (JBF) works the Thar Desert, an area characterized by low just to climate change. However over time towards strengthening the capacity of desert and erratic rainfall (varying from about 260-480 they have been marginalized, resulting in the communities to manage their scarce water mm/year), poor sandy soils, deep, often saline gradual breakdown of the system and leading resources through traditional best practices. ground water, sparse vegetation, and strong to increased vulnerability of the communities. JBF’s programmes, activities and strategies sun and winds. Droughts of varying intensity, There has been an increasing dependence on all aim towards one goal: involving, empow- particularly in the western part, are a recurring the government to address the drinking water ering and making the village community self- phenomenon. crisis, which has been unable to address the reliant. The Foundation in partnership with the People have inhabited the Thar Desert magnitude of the problem. UNDP and the Italian Development Coopera- for centuries and have developed a variety In addition, the combined pressure of large tion has over the past six years supported the of ways to survive in this rather inhospitable human and animal population on water and construction of 300 village community water environment. They maintain a system of tradi- land resources has caused a severe depletion structures in nearly 200 villages (see next tional water and natural resource management of scarce resources. The once green and vi- page, the example of the village of Chiradia). characterized by four key elements: the Agor brant catchment areas comprised of pasture The Foundation follows a participatory ap- (water catchment area), Gouchar (community and forests, which played such an important proach and emphasizes strengthening village grazing land), Orans (protected and sacred role in traditional land and water management, level institutions to effectively manage natural community forests), and Talabs or Nadis (com- have been denuded. The majority of the popu- resources, especially water. A four-tiered sys- munity ponds). This system was developed lation does not have access to safe drinking tem of community institutions from the village and maintained by local community institutions water and proper sanitation. As a result a large water user association (the Jal Sabha) to the as a common resource, ensuring its upkeep number of people (predominantly women and programme level (the Jal Parishad) ensures and equitable distribution of resources. children) are affected by preventable water- the active participation of the community is Other traditional systems have been the borne diseases and spend a high proportion ensured from the formulation of the project construction of Tankas (underground rainwater of their day seeking water. Young children, es- to the actual implementation. A community harvesting tanks) which can be either private or pecially girls, spend more time fetching water fund (Jal Kosh) has been set up in each vil- community owned, and are used for harvesting than attending school, resulting in lowered ed- lage to ensure maintenance of the structures. water and also as storage tanks to store water ucation rates. Also schools need to close when It raises funds through a nominal water tariff transported from elsewhere in times of need. faced with water shortage. Limited availability charged for water transported from the village Traditionally the community developed their of water has also created competition among pond to community or individual tanks. An impact evaluation of project activities, carried out by the Institute of Development The exemplary village of Chiradia Studies of Jaipur in 2005, showed the follow- Chiradia village lies in the district of Barmer and has 250 households numbering 1,347 inhabitants. ing encouraging results: It is a heterogeneous community made up of different castes. For drinking water requirements, • Increase in availability of drinking water: Chiradia relies on a small well and the village nadi that was excavated some hundred years ago 95.0% by Tulsa Bharti Maharaj. Given the small size of the nadi and siltation over the years, even when • Households individually benefited: 97.6% the nadi was full it could only provide water to the community for 6 months of the year. At other • Community benefited: 95.1% times tankers of water were purchased from neighbouring villages some 12 km away at rates • Reduction in distance for fetching drinking of 250- 600 rupees. The village also receives piped water supplied by the government, but lack water: 68.3% of water pressure prevents the water from reaching the village. On average each household in • Increase in drinking water availability for Chiradia spent 6,000-7,000 rupees on water each year. Less fortunate ones had to take loans livestock: 80.5% when the water situation becomes desperate. • Sample household participated in deci- In order to overcome their water woes the Chiradia community sent a proposal to rehabilitate sion-making: 80.5% their nadi to the Jal Bhagirathi Foundation, noting that each household was willing to contribute, depending on their ability to pay. “Work done on a water body is sacred”, and the entire village Another evaluation completed by UNDP in wanted to participate. The JBF team then initiated the formation of the Chiradia Jal Sabha and April 2008 revealed that minority groups, and agreed to excavation work worth 4,00,000 rupees, with the village paying a quarter of this sum. other marginalized communities, own 90% of As work began on the nadi, some villagers began taking the silt being removed for use on the water harvesting structures built. Also, ex- their own land. This created some conflict, as the entire village had contributed to the project, and penses have been reduced by at least 140% a protest halted work on the nadi for a day. The Jal Sabha then intervened and a decision was for the average household, as water catchment reached that no individuals would use the soil, which would be used for the communal good to and storage capacities eliminate the need to channel water into the nadi. purchase water during most of the year. In pe- The capacity of the village nadi has been increased from 30,000 to 46,000 m3. During the first riods of low rainfall they can now buy tanker year after just an average monsoon, the nadi did not fill up to capacity, and the water only lasted water relatively cheaply from nearby village for 25 days. This occurred because by excavating the silt, more porous soil at the bottom of the sources. nadi was exposed. However the community, although initially disheartened, found a solution to JBF believes that the answer to living in the problem by bringing clay from a neighbouring village to line the nadi. They are also aware that such a harsh environment is to strengthen tra- it will take 2 or 3 monsoon rains before the nadi is fully recharged and functional. ditional practices, as local communities have The community’s vision, planning and implementation techniques could have a far-reaching the knowledge and resilience to sustainably impact on the area, as this project has already generated interest in neighbouring communities. live in drylands. www. jalbhagirathi.org Asia Protecting the Desert Thorn Forest ecosystem in the face of increased mining in the drylands of Kachchh, West India

Ashish Kumar, IUCN Commission on Ecosystem Management Manojkumar Pardeshi, IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas Gujarat Institute of Desert Ecology, IUCN Member

There have been some efforts to curb this ecosystem degradation. For example, a Man- agement Plan has been developed that suggests zoning of activities by which 55 km2 of the sanc- tuary will be delineated as a Wilderness Zone, a sanctum sanctorum where protection and habitat management would be the prime management objectives. The remainder of the 389 km2 would be delineated as a Management Zone, which would include a Restoration Zone (7 km2), Eco- tourism Zone (4 km2) and Eco-development Zone (31 villages). The Management Plan also calls for adopting some mitigation and control measures against the ongoing mining around the boundary of the sanctuary, by: (1) demarcating a 50 m buf- fer for environmental monitoring, (2) developing a 200 m wide greenbelt of indigenous tree cover, (3) establishing a statutory committee of officials from the State Forest Department, (4) sensitizing local people against deleterious mining activities through awareness campaigns, (5) regulating funds in an effective manner for protection and habitat improvement activities and (6) imposing tour of India without visiting its larg- In 1993, the Indian Government attempt- an Ecology Tax levied on mineral extraction by est (about 50,000 km2) and most ed to reduce the Sanctuary area to a mere miners in the region. However, the scarcity of remote district Kachchh (covering 95 km2 in order to allow increased mining field staff and limited funds with the State Forest a quarter of the area of Gujarat activity. Conservationists legally protested, Department may restrict implementation of these State)A is, in our unbiased opinion, pointless! eventually leading to the Sactuary encom- recommendations. Here, one can sample Gujarat’s most exqui- passing 444 km2. Despite this, large-scale Local people are also being sensitized to the site crafts, watch hundreds of flame-coloured mining is still carried out by private industries dangers of unfavourable mining. Furthermore, Indian wild asses galloping at 70 km/hour, and Government agencies. Field surveys the upcoming Special Economic Zone (SEZ) will and observe an impressive assemblage of carried out as part of an environmental as- likely exert enormous pressure on the Desert unique dryland species. sessment have shown this to have adverse Thorn Forest ecosystem and adversely affect de- But it is not only tourists who appreciate effects on native biodiversity. In addition to pendent wildlife. Kachchh. Industrialists too are increasingly the direct impacts of habitat loss and decline Industrialization is therefore at the cost of enamoured with its vast reservoirs of mineral in forest cover and species diversity, open- this remnant ecosystem of regional, national and resources: limestone, lignite, bentonite, and cast limestone mining also releases large international importance. bauxite. In fact, they are already mining and clouds of dust, which condense in the cool At this juncture, we need to critically evaluate developing ports and jetties, thermal power nights of this arid region and settle on plants, developmental needs in the region and examine stations, salt industries, and cement factories harming vegetation and other wildlife. How- whether development is required at the cost of in the area. This adversely affects the native ever, native inhabitants from Jatt Muslim, this remnant ecosystem. Such an assessment thorn forest vegetation in the region, and has Koli and Jadeja communities, living in vil- should include an economic valuation of ecosys- led to a series of legal battles between the lages around the industrialised sites, suffer tem services afforded by biodiversity and natural Indian Government and conservationists of the most through respiratory infections from conditions of the region. It could also include lo- Gujarat, with the Narayan Sarovar Sanctuary the dust, and by losing ownership over their cal participatory mapping of resources. in West Kachchh at the centre of the con- ancestral agricultural land. The increasing www.gujaratdesertecology.com flict. The Sanctuary conserves one of the last pollution has worsened environmental qual- remaining stretches of Desert Thorn Forest, ity, which has led to health issues for both dominated by thorny leguminous plant spe- people and livestock. cies, some of which are listed in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The Desert Thorn Forest in the Sanctuary is home to many rare plant and animal spe- cies. The State Forest Department of Gujarat has reported a total of 225 species of flower- ing plants including such useful species such as gum arabic Acacia senegal, the toothbrush tree Salvadora persica, and the medicinal “guggal” Commiphora wightii. 228 species of vertebrates have been censused including the Indian wolf, golden jackal, desert fox and cat, caracal, chinkara or Indian gazelle, great Indian bustard, lesser florican, long-billed vul- ture and Indian white-backed vulture.

16 Asia Paying to sustainably manage watersheds and grasslands, India S. Kumaraswamy, IUCN Commission on Ecosystem Management

Gujarat Institute of Desert Ecology, IUCN Member n India two-thirds of cultivatable land are dry- and ecological security. The concept of ‘Pay This PWES system is linked to socio-eco- lands, supporting a large number of poor com- for Watershed Ecosystem Services’ (PWES) nomic and ecological security at a local to region- munities and producing a significant amount by pastoralists and farmers proposes that wa- al scale. Increased knowledge and understand- I ing of the complex ecological systems that deliver of food. Projections suggest that the second ter users pay for maintaining watersheds, in phase of agricultural growth in the country will be return for water security and other benefits. specific goods and services, and better definition in drylands. An estimated 50% of the country’s Payments for watershed services are an of scales of valuation of these goods and servic- drylands, which provide livelihoods for farming, important innovation in water management. es at a local to regional scale is needed. pastoral and artisan communities, are affected Currently, local communities in the rural grass- How much to pay for ecological services in by various land degradation processes and need lands and watershed areas in India, depend- the drylands, and how to market them, are also restoration. Water management has been recog- ing on their income levels, pay 10% to 20% crucial questions. Proper valuation is needed to nized as essential in order to avoid rapid degra- of the amount invested in protecting ecological ensure that incentives remain for their protection dation of these essential ecosystems. systems. The tax collected from water users is and sustainable use by local communities. A watershed (also known as a ‘catchment’) is put into a revolving fund governed by village Some of the important watershed ecosys- the area of land that feeds water into a river. Eco- panchayat. This scheme has encouraged vil- tem services that require valuation include: systems such as grasslands and forests provide lages to sell crop, animal, and craft products to clean water, vegetation cover, biodiversity, ‘watershed services’, which are key in creating earn money to pay for the watershed services, agriculture and grazing, improved socio-eco- water security for downstream water users. With which has slowly improved the rural econo- nomics, erosion control, carbon sequestration, climate change, industrialization and growing mies and their socio-economic status recreational and eco-tourism and sustainable population, ecosystem services are increasingly Unfortunately, there is not as yet a defined regional development. important for agricultural and ecological security. institutional framework and mechanism for the Watersheds have improved livelihood sup- PWES system in India. There is a need for the www.gujaratdesertecology.com port systems in India. For example, Rudramata, scientific community to collect data of where this a large reservoir fed by a large catchment area, PWES system is being used effectively and by and Lakshman Sagar, a medium-sized reservoir, whom. A framework is then needed on how to have provided services in terms of water for ir- charge for ecosystem management, taking into rigation, domestic use and recharging of ground consideration culture, location, and the wealth water, and also provide habitat for wildlife. Migra- of the local community. Knowing this would help tory birds from other regions use the watersheds local administrators decide whether it were even for feeding and breeding, and the watershed pro- possible for local people in some areas to pay for vides seasonal work and income for community ecosystem services from their meagre earnings. labourers, which in turn limit urban migration in Also, given the caste system in India and search of jobs and income during drought. the different cultures in different regions, vari- ous models of the PWES system will need to Paying for ecological services be developed in order to be applicable. Each Grasslands are important ecosystems that sup- model will need to consider the resource base, port both people and wildlife and ensure wa- land use system, economic status and social tershed health. Watershed programmes are construct at the farm level if PWES is to work. therefore an excellent means of ensuring food Integrated development in the Banni Grasslands, India V. Vijay Kumar, IUCN Commission on Ecosystem Management and P. N. Joshi Gujarat Institute of Desert Ecology, IUCN Member

n article about the Kachcch nilotica, Prosopis cineraria and Salvadora To improve conditions for the pastoralists district of Gujarat State in spp. Today the abundance of palatable living in the region, the Government of Guja- India has already been pre- grass and trees has decreased significant- rat has focussed on developing an integrated sented in this booklet (see ly due to the introduction of the invasive grassland management plan, including the ProtectingA the desert thorn forest eco- species Prosopis juliflora. development of alternative resources for the system of Kachchh, West India, page 16) Livestock is the mainstay of the inhab- local inhabitants. This five year project started which provides some background about itants of Banni and the area has histori- in May 2008 and aims to develop Banni as a this fascinating area. However grasslands, cally been renowned for its cattle-breed- self-sustaining region through enhanced fod- another important ecosystem in this area, ing, although more recently income has der security, reduction in livestock migration, must not be forgotten. been generated through the sale of milk and increased income generation at the vil- The only vast stretch of grassland and milk-based products. Grasslands of lage level. This will also help improve ecosys- available in the Kachchh district is the Ban- Kachchh support over 1.7 million head tem and grassland biodiversity conservation. ni, which covers 2,600 km2. Once referred of livestock, which makes a considerable Further, the research component of the project as Asia’s finest grasslands, it accounts for contribution to the State’s milk and wool will develop a much-needed regional grass- approximately 10% of the grazing ground production. However due to a series of land management plan for Banni. available in Gujarat, and is located on the consecutive droughts, increased salin- www.gujaratdesertecology.com northern border of the Kachchh district. ity, invasion by Prosopis as well as over- Banni encompasses 48 villages and grazing, the socio-economic condition of once supported 31 species of palatable the inhabitants has been severely com- grasses and tree species such as Acacia promised.

17 Interview Two visions for the world’s drylands Mike Mortimore, IUCN Commission on Ecosystem Management Uriel Safriel, IUCN Commission on Ecosystem Management UCN interviewed two leading global dry- IUCN: Two UN conventions, the Convention on When something like desertification lands experts, Drs Mike Mortimore and Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Convention to is ill-defined, it is also inappropriately Uriel Safriel, both Members of IUCN’s Com- Combat Desertification (CCD) differ in their delin- measured mission on Ecosystem Management. Both eation of drylands. Why is this? And what should Iexperts have an academic background (Morti- be in your opinion included in the definition? carefully worded another definition of deser- more is a geographer, and taught at universi- Mortimore: Definitions are not devised as an end tification (but did not dare to explicitly conflict ties in the north of Nigeria, and Safriel is Pro- in themselves, but for functional purposes. There with the CCD). Accordingly desertification is “a fessor of Ecology at the Hebrew University of are two major scientific approaches to defining persistent reduction in biological productivity in Jerusalem in Israel). Both have been involved drylands: the FAO’s scheme based on the length the drylands”. However in many cases reduced in linking dryland science with policy (Morti- of the growing period, which is highly relevant to productivity was only temporary, due to natural more’s work is well-known with a number of in- agriculture, and a system based on aridity ratios, climatic variations, yet was called “desertifica- ternational institutions and Safriel is the country used by UNEP. Both can be easily used in con- tion”. The figure of 70% is used despite warnings focal point for the United Nations Convention junction. Unfortunately, given the geo-politics of in- that it is exaggerated, simply in order to attract at- to Combat Desertification and co-lead author ternational conventions, too many countries have tention and gain financial and other support. Surely, of the Dryland Systems chapter of the Millen- a motive for claiming dryland status, with little ac- all drylands that are used by people are at risk nium Ecosystem Assessment Report). Both count taken of how much of the country consists of desertification, when defined by the MA defi- have also spent their lives trying to bring to- of drylands. Being a politically charged issue, ac- nition, and this is more important than debating gether local knowledge on how to live in some cess to these resources will always be disputed. of the most unforgiving, constantly changing My concern is that such sterile debates should not The figure of 70% is used despite ecosystems on earth, and help people improve frustrate us in our efforts to improve the opportu- warnings that it is exaggerated, simply their standard of living through protecting the nities of dryland peoples and give them all a fair in order to attract attention and gain environment that provides their support base. stake in the world’s wealth. financial and other support Not surprisingly they share a common vision about the world’s drylands, with a few interest- Safriel: To me this only highlights the inefficiency ing takes on where their personal experiences of the UN system. Several times members of the how much is already desertified. have led them along different paths. CBD Secretariat presented in side events of CCD Mortimore: There are two reasons. First is a conferences, and none were able to explain why global deficit in accurate and sufficiently detailed IUCN: Many people would argue that drylands they use their definition, which is incompatible with data, with the result that almost anyone can pro- are remote places that are literally deserted – that of the CCD. The blame is of course on the duce a set of figures based on estimates. Or the few people, wide-spread poverty, no biodiver- Parties, not the Secretariats; it seems they simply reckless projection of site data by soil scientists sity hotspots and of low economic interest. don’t care. and fertilizer advocates to implausible levels in Safriel: This is a wrong notion, emanating from order to argue a case for specific policy strat- confusing drylands with deserts. Drylands have IUCN: The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment egies. The position is improving, but still every low rainfall and high evaporation, where year- (MA) stated that 10-20% of the world’s drylands week a new report appears, recycling old figures round productive agriculture cannot be prac- are degraded – or affected by desertification. without a hint of the self-critique that in other ticed without irrigation. Given this definition, However, the figure of 70% of the drylands be- disciplines would be regarded as essential. The drylands comprise 41% of the surface of global ing degraded is still cited frequently. Why such second reason is that the drylands have for too land (of which deserts are subsets, covering a big discrepancy? long been assumed synonymous with the idea 17% of the land). More important, 35% of peo- Safriel: The reason lies in the poor definition of of ‘desertification’, a concept that also lacks rig- ple on earth live in drylands (with 29% in non- desertification by the CCD which says “deserti- orous definition. desert drylands). So it is misleading to suggest fication is land degradation in the drylands”, but that there are “few people” in drylands. It is also increasingly uses the term “land degradation and IUCN: How are the world’s drylands going paradoxical to suggest that drylands are of low desertification”. When something like desertifica- to be affected by climate change? Are the economic interest, as so much of the oil that tion is ill-defined, it is also inappropriately mea- drylands becoming drier? drives global economy and politics originates sured. People interpret the definition as they like, Mortimore: We must discard the simplification in the desert drylands. As to biodiversity, giv- and then measure in the field what suits THEIR that all drylands will be similarly affected by cli- en that all Mediterranean regions in the world interpretation of “desertification”. The MA therefore mate change. Scenarios are incomplete and are drylands, one can not support the notion that drylands are biodiversity-poor. Drylands, including deserts, support biodiversity that is of great medicinal and other significance. It is sadly correct, though, that drylands have the highest poverty rate. Drylands, including deserts, support biodiversity that is of great medicinal and other significance

Mortimore: Drylands, far from being remote and uninhabited, occupy huge areas of the world’s land surface. They contain major cities and produce vital food commodities, livestock, and other ecosystem services. If we fail to achieve the Millennium Goals in the drylands, we shall fail globally. In trying to better equip dryland peoples with the means to manage them sustainably, we have an opportunity to achieve BOTH sustainable ecosystems and the reduction of poverty.

If we fail to achieve the Millennium Goals in the drylands, we shall fail globally

18 Interview quite variable, for example increasing rainfall re- A second objection is that empowerment, not de- IUCN:Pastoralism is in many of the drier cently suggested for eastern Africa and decline pendency is generally agreed to be the prime goal areas the most common livelihood activity for southern Africa. And total rainfall is only part for smallholders in natural resource management – is there a future for pastoralism? of the story: increased variability, changes in policy. To exchange a farming or stock-raising en- Safriel: Yes, surely. But again its future much seasonality, hydrological changes, and of course terprise that is autonomous – though poor – for a depends on solving basic problems in gover- temperature add complexity. However, what can pattern of dependency on external credits or sub- nance. be said is that while climatic variability may vary sidies is inconsistent with this, in the same way as from place to place, drylands have always had creating dependency on international corporations Mortimore: Pastoralism has been shown time to adapt to uncertainty in one form or another. for GM seeds. Third, the snares that await the ad- and again to be the most rational, efficient and ministration of such schemes (transaction costs, sustainable land use system in the arid sub- Safriel: Well, I would simplify it, and say yes, corruption, control) have scarcely been explored. zone between the farming regions and the definitely! desert. Yet governments continue perversely to IUCN: Biofuels seem to be the latest new hope frown on the mobile lifestyle of nomadic groups. IUCN: What are the opportunities and chal- for developing and greening the drylands, could A polarisation between pastoralists and their lenges as regards adaptation and mitiga- biofuels be a solution? advocates on the one hand and policy makers tion interventions in the face of climate Mortimore: Large-scale biofuel production in dry- set on sedentarisation on the other is counter- change? lands occupied by smallholders amounts to the productive, and a fresh approach is needed. Safriel: Opportunities lie in the carbon market in sale of plant nutrients in exchange for financial general and in the Clean Development Mecha- payments on a scale that makes the colonial export IUCN: What role will dryland ecosystem nism (CDM), in which industrial countries only of nutrients in groundnuts or cotton look trivial by services play in boosting people’s invest in carbon projects in developing ones (pro- comparison. And these nutrients will be burnt! Yet livelihoods? vided the CDM survives). This is because while the greatest need of primary production systems Mortimore: Dryland ecosystem services in- the ability of drylands to sequester carbon per in drylands, after rainfall, is plant nutrients. In fact clude the soils, nutrients and plants needed to unit area is low, the overall area is huge. Also, it has been shown that in the Sahel, where rainfall support agriculture and livestock keeping as the next Kyoto Protocol may lead to including is the main determinant of plant biomass, nutrients well as providing a range of secondary prod- soil carbon in the carbon trading, through which are the major constraint. While one might think that ucts – timber, fish, medicine, raw materials – soil conservation by combating desertification will by selling biofuel farmers could buy chemical fer- that are commercially valuable. Governments yield additional income to dryland people. Anoth- tilizers, these are not an adequate substitute for fail to recognise adequately the contribution er economic opportunity is the commercialization natural nutrient and biological cycles in the soil. made by dryland ecosystem services to na- of solar energy, with increasing economic viability Even the strongest advocates of subsidised fer- tional economies. These commodities can be due to higher fossil fuel prices and payments for tilizers realise that chemical and organic fertilizer further developed to enhance rural incomes, reducing emissions. At the same time, the chal- use must be integrated. Biofuel production is not benefiting poor peoples’ livelihoods, provided lenge of agricultural adaptation to climate change the answer either to smallholders’ needs or to en- that access to them is not impeded. But there in the drylands is enormous. It is a big question to vironmental degradation in drylands. are both biophysical and economic limits to what degree agricultural species can be further their exploitation on a sustainable basis. bred or genetically engineered to produce in dry- Safriel: The problem of agriculture in the drylands is lands under increasing conditions of drought and that of marketing, including transportation infrastruc- Safriel: It all depends on how many people salinity. This may lead to developing alternative ture, credit mechanisms and market information and on the standard of living they aspire, as livelihoods, such as tourism and aquaculture. dissemination. These deficiencies will make biofuel ecosystem services, like any natural resource, agriculture more vulnerable and non-sustainable are finite. In drylands, as elsewhere, a long- Mortimore: Dry forests and even grasslands than food agriculture. Also, as with food agriculture, term approach to optimizing use of ecosystem sequester carbon at low rates but potentially it will soon become obvious that producing biofuel services is required, as well as measures to over enormous areas, and intensive farming product is cheaper in non-drylands than in drylands, protect and manage biodiversity, so that it can practices sequester more carbon than ex- unless it is acceptable that the dryland farmer can continue to be effectively involved in the provi- tensive systems. Under the Kyoto Protocol it be paid less than a non-dryland farmer. Further- sion of ecosystem services. seems like a good idea for the North, through more, the movement to biofuel will reduce the food its carbon markets, to pay dryland right-holders security for many dryland farmers. IUCN: What is your vision for the world’s to maintain land under woodland, although this drylands? What should sustainable presents some truly disturbing scenarios. First, Pastoralism has been shown time and development in these areas look like? it would probably be rich rather than poor peo- Safriel: Drylands have the highest population ple who benefit as they are already large-scale again to be the most rational, efficient and growth compared to all other ecological environ- landholders, or can acquire additional land un- sustainable land use system in the arid ments on earth. If this is maintained, the devel- der ‘flexible’ land rights legislation that overrides sub-zone between the farming regions and opment of drylands is doomed to non-sustain- customary tenure. Smallholdings are too small. the desert ability. There is no uniform vision for all drylands, as much depends on the natural degree of arid- ity of each. Deserts have lots of economic merit, as expressed in the recent intense urbanization trends; there is also a potential of increasing desert water supply through desalinization us- ing solar energy. As for non-desert drylands, water management and production is an issue. Investments in governance and social barriers are more important than in biophysical sciences associated with water and agriculture.

Mortimore: My vision is that the marginalisation that has befallen drylands and their peoples will be reversed in favour of increased economic opportunity, strengthened autonomy and em- powerment in natural resources management, supported by the best knowledge that science, in partnership with indigenous capabilities, can provide. Drylands will be better integrated into national economies, and access of dryland peoples to employment, education, health, and financial resources will not be impeded. Tech- nocratic solutions are insufficient, even if well- designed. The political challenge must also be faced, in the context of both conflict situations (in some countries) and current trends towards democratisation.

19 Asia The great Indian bustard: a great indicator of ecosystem health

Arvind Kumar Jha, IUCN Commission on Ecosystem Management and Y.L.P. Rao

he great Indian bustard (Ardeotis nigri- Bustards around the village of Nanaj are may hamper a display of this courtship process, ceps), also known as Maldhok, occurs mainly sighted at the start of the monsoon which may vary from 5 minutes to 3 hours, depend- in 7 States in India and in Pakistan. It is around the last week of June, and remain in the ing on the weather conditions and presence or ab- a large, ground-dwelling bird about 1 m area until December, with few birds seen be- sence of hens. Thigh, living in semi-arid grasslands. Farming and tween January and May. Their breeding season economic activity in these areas, as well as poach- coincides with the increase of the grasshopper The preferred habitat ing, irrigation schemes, livestock grazing, pesticide population as a result of the rains. Bustards prefer grassy plains and open scrubland use and nest-trampling, disturbs the natural habi- with scattered trees, and nest in open areas with tat of this species and has led to its decline. Breeding short grass or on well-drained, stony ground. They This species is listed as Endangered in the The great Indian bustard normally lays a single forage in scrubland, grassland, grazing land, stony IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and is one egg, on bare ground. The female incubates the wasteland, and crop fields. They are rarely seen in of the most threatened species in the bustard egg for one month, and hatching success is damp or water-logged areas, sugarcane or standing family, with a very small, declining population. around 70%. Reptiles such as monitor lizards wheat fields. For day roost, Bustards prefer to sit or The bustard is protected legally and there has and snakes prey on the eggs. At Nanaj, nesting stand in the shade of small trees or shrubs, while for been extensive research into its status, distri- sites are found mostly within the grasslands of the night roost they prefer bare ground. bution, ecology and conservation. Despite this, Drought Prone Area Programme plots, as these A large number of species share the great Indian there is need to establish new protected areas are well-protected from people and livestock. bustard’s habitat including blackbuck, chinkara, common and to promote a conservation strategy. fox, wolf, jackal, mongoose, monitor lizard, and snakes, The Great Indian Bustard (GIB) Sanctuary The dating game and birds like the white-eyed buzzard eagle, drongo, In- (8,496 km2), lies in the State of Maharashtra in So- dian roller, red-headed merlin, and Indian myna. Bustards have an elaborate territorial courtship lapur and Ahmednagar Districts. This Sanctuary Bustard species can be considered as indicators display which takes place during the breeding was developed because the Indian Government of grassland ecosystems and by conserving bus- season on elevated spots from where the bird recognized the urgent need to conserve drylands tards and their habitats, a large number of species can see all around. At Nanaj, this occurs from to ensure the survival of bustards. It includes for- dependent on healthy grasslands will also be pro- the end of June to early November, and is the ests, agricultural fields, woodlots and grasslands, tected. It is essential that sanctuaries created for the time for the alpha male to show his dominance. and is the largest protected area in the country. great Indian bustard be managed in a way to ensure Hot weather, strong winds and heavy rainfall The Maharashtra Forest Department con- their continued survival. ducts a bustard census every year in July; fig- ures from 1998 to 2008 show that few birds re- main. This species has disappeared from most Estimated Bustard Population in GIB Sanctuary of its former range apart from Nanaj, which has Year Rehekuri Karmala N. Solapur (Nanaj) Total For PA relatively low level of biotic interference. The dis- appearance of bustard from the forest ranges of 1998 8 7 15 30 Rehekuri and Karmala is mainly due to habitat Source:2008 Maharashtra Forest Department 30 30 degradation and other disturbances.

20 Asia Battle to conserve the endangered saiga antelope

Valery Neronov, IUCN Commission on Ecosystem Management Anna Lushchekina, IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas

he Saiga antelope is a unique nomadic assessment there are no more than 70,000 Sai- markets. The fact that the proportion of adult animal, well adapted to the harsh and un- gas throughout the entire range of this species. males in Saiga populations has been steadily predictable conditions of the dry steppes If this dramatic decline is not stopped we could declining from 1997 indicates that poaching and semi-deserts of Eurasia. Despite lose this unique animal. for horns has grown more intense as well, as havingT a rather short life span, Saigas reproduce International awareness of the critical sit- only male Saigas have horns. quickly, allowing rapid population growth even after uation regarding the Saiga antelope led to the Several international projects have losses caused by habitat change or disease. How- listing of this species in 1995 onto CITES Ap- helped to regularly monitor Saiga popula- ever, the greatest threat to the Saiga antelope to- pendix II. It was assessed as Critically Endan- tions in the northwest Precaspian region day is excessive and unsustainable hunting due to gered in the IUCN Red List in 2002. In 2004 since 2003. It was shown that the “Chernye high demand for its meat and especially its horns, the critical situation of the Saiga throughout its Zemli” Biosphere Reserve (93,000 ha) and which are greatly valued as traditional medicine. entire range was addressed by resolutions ad- the “Stepnoi” Sanctuary (82,000 ha) provide Brought back from the brink of extinction in the ear- opted by the CITES COP-13 and at the IUCN good conditions for a significant part of the ly 1900’s, the Saiga antelope has recovered, only World Conservation Congress. After tireless life cycle of Saiga. As livestock numbers to find itself under serious threat once again. efforts of both the Convention on Migratory continued to decline and people became Two subspecies of the Saiga antelope have Species and CITES, a Memorandum of Under- poorer, many resorted to poaching the Saiga been described. Saiga tatarica mongolica inhabits standing on the conservation and restoration to sell its meat in local markets, and export the steppes of Mongolia. The second subspecies, of Saiga was signed by four range states in its horn to the east. This was highlighted in a Saiga tatarica tatarica, is found in the vast plains 2006. These countries have started implemen- socio-economic study that sought to under- of the Central Asia and Pre-Caspian region. Three tation of an Action Plan, a draft of which had stand the main reasons behind the massive populations are known in Central Asia (the Ural, been prepared at an international workshop, decline in Saiga populations. These results Ust-Urt and Betpakdala), and one in the Pre-Cas- organized in Elista, Kalmykia, in 2002. demonstrated that ensuring livelihood secu- pian region. Some herds of Saigas from the Ust- A dramatic decline in livestock numbers rity would also help to decrease poaching. Urt population, mostly found in Kazakhstan, can in 1992 increased interest in Saiga as a source Work by the Saiga Conservation Alliance, migrate into Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. of meat, with meat appearing in food markets officially inaugurated in September 2006 From 1980-1994, total numbers of Saiga an- in some cities and towns. Increased illegal (www.saiga-conservation.com) has also telope fluctuated between 670,000 and 1,251,000 trade in Saiga horns was also observed in helped local people to link explicitly support animals. However, from 1998 onwards, all four pop- the last years of the Soviet Union’s existence, for rural livelihoods with action to sustain- ulations of the tatarica subspecies went into dra- when the State control on international trade ably conserve the Saiga. matic decline. In one year (1998-1999), research- was dissolved and customs regulations be- Sustainable dryland management is ers recorded an annual decline rate of about 35%. came lax. This situation stimulated a massive needed in all the Saiga antelope’s range states, The next year the rate of loss was even higher: up illegal hunt for Saiga horns and their subse- as this is essential to both conserve the Saiga to 56%. According to recent censuses and experts’ quent sale for medicinal purposes to Oriental as well as to improve people’s livelihoods. Asia Hidden wealth of drylands in Uzbekistan

Elena Kreuzberg-Mukhina, IUCN Commission on Ecosystem Management and Species Survival Commission Alex Kreuzberg, IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas and Species Survival Commission

zbekistan is a country rich in reduced cattle productivity and increased disease) As a result, 87 animal species and 6 plant biodiversity and natural resources; as well as the loss of native flora and fauna. species of water and riparian ecosystems; 46 an- indeed it has been identified by several The main cause of desertification in Central imal species and 60 plant species of desert eco- global studies (WWF’s “Global 200 Asia is change in water regimes due to unsustain- systems; and 43 animal species and 251 plant Ecoregions”,U CI’s “Conservation Hotspots”, and able use, and in part to climate change. A large part species of mountain ecosystems are in grave IUCN/WWF’s “Centres of Plant Diversity”) as of Uzbekistan is made up of desert steppe with the danger of extinction, with some already extinct. having many areas of international importance. main water resources coming from the Amu Darya At least 2 animal species and 1 plant species in Given that the country lies at the crossroads of and Syr Darya rivers which flow through the Kara- water and riparian ecosystems; 3 animal spe- Central Asia, the fauna and flora of Uzbekistan kum and Kyzyl Kum Deserts, and end up in the cies in desert ecosystems; and 4 plant species in has a unique and complex history. Today Aral Sea. These regions are experiencing intense mountain ecosystems already became extinct in around 702 species of vertebrates as well as an desertification, as are other areas impacted by ag- Central Asian region recently. estimated 15,000 species of invertebrates occur ricultural development. At present more than 60% Furthermore, the national report of Uzbeki- in the country. The Red Book of Uzbekistan of arable lands in the Aral Sea basin are affected stan to the CBD in 2006 identified the problem estimates the number of vascular plant species by salinization, with mineralization of irrigated ag- of increasing population pressure on natural re- to be around 4,500. ricultural lands some 23% higher than elsewhere source and the environment, with the population Central Asia has long been recognised as in Uzbekistan. estimated to grow from 28.7 million in 2010 to the home of many wild relatives of cultivated The loss of the Aral Sea, once the fourth larg- 40.5 million in 2050. plants, and over 200 wild relatives have been est inland lake in the world, is a classic case study With more than 57% of the area of Uzbeki- identified in Uzbekistan. In addition, it is an im- of an ecological and human disaster. Due to exten- stan used for agricultural purposes, farming pro- portant area for the conservation of land-races, sive irrigation projects which drain the rivers that vides 46% of the country’s employment, 60% of dozens of which are conserved on-farm by lo- feed into this lake, coupled with unsustainable ag- its cash from abroad, and about 90% of its food. cal communities. More than 300 species of wild riculture, the traditional fishing culture of the region But due to unsustainable agriculture leading to plants are of economic importance, including has also suffered greatly. The salt left behind by the increased salinization and erosion, about 20% species used for medicinal, aromatic, dye, food, shrinking lake has lowered the overall economic vi- of the land is not exploitable. Climate change is and other purposes. Several hundred species ability of the area. also predicted to negatively affect agriculture, so are used horticulturally and for planting in towns In addition to extensive irrigation and over-reg- there is an urgent need to identify how ecosys- and oases. People have used both plants and ulation of water-flow which has had such a nega- tems can be used sustainably. animals sustainably since ancient times. tive effect on the environment, the country also has International cooperation in the area of en- That is the good news. The bad is that de- to deal with over-use of pesticides, salinization, soil vironment management will give Uzbekistan and sertification in Central Asia, including Uzbeki- erosion, water pollution, livestock overgrazing, and other countries of the region a chance to mitigate stan, is of great concern. Recent research shows the cutting of forests and riparian vegetation. This the impact of negative environmental factors. An that desert area in Central Asia has increased by results in habitat loss and declining biodiversity in IUCN Drylands Initiative will strengthen IUCN’s about 100,000 km2, and biological productivity in both numbers and extent. Desert, water and ripar- influence in the region and help in protecting some regions has been reduced by half. This in ian ecosystems are the most impacted by large these essential dryland ecosystems. turn leads to social and economic tension with scale development of lands and the accompanying increased hardship for local people (for example redistribution of water resources. Europe Unprecedented law on soil protection and land improvement in Turkey Pınar Aksoğan, Turkish Foundation for Combating Soil Erosion, for Reforestation and the Protection of Natural Habitats (TEMA), IUCN Member

or the first time in Turkish history, a management and climate change are turning there was a change of government, which de- ‘Law on Soil Protection and Land Im- drylands into deserts, and desertification in turn layed the drafting process. There was also no provement’ was passed after protract- exacerbates poverty. Numerous soil types occur empirical scientific evidence on what deserti- ed advocacy efforts to parliament by in Turkey, with many highly eroded. fication and land degradation had occurred, Fthe TEMA Foundation, a Drynet (see page 31) Soil erosion risks increase in more mountain- and no legislative framework to oversee the partner. Included in this milestone effort were ous areas, yet this is where most villages are and drafting process for such a law. In addition, diverse volunteers (universities, Chamber of where most of the agriculture takes place. Valu- it was important to get buy-in from business Turkish Agricultural Engineering, parliamentary able humus is lost through the indiscriminate fell- and industry groups which were included in groups, the Turkish National Assembly, farm- ing of trees, overgrazing, uncontrolled irrigation, the drafting process, while reassuring them ers, technocrats, bureaucrats and TEMA and salinization of the soils, and inappropriate land that their investments in the land were pro- grassroot representatives). These volunteers use techniques. Many practices such as deep till- tected. now act as representatives of local Soil Con- age and using heavy machinery, excessive and servation Councils, established by this new incorrect fertilization, excessive irrigation, plough- Achievements from the law law. This landmark law is also the first such ing slopes in the wrong direction, and badly cho- These efforts bore fruit as the law is now in law that has passed thanks to NGO pressure. sen land uses have led to high erosion. place and TEMA continues to work through Such a law was necessary to help curb deser- Unfortunately, farmland is also threatened the Soil Protection Council representatives tification, prevent land degradation and ensure by a huge and rapidly growing transportation to ensure that soil is properly managed. The land management in the country and construction industry. Uncoordinated ac- Government now considers land-use planning tion by government agencies makes legislation as an important Action Plan, and soil protec- Lobby efforts difficult to enforce. The destruction of vegeta- tion rules are enforced in every state in Turkey. The new rules include Chamber of Agricultural Lobbying included a petition campaign with tion and soil leads to water shortage, poverty, Engineers and TEMA Foundation national rep- over 1 million signatories, and communication and emigration. resentatives in the decision-making process, to raise public awareness on the issue through TEMA Foundation raises public awareness of where TEMA can impact land use decisions. media, seminars, and visits. TEMA actively led environmental problems, specifically soil erosion The law now requires that factories operating the lobbying activities with the support of part- and deforestation. It implements model ecologi- in agricultural areas without a license must ners and TEMA members. Each citizen can be- cal agricultural practices that protect the soil and stop operations. It has also been exciting to come a TEMA volunteer by paying 20 Turkish plant cover in forests, pastures and farmlands, identify the factors that have contributed to Liras. TEMA is the largest environmental NGO such as: terracing, production of cover fodder soil degradation, desertification and misuse of active throughout Turkey, with over 350,000 crops, wind breaking, contour farming, pasture land, raise local community awareness on land supporters and 555 voluntary representatives. rehabilitation, strip cropping, rotations, range use, and see the land in Turkey rehabilitated. The participation in the decision-making improvement measures, deferred grazing, and process of universities, chambers and NGOs measures to protect the soil from the impact of Hurdles to implementation of rain, wind and frost. The local people also learn through Soil Conservation Councils hastened the law the process at local government level, and all different income-generating methods that do not the information gathered has been used to include moving the soil, for example, beekeep- The challenge now is to ensure that Soil Conser- develop an action plan that includes one rep- ing, fruit growing, and eco-tourism. vation Councils have enough power and means resentative in each Soil Protection Council. to act as watchdogs to oversee implementa- Challenges faced when pushing tion. There is still the need for Statutes to bring Background for the law the Law into force, and soil mapping and clas- sification is essential to identify erosion-sensitive Turkey’s nature is facing serious threats due Numerous advocacy meetings were organized lands. There is also need for clear and enforce- to intense land use. Given Turkey’s harsh cli- with ministers, parliamentarians, and party able penalties for those who misuse land. matic conditions, poverty, unsustainable land leaders, although in the middle of all this effort www.tema.tr Europe The Nature Protection League, Portugal’s oldest NGO Eugénio Menezes de Sequeira, Liga para a Protecção da Natureza, IUCN Member

he LPN (Liga para a Protecção da the Mediterranean Area” received the “En- To improve soil and water conservation Natureza, or the Nature Protection vironment and Soil Management Award” and to maintain ecosystem processes, new League), is a Portuguese not-for- of the European Landowners Organiza- technologies need to be developed to halt the profit environmental NGO, founded tion in 2007. negative feedback loops that are causing in- inT 1948, and the oldest in the Iberian Penin- • “Sustainability of Nature Conservation in creased land degradation. sula. An IUCN member since 1976 with more Portuguese Farming Areas” earned the While all these issues including deser- than 5,000 members, the LPN’s headquarters “Energy Globe Award”, also in 2007. tification, soil erosion and loss of fertility, in- are in Lisbon, with three regional offices. The creased sensitivity to climate change, and organisation owns and manages a 1,700ha The local situation loss of biodiversity are being addressed by property including five farms and an environ- Drylands in northern Mediterranean areas, and UN Conventions on Desertification, Biodiver- mental education centre. The main areas of in particular Portugal, suffer from a very high risk sity and Climate Change, the LPN is acting work of the LPN are environmental educa- of erosion due to: locally while contributing globally. tion, direct interventions at national and inter- • Irregular rainfall (ranging from sudden, in- national level, and conservation and research tensive rainfall to seasonal droughts mean- The LPN programme projects. The LPN is currently undertaking a ing that there is often little available water). The LPN Programme “Sustainable Castro pilot project to combat desertification. This • Steep slopes providing energy for high Verde” includes activities to combat desertifica- includes experiments in farm management run-off. tion and improve drought resilience. Located in aimed at conserving natural habitats, threat- • Shallow soils with low water-holding capac- the Castro Verde Special Protected Area in the ened species and agro-ecosystems as well ity and infiltration rate, and low levels of or- Alentejo region of southern Portugal, the area as improving farmer livelihoods. ganic matter making them highly prone to is also known as the “Campo Branco”, or the In regards to dryland work, the LPN has erosion and surface-crusting. “White Field”. recently received awards for the following • Low vegetation and land cover, with forest This Natura 2000 Site is acknowledged projects: loss common due to frequent wildfires. as one of the most important European areas • “Nature conservation and soil manage- • Poor agricultural practices in the past caus- for the conservation of steppe birds, which ment technologies integrated in the ing high erosion rates, although today land will make many a birdwatcher’s mouth water: economy of rural desertification-prone abandonment is causing greater problems. Great Bustard (Otis tarda), Little Bustard (Tet- regions” was awarded the “Global 100 • Unsustainable water use due to pollution, rax tetrax), Lesser Kestrel (Falco naumanni), Eco-Tech Award” at the 2005 World Ex- salinization and sodization, and depletion of Black-bellied Sandgrouse (Pterocles orientalis), position at Japan, which aims to support aquifers. Montagu’s Harrier (Circus pygargus), Common global environmental technologies that • Coastal concentration of economic activi- Crane (Grus grus), and Calandra Lark (Melano- contribute to our world. ties, with bad or inexistent land use plan- corypha calandra), among others. These highly • “Soil recovery in a rural threatened ning, causing loss of the remaining best threatened bird species are dependent on the ecosystem in Portugal: an example soils and water and soil degradation. cultivation of cereal crops in rotation with fallow with potential to disseminate amongst lands, which are also used as pastures. The semi-arid, sub-humid area of Concurrently an experiment involving 4 6. A significant increase in the population of Campo Branco is threatened by soil ero- plots (0.5 ha each) was carried out to compare threatened bird species was observed. sion and desertification, and its economy is soil erosion and water loss by runoff with differ- These results are then transferred to farm- dependent on farming, mining and services. ent farming practices (traditional ploughing, per- ers, students and decision-makers through The conservation of this threatened cereal/ manent pasture, no tillage cereal, and sewage extension services provided by the Vale Gon- steppe ecosystem can only be achieved sludge injection with no tillage). çalinho Environmental Education Centre. through an integrated sustainable develop- Through integrated management, the ment approach, combining land and soil Positive results desertification process can be reversed. The protection, direct nature conservation ac- Direct seeding increased soil organic matter LPN is striving to expand these practices to tion, development of new farming practices, content and infiltration rate. Gravel and stones increase conservation gains for both biodi- scientific research, environmental education at the surface, together with mulching, reduced versity and ecosystem services, while at the and sustainable ecotourism. the crust-forming process. In addition, contour same time improving socio-economic levels of To address desertification, the LPN sub-soiling, and especially deep sewage sludge the people living in these areas. engaged in a number of research projects injection, increased the soil infiltration rate, wa- aimed at increasing soil fertility and soil ter-holding capacity, soil formation rate, organic www.lpn.pt formation rate, while at the same time in- material and aquifer recharge. This technology creasing the ecosystem’s support capacity could decrease water shortages in spring. and improving biodiversity protection and farmer’s livelihoods. Conclusions While space precludes detailed descrip- 1. Soil fertility improved, with increased soil depth tion of this research as well as the references (increased rate of weathering by sub-soiling to the many scientists undertaking this work, and mainly by sewage sludge injection). information can be supplied by the LPN upon 2. Water holding capacity and water infiltration request. But briefly, experiments monitored rate increased, with decreased runoff. differences in various crop rotations of 13 plots 3. Decrease of greenhouse gas emissions (2 ha each), using different soil inputs (nothing, (no tillage farming system) by providing in- sub-soiling, or sub-soiling with sewage sludge creased organic matter in the soil, acting as injection). These areas were either under per- a carbon sink. manent pasture, ploughed wheat with 3 years 4. Production costs and maintenance de- pasture, heavy ploughed spring legume crop creased. followed by ploughed wheat and 3 years pas- 5. In some cases, cereal production and conse- ture, and direct seeding wheat followed by di- quent profit for farmers increased. After sev- rect seeding oat, with 2 years pasture. eral demonstration meetings, some farmers started using direct seeding instead of tradi- tional ploughing.

25 Latin America Rare cacti and the need to protect Mexican drylands Héctor M. Hernández, IUCN Species Survival Commission, Chair Cactus and Succulent Plant Specialist Group rylands cover half of Mexico, The cacti with about 20% of the country’s Perhaps the plants that most easily define territory receiving less than Mexican drylands are cacti, numbering 300 mm rainfall per year. The about 570 species. As expected, the DChihuahuan and Sonoran Deserts are drylands, and to a lesser extent some the most extensive deserts in the country, thorn and dry tropical forest, are the areas and towards the south there is a small of highest species diversity. Unfortunately but biologically important, semi-arid area a large number of Mexican cacti are known as the Tehuacán-Cuicatlán valley. threatened due to habitat destruction The Mexican drylands are among the and wild collection by amateur collectors richest wilderness desert areas of the world. and the horticultural market. It is sad It has been estimated that the Chihuahuan that the overwhelming beauty of these Desert includes about 3,500 species of plant plants is one of the main reasons for their species, with more than 1,000 endemic, disappearance. plus 24 reptiles and other vertebrate species unique to the region. Similarly, the Sonoran Cactus research and conservation Desert has some 3,200 plant species, in the Chihuahuan Desert about half of which are endemic. The two deserts are thus extremely important from a Our research, supported by the National conservation perspective. University of Mexico, has focussed on the Chihuahuan Desert, as this region is the People in the desert most important centre of cactus diversity in the world. Some 329 cactus species Ever since people first arrived to Mexico have been identified here, with about 60% about 11,000 years ago, they have endemism. In a recent study we estimated impacted on the environment, but never the distribution range of a representative as much since the arrival of Europeans, selection of cacti, which is essential for particularly during the 20th century. 2 determining conservation status. The 37,197 km , almost 7% of the area. In order to assess Previously the nomadic inhabitants results showed an enormous variation, with the effectiveness of these areas in conserving cactus developed a deep understanding of some species found in areas smaller than species, we are currently studying where 121 endemic their natural surroundings, with the land 1 km2, to others found almost throughout cactus species are found. Preliminary results show that providing them with almost everything the Chihuahuan Desert. However the great 77 species (63.6%) are present in at least one protected needed for life in the desert. majority of the species are restricted to area, while the remaining 44 are totally unprotected. Today’s rural inhabitants still make smaller areas, with 59 species occurring An important conservation area created in 1997 traditional use of their natural resources, in areas of less than 100 km2. From a in the southern end of the Chihuahuan Desert is the and the list of plants and animals used for 2 conservation perspective the most important Real de Guadalcázar State Reserve (2,570 km ). With food, forage, medicine, and other purposes group are the extremely narrow endemics 76 species, this area has the highest concentration of is extensive. Some species are an important (42 species) with a geographic range cactus species when compared with other similarly-sized source of income for local communities, in restricted to less than 10 km2. regions. Unfortunately despite the reserve’s creation particular jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis) With few exceptions, these microendemics more than a decade ago, action is still needed to ensure which is used for oil, guayule (Parthenium are well-known and highly attractive to illegal that this protected area serves as a real instrument to argentatum) used for rubber, candelilla collectors. Most of them belong to genera protect the rich endemic cactus flora of the region. (Euphorbia antisyphilitica), a wax, and endemic to the Chihuahuan Desert, such lechuguilla (Agave lechuguilla), an What is next? as Ariocarpus, Astrophytum, Aztekium, important source of fibre. Several species of Geohintonia and Turbinicarpus, or to popular Mexican drylands are clearly areas of high conservation cactus called prickly pear (Opuntia species) horticultural genera such as Mammillaria priority. However, the gradual destruction of cacti are widely used for their edible fruits and and Echinocereus. The tiny geographical habitat, along with the illegal collection, place this group vegetative parts. Also called nopales, areas from where these species are found, in of plants in the embarrassing position of being one of Opuntia species have a strong symbolic conjunction with collection pressures, make the most endangered groups of organisms on earth. significance in Mexico and are today a very these species Critically Endangered. Only a combination of actions will guarantee their visible part of the national emblem. In the Chihuahuan Desert there are 32 major conservation. Public awareness needs to be improved, Natural Protected Areas covering some as well as better legislation, improved protected area management and the creation of new protected areas. Increased artificial propagation of the most endangered species in botanical gardens is needed, along with an increase in commercial propagation to release pressure on the wild populations. The IUCN/SSC Cactus and Succulent Plant Specialist Group and the Red List Project Only about 10% of the total number of species in the cactus family has been assessed using the current IUCN Red List criteria. In order to contribute towards Target 2 of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (http://www.cbd.int/gspc/), members of the Cactus and Succulent Plant Specialist Group are initiating the Global Cactus Assessment, a project to assess the conservation status of the entire family. Preliminary evaluations suggest that about half of the species are threatened, confirming the critical conservation status of the family. http://data.iucn.org/themes/ssc/sgs/cssg/ Latin America Saving the peninsular pronghorn Benito Bermudez, for the Secretaría de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales México, IUCN Member

ne of the most threatened antelopes This intensive management allowed the captive This group of 25 pronghorn was released in in the world, the peninsular prong- population to increase to more than 300 animals March 2006, and in August 2007 a second re- horn or “berrendo peninsular” (An- in 10 years, which was more than the population lease of 21 animals was successfully under- tilocapra americana peninsularis), is in the wild. At the same time monitoring contin- taken. In winter 2008 another 40 captive-bred Omaking a come-back. A captive-breeding pro- ued, showing that during 10 years the wild popu- fawns will be reared, to be released on the is- gramme was started in Mexico in 1997, after lation remained stable at around 200 animals. land in spring. This will bring us considerably almost twenty years of studies which showed closer to the carrying capacity of the deserted Work was also undertaken to create what in that this subspecies, restricted to the coastal lands at “La Choya”. Mexico are called “UMA”, which are conservation plateau and desert valleys of the Vizcaino Des- management units encouraging sustainable use Educational and environmental awareness ert in the central part of the Baja California pen- of wildlife, in order to guarantee the conserva- activities in rural communities, including insula, was in danger of extinction due to habitat tion of this subspecies in parts of the peninsular farmers, ranchers and landowners, continue change, hunting and natural predation. where wildlife populations are controlled. to be undertaken in areas where the prong- Herds of hundreds of animals once roamed horn occurs, increasing interest by the entire To date 25 animals have been captured from an area of more than 45,000 km2 in Baja population about the conservation of their na- the wild and contributed to more than 300 ge- California from below Ensenada in the north tive fauna and flora. netically viable animals in the captive-bred to the plains of Magdalena in the south. That population. This, in addition to around 200 ani- Although the increase in extensive farming is, until the end of the 19th century when the mals in the wild, means that the initial objective has considerably reduced the opportuni- wild population was decimated due to hunt- to double the population of the pronghorn has ties for natural survival of this species in the ing for meat. This led the President of Mexi- been more than reached. coastal plains of the Vizcaíno Desert, the co to establish a permanent hunting ban on development of wildlife management units is pronghorn, which is still in force today. The next phase of the programme is the release one way to create corridors so that the prong- and translocation of pronghorns into adequate Based on these studies, a “three-pronged” horn in the peninsula of Baja California can habitats to establish and reinforce wild popula- recovery programme for the pronghorn was continue to survive. With continued support tions. In the first phase, two adult males with developed which included semi-intensive by local communities, private initiatives, and radio collars and GPS were released in 2004 to management of the wild population, captive from all three levels of government, the future evaluate their ability to adapt to new surround- breeding, and environmental education. of the pronghorn looks brighter every day. ings, their incorporation into the wild herd and The first part of the programme consisted in their movements over time during one year. www.semarnat.gob.mx capturing five fawns soon after their birth, Given positive results and the constant increase which were raised under fairly basic condi- in numbers of pronghorn held in semi-captivity, tions in a captive-breeding facility set up within it was then decided to release 25 pronghorn the pronghorn’s natural range, and cared for onto deserted lands at “La Choya”, an area by trained personnel. This founder population covering 23,000 ha which has a habitat similar was genetically screened to avoid as much to that where the pronghorn occurs. inbreeding as possible, and supplemented by other animals captured near the facility.

27 Latin America The Chihuahuan Desert: a bi-national reservoir for biological diversity Nélida Barajas, IUCN Commission on Ecosystem Management Ignacio March The Nature Conservancy (TNC), IUCN Member

he Chihuahuan Desert Ecoregion americana), jaguar (Pantera onca), collared These changes leave deep marks on the (CDE) stretches from Arizona, peccary (Tayassu tajacu), kangaroo rats (Di- landscape and contribute to global challenges New Mexico and Texas in the USA podomys spp.), black-tailed prairie dog (Cyno- such as desertification, climate change and the to Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo mys ludovicianus) and black-footed ferret (Mus- spread of invasive species. The loss and frag- TLeón, Durango, Zacatecas, Aguascalientes tela nigripes). Desert birds such as roadrunner mentation of natural ecosystems is causing bio- and San Luis Potosí in Mexico, covering an (Geococcyx californianus) and scaled quail (Cal- diversity loss and the extinction of uncounted area of almost 60 million hectares. Follow- lipepla squamata) are common, and numerous populations and species, changes in the struc- ing WWF’s definition of an ecoregion (“a raptors such as Swainson´s hawk (Buteo swain- ture and functioning of ecosystems, and ulti- large unit of land and water that contains sonii), great horned owl (Bubo virginianus), aplo- mately the loss of environmental services. a distinct assemblage of natural commu- mado falcon (Falco femoralis) and golden eagle nities sharing a large majority of species, (Aquila chrysaetos) may be observed. Reptile Challenges and next steps dynamics and environmental conditions”), diversity is among the highest of all deserts and The Nature Conservancy (TNC) is committed to the CDE is one of the three most biologi- several endemic freshwater species as well as the vision of the Ecoregional Assessment for the cally rich and diverse arid ecoregions in many endemic invertebrates add to the list. CDE, which is “Our vision is a Chihuahuan Des- the world, rivalled only by the Great Sandy- Threats to conserving the desert ert where governments, local communities, non- Tanimi Desert of Australia and the Namib- governmental organizations, academic institu- Karoo of southern Africa. The landscape ecoregion tions, landowners, and other stakeholders work includes a series of watersheds, hillside Despite the uniqueness of this region, only together to ensure that the richness and diversity forests, grasslands and scrublands. 4% has protected area status (see table). of wildlife, habitats, natural communities, and The outstanding features of this ecore- ecological processes of the Chihuahuan Desert gion from a global perspective include its The Chihuahuan Desert is a fragile landscape are conserved and, where necessary, restored”. highly diverse and endemic desert taxa and its biodiversity is under siege, due to multiple TNC strives to fulfil this vision by promoting associated with very specialized habitats anthropogenic factors such as suppression of the protection of 10% of the ten major habitat (gypsum dunes, desert springs and other natural wildfires, diversion of surface and ground- types in the CDE by 2015, by working at the lo- freshwater ecosystems). water for agriculture, introduction of invasive spe- cal, national and international level. At the local Prominent plant species are creosote cies and overgrazing. The landscape is changing level TNC is working on desert grassland eco- bush (Larrea tridentata), tarbush (Florensia dramatically as prairies and scrublands are con- systems under the Great Plains Initiative (which cernua), mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa), verted to croplands throughout the region. stretches from Canada to Mexico) and the Chi- acacia (Acacia spp.), lechugilla (Agave huahuan Desert Borderlands Initiative. lechuguilla), and about 330 species of cacti (see “rare cacti” in this booklet, page 26). www.nature.org Grasses include grammas (Bouteloua cur- tipendula, B. eriopoda), purple three-awn Chihuahuan Desert ecoregion protected area status. (Aristida purpurea), tobosa (Hilaria mutica) and alkali sacaton (Sporobolus airoides). CDE total area (ha) CDE area having protected area status Animal diversity is very high, including USA 15,754,144 26.5% USA 869,658 1.46% mammals such as the pronghorn (Antilocapra MEX 43,684,826 73.5% MEX 1,502,800 2.53% Latin America Cerrado conservation: scientific challenges in a neotropical savanna Cristiano Nogueira, Ricardo Machado, Mário Ramos Neto Conservation International Brazil, IUCN Member

hinking of South American natural richness, depending on the taxonomic group. documented Cerrado endemic reptiles has environments, the first image that Some of the endemic birds found in open Cer- never been assessed, and only two Cer- comes to mind is dense and humid rado grasslands and tabletop savannas belong to rado reptile species are considered threat- rainforest. Few are aware that the unique avian evolutionary lineages. ened in the Brazilian Red List. Similarly, Tcentral part of South America includes the many Cerrado amphibians were consid- sub-humid Cerrado region, a global biodi- Conservation challenge ered as Data Deficient in the recent Global versity hotspot and the largest block of sa- Despite high figures in species richness, Amphibian Assessment and are flagged as vannas in the eastern hemisphere. Covering endemism and phylogenetic uniqueness, priorities for scientific research. approximately 2 million km2 (roughly the size the Cerrado has only just begun to receive Numbers of threatened species will increase of Eastern Europe), the Cerrado is found in proper scientific attention, and conservation both with better knowledge as well as due to central Brazil, extending to patches in adja- measures in the region lag behind recent and the constant high rate of habitat loss. Recent cent Paraguay and Bolivia. drastic changes in land use. In the past three studies on the distribution of small vertebrates The Cerrado is characterized by season- decades, deforestation rates in the Cerrado show that most of the endemic reptiles, ro- ally dry savannas composed of grasses and have been higher than anywhere else in the dents and marsupials occur in typical, open small, contorted trees. It harbours a highly di- world, and conservation efforts have been Cerrado savannas, which are the first habi- verse and endemic flora which is adapted to limited, with less than 3% of the area cur- tats to be converted for intensive agriculture. natural fires and acidic, unfertile, aluminum- rently protected in parks and reserves. Dur- These endemic species remain unprotected rich soils. Throughout most of the Cerrado ing the same period half of the Cerrado has by conservation measures, given the recent region the climate is mild, and rainfall is con- been irreversibly converted to grazing and nature of scientific discoveries, the rampant centrated in the wet season (October-April) agricultural land. Today less than 20% of the rates of habitat loss, the lack of attention to after a distinct dry winter (May-October). region remains as undisturbed, pristine habi- inter-fluvial savannas in the Brazilian forestry tat, and recent estimates show that at least code, and the lack of a strategically designed The Cerrado savannas probably existed prior 20,000 km2 of this is converted each year. It is protected area network. to the presence of humans in the continent, predicted that by 2030, any remaining natural but today the region is home to a wide vari- Cerrado habitat will only be found in formal The ability to incorporate and to adapt to the ety of indigenous cultures. However urban- protected areas. It is for this reason that the changing levels of biodiversity information, ization in Brasilia, the new Brazilian capital Brazilian Cerrado is considered one of the 34 and the very fast rates of habitat change which lies in the heart of the Cerrado, and hotpots in the world. caused by major economic interests, makes unsustainable economic growth is irrevers- the conservation of the Cerrado one of the ibly changing the landscape. At least 103 vertebrate species are threat- greatest challenges for conservation on the ened with extinction in the Cerrado, accord- planet. Because critical economic and politi- Cerrado characteristics and ing to combined data from the IUCN and cal interests are involved in the destruction biodiversity Brazilian Red Lists. Clearly, the lack of basic of the Cerrado, scientists and conservation- biodiversity data precludes adequate threat ists must be creative and also very quick In central South America, Cerrado savan- assessments for Cerrado fishes, amphibi- and effective in gathering the best and most nas dominate the landscape, occurring on ans, and reptiles, with the numbers of threat- complete information possible to generate plateaus of crystalline or sedimentary rock ened species representing less than 3% of viable conservation in this world’s richest which are separated by a network of depres- overall Brazilian richness in each group, de- tropical savanna. sions, creating a variety of different habitats. spite high levels of habitat loss. For exam- The sources of the Paraguay, Paraná, Par- ple, global threat status for all 103 recently www.conservation.org.br naíba and São Francisco river basins, of great importance for aquatic biodiversity and water resources, originate in the Cerrado. The Cerrado savannas are one of the oldest vegetation types in South America and among the most diverse ecosystems on earth, cover- ing around 72% of central Brazil. Within them one finds a network of gallery and dry forests, woodlands, palm marshes, and crystalline or sedimentary rock outcrops. Due to its history, variety of habitats, and its central position in South America (lying between the two largest blocks of Neotropical rainforests, the Amazo- nia and Atlantic Forest, as well as two large tracts of open, dry formations, the Caatinga and Chaco), biodiversity in the Cerrado is very diverse with high levels of endemism. For example, at least 44% of the more than 12,000 vascular plants native to the region are unique to the Cerrado. Although the Cerrado is one of the least studied Neotropical regions in zoological terms, overall vertebrate diversity is impressive – and still underestimated. At least 1,300 fishes, 268 reptiles, 150 amphibians, 837 birds and 199 mammals are recorded in the Cerrado, and richness values may rep- resent up to 49% of overall Brazilian species Drylands deserve more attention Marie José van der Werff ten Bosch, Both ENDS, IUCN Member Emmanuel Seck, ENDA TM, IUCN Member Noel Oettle

t UNCED in 1992, it was decided that ticipation in practice and there is no interna- What is needed in drylands is to work on desertification warranted increased tional court to oversee implementation of the longer-term sustainability, and not just crisis and special attention. In May 1993, Convention in practice. management such as drought. This is espe- negotiations for a Convention to Com- cially true with current climate changes be- batA Desertification began, resulting in its adop- Civil society: crucial role coming more and more of an issue in drylands tion in June 1994. Three months after the 50th It is not enough to invite CSOs to meetings to around the world. Instead of symptom treat- ratification, the Convention entered into force in then just ask their opinion on what is already ment, we need to address the root causes December 1996. The first Conference of Par- planned. Their activities should form the start- so that local vulnerability can be reduced ties was held in Rome, in October 1997. At this ing point, from which policies and action plans as ecosystems and social systems become moment (2008), the number of ratifications has should be developed in close cooperation with more resilient. This in turn means better ca- more or less stabilized at 193 countries. the relevant stakeholders. Since most dry- pacity to resist sudden changes and forces, This Convention to Combat Desertifica- lands lie in marginalised rural areas where few such as events related to climate change. tion is unique in the sense that it is the first investments by central decision-makers and Local communities know more international legally binding agreement that is donors (both financial and political) are made, based on the participation of local communi- the communities themselves have been look- Local communities often rely on experience ties. For example, the Convention states that ing for their own solutions to land degradation and intuition to react quickly to unexpected it’s National Action Programmes (NAPs) have and drought. Many of these solutions are in- events thanks to their direct relation with the to be developed through close co-operation novative and inspiring, and deserve more at- natural resources surrounding them. The abil- between governments and local communities tention as the largest investments in drylands ity of communities to cope is based partly on and their organisations. Civil Society Organi- still come from the communities themselves. historical experience, and partly on survival in- sations (CSOs) also have two half-day slots It is the farmer that invests most in his or her stincts, knowledge and access to information. available in the plenary of the Conference of own fields, assuming he or she has the tenure Local communities are also the first to recogn- Parties to discuss issues with the Parties and rights to the fields. Communities draw up their ise symptoms of crisis, since these affect their observers. Nevertheless, we recognise the own management and delivery systems with daily lives so strongly. problem that although the UNCCD is legally relatively low overhead costs, and contribute binding, participation on paper differs from par- through labour, materials and skills.

30 Local action is by definition limited in scale. But coupled with less context- specific, higher level policies and man- agement plans, local action is a powerful and essential part of long-term natural resource management, and therefore de- serves to be supported. What do Both ENDS and ENDA TM do to encourage local action? For Both ENDS and ENDA, partnerships with local organisations and communities are at the heart of the work in drylands. Both organisations are partners in many projects including “Drynet” (Strengthening civil soci- ety networks to address dryland degrada- tion and poverty issues in the context of strategic development frameworks and the UNCCD). Drynet is a 3-year networking and capacity building initiative taken by 14 CSOs working in 17 countries on issues related to drylands, land degradation and civil society participation in policy development. While the causal patterns of deserti- fication and land degradation vary in the different countries where Drynet is active, at the same time the partners share the following points of view: 1. Dryland development/resource rehabili- tation feature low on political agendas worldwide so CSOs must play a cru- sations in the national and local development cial role in getting dryland issues on and planning processes, and to enable them Drylands and biodiversity the political and donor agendas. to make necessary changes happen in their 2. Policy frameworks should ensure politi- countries. Drynet does this by making rel- Although often neglected or unknown, the drylands cal and budgetary attention for drylands evant information better accessible, actively of the world contain a unique richness of species is integrated into general development spreading it through newsletters, radio pro- and breeds, mainly due to ingenious adaptations processes and aid agreements. grammes and a website. To understand who of the flora and fauna to harsh dryland conditions. 3. The majority of dryland CSOs are the main players (managers, donors and Herders in Africa graze no fewer then than 150 va- strong in approaches and strategies policy-makers) are, we undertook an exten- rieties of cattle, 60 different strains of sheep, and to combat land degradation locally, sive survey in Drynet countries as well as in 50 different goats on drylands. Farmers maintain but weak in linking their successes to European countries, since European foreign an enormous variety of seeds necessary for their a wider political context/players and policy and investment can have great impact subsistence. As fluctuating dry and wet periods are this must change. on the well-being of dryland ecosystems and characteristic of drylands, adaptive variation is key 4. There is a need for integrating envi- inhabitants. In the Drynet countries, the part- for ecological sustainability. Any reduction in diver- ronment issues in development coop- ners are reaching out to all actors, organising sity is often irreversible. eration frameworks. seminars for discussion and training, and for 5. CSOs - and many times the adminis- joint strategising about how to ensure that An example: the Knersvlakte in South trations as well - are not aware of, and needed changes happen. Africa therefore unable to optimize on the in- The Knersvlakte is an extensive dry plain in the cen- terconnection between development The UNCCD 10 Year Strategic tre of the Succulent Karoo hotspot bounded on the cooperation frameworks. Plan: an improvement? east by the Bokkeveld Mountains. Fields of white 6. Limited access to information for CSOs quartz pebbles cover the gently rolling hills of the on best practices is a problem. Results UNCCD adopted its 10 Year Strategic Plan area and are associated with unique dwarf succu- lent plants. This 48,500 ha. area is extremely rich, from science and local successes that last year to enhance the implementation of with a total of 1,324 plant species, 266 of which are could inspire others stay local instead the convention. Although it could reflect bet- ter the final aim of servicing land users in Succulent Karoo endemics. Within the hotspot, this of being disseminated and used to de- priority area has the greatest percentage of threat- sign innovative successful projects. drylands, it does provide opportunities for CSOs to exert influence and raise atten- ened endemics with 128 species being listed on the 7. CSOs have limited capacity in project Red List. development and management tech- tion to their issues of concern. The UNCCD niques to transfer ideas into feasible is a very valuable instrument, and with the and bankable projects. current reform process could become even 8. CSOs need to become structural part- better, given that the role and engagement ners in their consultations with policy of CSOs are better anchored institutionally. makers and donors to make desired But it still remains an instrument, which, changes. combined with other initiatives, will have a The partners in Drynet 9. The understanding of different meth- stronger impact than by standing alone. The odologies to facilitate participation in people, plants and animals of the drylands Both ENDS Netherlands, CAREC Kazakhstan/ Uzbekistan/Kyrgyzstan/Tajikistan/Turkmenistan, planning processes differs widely in deserve attention and support and can in- spire policy makers and donors to take ap- CARI France, CENESTA Iran, EMG South Africa, the affected countries. ENDA TM Senegal/Madagascar/Morocco, Instituto 10. In most dryland regions in the world propriate action. Initiatives such as Drynet show the way forward. Sertão/ASA network Brazil, LPP Germany, LPPS CSOs still need to network effectively India, OLCA Chile, PROBIOMA Bolivia, TENMIYA to have a larger impact together on www.enda.sn Mauritania, SCOPE Pakistan, TEMA Turkey policy makers and donors. www.bothends.org www.dry-net.org The Drynet initiative is meant to strengthen the voice of local communities and organi- What’s happening to the birds in drylands? Mike Evans and Stuart Butchart, BirdLife International, IUCN Member

Cultural awareness and nature conservation Piet Wit, Deputy Chair, IUCN Commission on Ecosystem Management

here is an old and ongoing de- their horses. The horse is still the most suit- porary settlement, one will find tribesmen bate about the interaction between able cross country means of transportation, with their little private museums, where an landscape and culture. Individual living off the land, and not degrading the illiterate herdsman stands guard over a col- persons and whole nations in dry- land as its motorized brethren do. lection of stone-age artefacts and wildlife Tland areas derive part of their identity from The Mongolian Association for the Con- trophies found in the desert. Elsewhere the open landscape that they live in. Two servation of Nature and the Environment, herdsmen prevent inhabitants from neigh- examples: and the Dutch ‘Foundation for the Preserva- bouring communities cutting down Acacia tion and Protection of the Przewalski Horse’ trees that form surprisingly dense stands Mongolia - both IUCN Members - joined forces to in this middle of the desert. In 1992 Dr. Batjargal, the Minister of bring the world’s last living truly wild horse Near Al Ghallaouyia an enlightened Environment of Mongolia, proposed to back to its homeland, the Eurasian steppe. herdsman has declared himself guardian of the world to declare his entire country a The first Takhi were welcomed at Ulaanbaa- one of the most important sites with rock biosphere reserve. The pride of Mongolia, tar Airport by a large crowd. It was a very engravings of the Sahara; one of his fellow waking up after centuries of domination emotive ceremony, where even old herds- herdsmen at El Beyyed jealously surveys a by its neighbours, lies with its nature and men let their tears run freely. It was a sym- large site where the soil is literally covered culture. Horses are very much part of that bol of homecoming for a whole nation. by stone-age artefacts. The last popula- identity, and so are the Takhi, the Mongolian In any case, thanks to the Takhi, principle tions of dorcas gazelle and possibly even name for Przewalski’s Horse. The Takhi is one of the Ecosystem Approach (ecosystem addax are found in this fascinating area, the a close relative of the domestic horse but management is a matter of societal choice, adopted homeland of the last great French has never itself been domesticated. The as elaborated by the CBD) never posed a explorer, Theodore Monod. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species problem in and around Hustai National Park It is this awareness that IUCN seeks categorizes it as ‘Extinct in the Wild’, where the horses were reintroduced. to harness for the protection of ecosys- Without the horse, the great Empire tems such as these in the Central Sahara of Djenghis Khan never would have hap- Mauritania and Central Asia. People depend on these systems, economically and culturally, and pened. Horses were the mainstay of the To move to another continent, the Guelb-Er- identify with their species. These cultural mounted people roaming wide and far. They Richâtt, a geological miracle in Mauritania values, together with the natural ones, must established an empire stretching from Asia nick-named the “eye of Africa”, is a heaven therefore be conserved by all means. Minor and Persia through Central Asia into for lovers of nature and culture. Local no- Indo-China. Even nowadays, many Mongols madic tribesmen are the first to appreciate would not be able to get anywhere, if not for its importance. Even in the smallest tem-

32 Global What’s happening to the birds in drylands? Mike Evans and Stuart Butchart, BirdLife International, IUCN Member

s about 48% of the world’s land Local action in Lebanon Although covering only 283,000 km², or can be considered drylands, it is no The Society for Protection of Nature in Leba- 7% of the biome’s total area, this IBA network surprise that a similar proportion of non (BirdLife in Lebanon) is encouraging local has the potential to conserve core populations the world’s 9,852 bird species oc- communities to revert to the ‘hima’ concept, a in critical dryland habitats, and so provides an Acur in dryland ecosystems. A shocking 1 in traditional land-use system in the drylands of excellent means of focusing conservation ef- 8 bird species (1,222 species) are consid- the Middle East and North Africa, to proactive- forts on priority sites. ered to be globally threatened, according to ly manage natural areas, such as shrublands, the IUCN Red List 2008, and about a third grasslands, savannas and wetlands, and pro- Global action of these species are dependent on dryland tect them from over-exploitation. This system Birds provide unique information for assessing habitats. About 66% of threatened dryland is a form of adaptive management through a global biodiversity trends, and are already be- species occur in shrublands, 43% in grass- mixture of strict protection and sustainable use ing used to track progress towards the CBD lands and 8% in savannas. Dryland ecosys- of land, with consequent preservation of natu- 2010 target of reducing the rate of biodiversity tems are clearly of great significance. ral resources and biodiversity. loss. By determining the global conservation In drylands, land degradation is greatly status of birds and then monitoring whether driven by inappropriate land-uses, such as National action in Kenya this improves or gets worse, these ‘Red List over-intense grazing, over-frequent burn- More than 40% of Kenya’s 60 Important Bird Indices’ show that the conservation status ing of vegetation, and large-scale irrigation. Areas (IBAs) are in drylands. Local community of birds living in savannas, shrublands and Many local communities adopt or acquiesce groups are working with NatureKenya, the Bird- grasslands – the most species-rich habitats to such land-uses, unsustainable in the long Life Partner, to monitor many of these special in drylands – has deteriorated markedly since term, due to poverty and a lack of immedi- places. This sort of monitoring programme is 1988.The most frequently cited pressures on ate alternatives. As the land degrades, they operating in a dozen other countries in Africa. these species include the conversion of habitat are often faced with the loss of rural liveli- According to the IBA monitoring scheme, even to cultivation and plantations (often via irriga- hoods, emigration to cities and increased though conservation action in sites in Kenya tion), and the impoverishment of ecosystems poverty levels. increased substantially from 1999-2003 and by over-intense livestock rearing. Hunting and Land degradation now also threatens threats were reduced, the average site condi- habitat alteration by invasive alien species are 170 dryland bird species with global extinc- tion still deteriorated. Continued monitoring will also major threats tion – more than 10% of all globally threat- help guide future conservation actions. ened birds – and affects many areas of particular value to dryland birds and other What’s next - more action Birds are beautiful, inspirational and found biodiversity (Important Bird Areas and En- Regional action in Africa Eight African countries in the BirdLife Interna- throughout the world. By focusing on birds, demic Bird Areas) around the world. tional Partnership are leading an effort to con- and the sites and habitats on which they de- BirdLife International, a global network serve the unique wildlife in the savanna stretch- pend, the BirdLife Partnership is working to of 100 independent national NGOs, links to- ing from Sudan to Guinea. They have identified improve the quality of life for birds, for other gether diverse communities and constituen- a network of 105 Important Bird Areas that form biodiversity, and for people. cies at all levels. Here are a few examples a crucial stronghold for maintaining the 54 bird of conservation actions at the local, national, species (and much other biodiversity) that is regional and global level. endemic to this biome. www.birdlife.org Global Ecoagriculture in drylands Sara J. Scherr, Ecoagriculture Partners, IUCN Member

hile drylands house about 22% of ■ In Niger, the ‘re-greening’ movement has sup- pastoralists, community-based organizations, the world’s protected areas, these ported farmers to use low-cost natural regener- NGOs involved in conservation, agriculture and are proving insufficient to protect its ation and soil and water conservation practices rural development research institutions, the food rich, endemic and highly adapted across the landscapes to reverse desertifica- industry, and policymakers. Wflora and fauna. Reducing poverty and hunger tion and increase crop production, income, in the drylands will depend on sustaining their and food security, benefiting at least 4.5 million More and more dryland initiatives are moving in natural resource base, while improving crop, people in an area of 5 million hectares, restor- this direction, such as TerrAfrica’s work on Sus- livestock, forest, and fishery production. New ing watersheds and wildlife habitat. tainable Land Management. The international approaches are needed that reflect the inter- conservation and development communities can connectedness of the agricultural, biodiversity ■ In Spain, the ‘dehesa’ landscapes sustain help to scale up the development of dryland eco- conservation, and poverty reduction agendas. livestock and grain production in areas of lim- agriculture systems in several ways: ited rainfall over nearly 3.5 million hectares of One such approach is ‘ecoagriculture’, which ■ Coordinate the agendas of the Convention seeks synergies that achieve sustainable agri- southern Spain and Portugal, mimicking the natural savanna, and supporting high levels on Biological Diversity and the Convention to culture, biodiversity conservation and rural live- Combat Desertification energetically to pursue lihoods jointly in agricultural landscapes. of biodiversity. Scattered trees, shrubbery, and diverse cultivation and livestock systems in- landscape-scale strategies in drylands. Many dryland farming and livestock-raising crease the heterogeneity of the habitat. ■ Support integrated landscape manage- communities around the world have developed ment with a focused programme of re- innovative ecoagriculture systems, managing ■ In Zimbabwe, herders use rotational grazing systems that restore and carefully manage search, knowledge exchange and ca- landscape mosaics that functionally integrate pacity-building across communities and production and conservation areas: vegetative cover, thus raising production of domestic livestock, while increasing water infil- sectors. ■ In Rajasthan, India, community-led water- tration and recharge, and supporting increased ■ Empower dryland resource managers – farm- shed restoration programmes have re-in- wildlife populations in the savannas. ers, pastoralists and others – to play a central stated more than 5,000 traditional ‘johads’ Narrow sectoral strategies have failed in the dry- role in designing investment and conservation in over 1,000 villages, increasing water sup- programmes and policies. plies for irrigation, wildlife, livestock and do- lands. Ecoagriculture approaches require collec- mestic use, and re-charging groundwater. tive action by the diverse stakeholders respon- www.ecoagriculturepartners.org sible for managing dryland landscapes – farmers, Global The Temperate Grasslands Conservation Initiative Bill Henwood, IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas

ost arid, semi-arid and sub-humid areas globally to increase conservation and protection In the decade since the creation of the Task are either characterized by desert, of temperate grasslands and seeking their Force, there is increased interest in the conservation or temperate, sub-tropical or tropical rightful place in the world’s protected areas and protection of grasslands, and more grasslands grassland ecosystems. Here we will system. The TGCI also targets commitment to are being protected today worldwide. However, Mfocus on temperate grasslands, which occupy 8% conservation of grassland ecosystems beyond more still needs to be done in this regard. of the earth’s surface, occur on every continent protected area boundaries, to stem habitat except Antarctica, and are one of the world’s loss, conserve biodiversity, restore lost or The temperate grasslands great biomes. However, they are now among the damaged ecosystems, reintroduce extirpated most altered and endangered ecosystems on the species and promote ecologically sustainable conservation initiative planet, especially the prairies of North America, the grassland management practices. The TGCI The Temperate Grasslands Conservation pampas of South America, the lowland grasslands also recognizes the importance of temperate Initiative proposes to reverse the trend of bio- of south-east Australia, and the steppes of eastern indigenous grasslands to the life and cultural diversity loss and degradation of the temperate Europe. It is on these grasslands that were once survival of mobile indigenous peoples and the grasslands biome by promoting both the desig- found some of the greatest assemblages of wildlife irreplaceable value of indigenous knowledge and nation and special management of representa- ever witnessed, but today, only remnants of their accumulated experience of traditional indigenous tive protected areas, and the widespread use of former numbers remain. temperate grassland users. sustainable management practices beyond pro- Grasslands have been the source of tected area boundaries, with the goal of at least livelihoods since time immemorial, and temperate The IUCN/WCPA Grasslands doubling the current level of protection by 2014. areas have produced important grass species Protected Areas Task Force A significant “Hohhot Declaration” resulting such as corn, wheat, and oats for food supply. from a TGCI inaugural workshop held in Hohhot, But this has been at a cost to conservation as The IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas China in June, 2008, underscored the need to human activity has significantly altered their created the Grasslands Protected Areas Task consider temperate indigenous grasslands as natural state. Unfortunately, only 5.5% of the Force in 1996 towards a goal of helping protect providers of environmental services essential world’s temperate grasslands are protected 10% of the temperate grasslands biomes by 2014, for life on earth as a source of food, fibre, hu- within the global system of protected areas. and protect, restore and wisely use grassland man livelihoods and well-being, cultural and bio- The level of communication and international protected areas through best management logical diversity, the recharge of aquifers and the cooperation within the conservation community that practices and guidelines. sequestration of carbon, particularly in the face is so often evident in the conservation and protection To do this, there is need to assess and of global climate change. The Declaration rec- of other biomes, such as tropical rainforests, catalogue the number, location, geographic ognizes that temperate indigenous grasslands mountains or coral reefs, has not existed for extent, biophysical representation and condition are critically endangered and urgent action is temperate grasslands. There has been a pervasive of protected areas in the temperate grasslands required to protect and maintain the services lack of recognition of this ecosystem as being one biome; determine existing gaps in their protection they provide to sustain human life. All sectors of worthy of protection, essentially precluding its as well as how to fill those gaps; develop a society are called upon to collaborate toward this protection as a viable land use option. global strategy and region-specific action plans goal. The final report from the Hohhot workshop The Temperate Grasslands Conservation to protect grasslands; and identify common with the full text of the declaration will soon be Initiative (TGCI), an undertaking of the IUCN management issues and practices that impact the available on the WCPA website. World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA) biophysical condition and long-term maintenance Grasslands Protected Areas Task Force, aims of biodiversity in grassland protected areas. www.iucn.org/wcpa at fostering communication and cooperation Global Pastoralists, the best custodians of drylands Nikola Rass, IUCN World Initiative for Sustainable Pastoralism

or a long time desertification was Pastoralists are major custodi- ment programmes and policies (e.g. support- thought to be in large part the result ans of the world’s drylands ing ranching or sedentarisation) have been of pastoralism. Yet, there is evidence established. This leads to marginalization that pastoralism, the extensive herd- Drylands have an over-riding feature – a scar- of pastoralists’ livelihoods and encroach- Fing of livestock in rangeland environments, city of water and a highly seasonal and variable ment on rangelands, resulting in degrada- is the most sustainable production system in precipitation. Mobile pastoralism is a sophisti- tion. Overgrazing has often been reported the drylands as well as one of the few pro- cated management system that is well adapted to be the main cause for degradation of the duction systems that is genuinely compat- to the ecological variability in drylands. While drylands, when actually encroachment of ible with ‘formal’ nature conservation. The mobile pastoralism is the dominant livelihoods agriculture combined with reduced livestock World Initiative for Sustainable Pastoralism activity in the more arid regions, a mixture of mobility and reduced access to key grazing (WISP) was inaugurated in 2005 to demon- pastoralism and farming is found in areas that areas are most often the cause. strate and advocate that pastoralists are the are more suitable for farming. Mobile pastoral- best custodians of drylands’ environments. ists have developed an enormous knowledge Pastoralism as a conservation With its partners, WISP is elaborating these on the ecosystem and the climate that allows strategy arguments for local, regional, national and them to survive in very harsh conditions, per- In the past, conservationists have generally international fora, in order to influence policy mitting them to make use of scarce vegetation believed that wildlife conservation and animal that supports pastoralism for sustainable that is often scattered over large distances, husbandry are incompatible forms of land use drylands development. and to avoid overgrazing. Nevertheless, pas- and should be kept apart, resulting in making Although there are many systems of toralism has often been misunderstood as a conservation areas off-limits to herders. How- pastoralism in different parts of the world, backward system, and inappropriate develop- all share a number of commonalities, includ- ing mobility of livestock to access seasonal WISP, supported by UNDP/GEF and IUCN, is a global Initiative that aims to empower pastoral resources, communal management of pas- people to sustainably manage drylands and rangelands resources through capacity building, advo- tures and other resources, and complex sys- cacy and creation of networks. WISP is supporting pastoralists from different parts of the world to get tems of governance that are vital to enable connected, learn from each other, and to develop sound policy arguments to support their case. The both mobility and communal resource man- global perspective allows the pastoralists to exchange knowledge and practices, and also attempts agement. Pastoralism often means living in the unification of pastoralists worldwide to give them increased self-confidence and a stronger voice sparsely populated, remote areas. in the policy-making process. Although in some countries pastoralists are the majority, in most coun- tries they constitute a minority and are socially and politically marginalized. Worldwide, they make up a large and significant minority group of an estimated 100-200 million people. ever; there is global evidence that pastoral- palatable grasses and reduce bush encroach- be compensated for the ecosystem services ism is not harmful to the environment, but that ment. That high numbers of many species of they provide to the drylands environment and conservation in dryland areas actually relies wildlife do well in managed pastureland is sup- to the global atmosphere. An ongoing WISP on pastoralism. This is logical if one consid- ported by a case study documenting wildlife knowledge management project is examin- ers that many of the world’s drylands have issues in Kitengela pastoral areas adjacent to ing whether pastoralism, already displaying evolved over millions of years in coexistence the Nairobi National Park (see box). Similar outstanding resilience and ability to adapt with large herds of herbivorous animals, and cases have been reported from many other to climate change, also has a positive effect have thus become grazing-dependent. Most different parts of the world. Despite these find- by contributing to above and below-ground of the charismatic wildlife in the world’s dry- ings, pastoralists have often been expelled carbon storage. WISP is collecting the argu- lands depends on open grasslands. In re- from national parks and nature reserves, los- ments and facts to position pastoralists ac- cent centuries there may have been a shift ing important grazing ground, which is critical cordingly in the discussions about climate from wild ungulates to domestic stock, with to their survival. change and carbon sequestration. livestock replicating the animal impact of wild WISP argues for a joint management ap- www.iucn.org/wisp herds (grazing, manuring and trampling). proach of protected areas, recognizing the In addition pastoralists have modified complementarity of human activities, livestock their rangelands through the use of fire and and wildlife. Other recommendations put for- intensive grazing to promote the growth of ward by WISP request that pastoralists should

Wildlife on pastureland and pastoralists in national parks? Nairobi National Park in Kenya was created in 1946, dispossessing local Maasai pastoralists of their ancient grazing land. Since then Maasai are not allowed access to the Park. However, grazing in the park is critical for the Maasai herds, especially during times of drought. Wildlife, however, can move freely between the national park and the pastureland of the Maasai. Wild ungulates make increasing use of the well-managed pastureland for grazing, and in turn attract predators from the national park, which hunt their prey in the open pastureland. However, it is often not the wildlife, but the Maasai’s domestic stock that feeds the lions. This has become such a serious issue that the Kenya Wildlife Service has recently introduced a “consolidation programme” which compensates pastoralists when wildlife from the national parks kills livestock or destroys home gardens and Maasai property. Nevertheless the park remains closed to pastoralist herds, despite all evidence showing their profound knowledge of the environment and their positive impact on wildlife. Global Sustainable land management in drylands – Challenges for adaptation to climate change Levke Sörensen, Anneke Trux, Anselm Duchrow, Convention Project to Combat Desertification (CCD Project) of Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) GmbH (German Technical Cooperation), IUCN Member, commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)

Climate change and its impacts Role of development cooperation in Need for action in drylands – in drylands adaptation to climate change today and in the future For most dryland regions, climate models Adverse impacts of climate change are already In drylands, societies are used to adapting to predict higher temperatures, decreased happening, so adaptation is an urgent issue. Ac- highly variable environmental conditions, so precipitation, and an increase in intensity cording to the Intergovernmental Panel on Cli- building on their experience is a good starting and frequency of extreme events such as mate Change (IPCC), adaptation is defined as point for adaptation. While climate change droughts and heavy rainfall, although when, “the adjustment in natural or human systems in adds more pressure to an already stressed where and how is unknown. All this may response to actual or expected climate stimuli or system, the well-known practices of sustain- impact people and dryland ecosystems their effects, which moderates harm or exploits able land management (e.g. erosion control, through: beneficial opportunities”. Adaptive responses water use efficiency, crop and pasture rota- ▪ Increased land degradation/ include not only technological and managerial, tion) enhance the adaptive capacity and re- desertification. but also behavioural and institutional actions, the silience of dryland societies and ecosystems. ▪ Reduced carbon sequestration services. introduction of economic and policy instruments, However business as usual is not enough ▪ Vegetation shifts from semi-arid towards and research and development. and new approaches are needed. arid vegetation. ▪ Decreased water availability and quality. Development cooperation provides practical Working on behalf of the German Federal ▪ Shortening of the vegetation period. support to increase the adaptive capacity of Ministry for Economic Cooperation and De- ▪ Reduction of rain-fed areas. partner countries and to reduce the vulnerabil- velopment (BMZ), GTZ attaches great impor- ▪ Diminished agricultural productivity and ity of exposed people and ecosystems. Devel- tance to adapting to present and future cli- crop yields. opment cooperation can assist in: mate change impacts, which includes: ▪ Productivity decline in grasslands. ▪ Regional and local climate impacts ▪ Revision of best practices, including fa- assessment. miliar approaches and tools. Climate change will potentially increase ▪ Assessment of social and economic ▪ Mainstreaming of adaptation in planning, poverty and undermine sustainable devel- vulnerabilities of a population. which is essential for sustainable devel- opment, and developing countries with vast ▪ Setting priorities for action based on impact opment. dryland areas are particularly vulnerable. and vulnerability assessments, working with ▪ Focus on strategic planning to create The adaptive capacity of pastoralists, small- governments, NGOs, and civil society. mid- to long-term perspectives for adap- holder and subsistence farmers, highly de- ▪ Implementing priority measures in specific tation. pendent on natural resources, may be over- sectors. ▪ Enhanced flexibility. For dryland regions stretched and economic alternatives and ▪ Mainstreaming climate concerns in all areas like the Sahel, climate scenarios are safety nets are mostly lacking. of decision-making and planning. characterized by a high level of uncer- Sustainable land management in drylands – Challenges for adaptation to climate change Levke Sörensen, Anneke Trux, Anselm Duchrow, Convention Project to Combat Desertification (CCD Project) of Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) GmbH (German Technical Cooperation), IUCN Member, commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)

tainty, and local and sub-regional cli- therefore part of the poverty trap. In this con- analyses lessons learnt from ongoing na- mate projections often do not exist. text, and combined with traditional risk coping tional planning exercises under the MEAs ▪ Identification of incentives and options strategies, weather insurances aim at mitigat- in order to draw conclusions on how to deal for diversifying livelihoods. ing poverty and food insecurity, by transferring with future elaboration and implementation of part of the weather risks beyond the region. Adaptation Strategies under the Convention In this context, an integrated multi-level ap- on Climate Change. The study concludes proach (local, national, regional) is essential, Tunisia’s Strategy for Adaptation to Climate that national planning under MEAs needs to with participation at the local level as key to Change in Agriculture move out of the environment corner and to implement adaptation. Furthermore, plan- Tunisia has been one of the first countries to better integrate with other sustainable devel- ning for adaptation requires a combination develop a national adaptation strategy for the opment processes in order to maximise re- of short-, medium- and long-term adaptive agricultural sector. Based on climate projec- turns from limited funds. Furthermore, there responses. tions and their impacts between 2020 and is a clear need to invest in monitoring and Examples for GTZ’s work on 2050, Tunisia has decided on strategic orien- evaluation, as well as in better coordination tations and an Action Plan in order to prevent at the national and MEA level in order to in- adaptation to climate change in negative consequences of climate change crease synergies. drylands now. Water management is at the very heart www.gtz.de/desertification Index-based weather insurances in Africa of the strategy as water scarcity is a major threat for agricultural productivity. The strat- GTZ is involved in developing index-based egy, which has been elaborated with support weather insurances in Africa. The objec- * For the uninitiated, the UN Framework Convention by GTZ, also takes into account the need for on Climate Change has NAPAs (National Adaptation tive of such insurance products is to pro- institution-building and improved knowledge tect local farmers, herders and small scale Plans of Action), the UN Convention to Combat Deser- and sharing of experiences for adaptation. tification has NAPs (National Action Programmes) and entrepreneurs from the hazards of severe the UN Convention on Biological Diversity has NBSAPs droughts. Crop failures due to extreme Study on national planning under Multilateral (National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans). weather events are difficult to cope with Environmental Agreements (MEAs) for any farmer, but can mean a disaster for GTZ is about to publish a study called “NAPAs, the poor. Poor farmers often avoid risks by NAPs and NBSAPs: Improving the effective- Note: This article reflects the personal opinion of the authors. not investing – a behaviour, which in turn ness of national planning exercises under reduces production and incomes and is multilateral environment treaties”*. The study

39 Interview The Sahara Conservation Fund John Newby, IUCN Species Survival Commission What was your first experience in the velopment thinking such as sedentarization of no- groups. With more care win-win solutions can world’s drylands/Sahara desert that mads, drilling wells in places with only ephemeral be found. More work is needed on quantifying made you become a devoted drylands pasture, not to mention unmanaged tourism and the true value of dryland species and habitats conservationist your entire life? uneducated tourists... in both micro- and macro-economic terms. Carrying out a 28-day field trip on camelback So what is the importance and status of How is the community benefitting in Chad in 1973 with 20 Arab rangers. The trip antelopes? financially from your project? was a true baptism of fire: a really gruelling ex- perience at the height of the hot season, with The scimitar-horned oryx is extinct in the wild, a Whilst SCF is not a development organization per little water to drink but a truly wonderful experi- victim of over-hunting, civil war, poverty-driven ex- se (and we always make this very clear), we do ence with masses of wildlife in superb grass- pansion of rain-fed agriculture into marginal lands, of course subscribe to and promote the funda- land and desert habitats. The relative simplicity desertification and the impact of over-grazing and mental notion that conservation is a contribution and purity of desert ecosystems is something I competition brought on by short sighted pastoral to development and this is particularly obvious in really appreciate. Similarly, the strength and in- development schemes. The addax is now down to drylands, where so many people still derive their genuity of desert dwellers, living much as they around 300 head; the dama gazelle in a similar situa- livelihoods from natural resources. One thing have done for hundreds of years and demon- tion; bustards and dorcas gazelle populations hunted SCF is always keen to do, working as it does in strating an amazing degree of self-sufficiency to extinction by ‘sportsmen’ from wealthy nations; some of the remotest parts of the world, is act as and self-reliance in areas to all intents and desert races of the cheetah and the ostrich virtually go-between, ambassador or catalyst for the local purposes devoid of modern amenities, govern- gone. A sad, sad story indeed. communities with development and humanitarian ment, interference, etc. Mind boggling! agencies. We may not have the resources our- Your projects have very much a community selves but we certainly can make sure that those What path did your career follow? And angle and go beyond pure species that do are made aware of the needs of desert why did you found SFC? conservation, why? communities. After working in conservation for some 30 years To succeed, conservation must meet human aspira- and getting increasingly frustrated that little or tions, be they spiritual, aesthetic or more down-to- MISSION: The Sahara Conservation Fund (SCF) nothing was being done to address the extinc- earth, such as the need for food or income. Whilst was established for charitable, scientific and educa- tion crisis effecting Sahelo-Saharan wildlife, the campaigning vigorously against unsustainable use, tional purposes for the conservation of the wildlife, only answer was to create SCF and to build a SCF seeks solutions to allow people to draw ben- habitats and other natural resources of the Sahara efit from their natural resources without threatening desert and bordering Sahelian grasslands through network of like-minded individuals and institu- a powerful network with a common goal: the con- tions keen to see something done. Interesting- their long-term survival and productivity. The biggest servation of deserts and their unique natural and ly, the backbone of SCF’s support comes from challenge is getting beyond the rhetoric because it cultural heritage. the zoo world in the United States, Middle East is not always obvious what direct and tangible ben- and Europe. SCF provides a much needed fo- efits there are, especially when one is dealing with MAJOR PROJECTS ON DRYLANDS cal point for organizations to work together to last ditch attempts to save endangered species. • Preventing the addax from extinction in the wild multiply their resources through cooperation Nonetheless opportunities are there that need to be (Niger, Chad) through establishing a network of exploited. Our ostrich project in Niger will play a cata- desert protected areas and conservation cor- and provides an entry point into the internation- ridors al conservation arena. It’s thanks to zoos that lytic role in providing education and outreach pro- • Ostrich recovery and reintroduction (Niger) by species like the addax, the scimitar-horned oryx grammes to schools and community groups. It is also working with private ostrich owners, govern- and the dama gazelle can still be saved. With- working with local ostrich breeders to improve their ment agencies, non-governmental organiza- out their collections and breeding programmes skills and productivity and through this, their income. tions and community leaders to establish a all would likely be as dead as the dodo. Employment opportunities exist but one needs to be captive-breeding center and reintroduction pro- extremely careful about over-optimistic projections, gramme especially with long-term benefits that may or may • Reintroduction of desert antelopes (Senegal, What is your opinion on the importance Tunisia, Algeria) and other locally extinct spe- and value of the world’s drylands? not accrue as the project meets its goals. cies, including gazelles, scimitar-horned oryx and addax Drylands make up a sizeable proportion of the What does a drylands conservation • Pan-Sahara Wildlife Survey. The first integrated planet’s land mass and sustain a large number of approach need to look like? Sahara-wide inventory and conservation as- people in many countries. They are not irrelevant. sessment of desert species and habitats, cou- Many of the people living in drylands understand Linkages are important: biodiversity-habitats-live- pled directly with prioritization and fundraising their limits and productivity and where alterna- lihoods. There is still a chronic lack of cooperation for action. and information-sharing across sectors or interest tive forms of livelihood are unavailable this is www.saharaconservation.org/ extremely important in maintaining social and po- litical stability. For desert dwellers, the continued existence of healthy populations of wild plants and animals is an integral part of their finely-bal- anced livelihoods. Desert antelopes and gazelles are highly productive on rangelands often too sparse for livestock. Maintaining healthy wildlife populations has major ecological and social ben- efits whilst contributing to the diversification and strengthening of pastoral economies.

What is so fascinating about the Sahara? Life in such an extreme environment. Superb adaptations. Vast, vast spaces. A landscape modelled by physical and mathematically com- plex forces – wind, erosion, heat. Colours, tex- tures... A place with an unimpeded 360 degree panorama of the UNIVERSE!

What are the threats and conservation challenges? Ignorance about desert biodiversity (you mean there is life out there?!), lack of resources, over-hunting, unsustainable use, terrible de-

40 Face to face Piet Wit, Deputy Chair, CEM Director Syzygy

This booklet has been made possible by the contribution of How does your engagement in CEM benefit you and your numerous IUCN members. On this final page we highlight a work? I benefit from the extensive networking with worldwide conser- selection of IUCN Commission members, asking what led them vation experts. to work in drylands and conservation. Space hasn’t allowed us to What made you decide to devote yourself to dryland work? include all of the contributors, but it does show that in addition to Endangered status of most of the drylands biodiversity, the importance of drylands for mankind, and the cultural values of dryland ecosystems being extremely diverse, the people working dryland societies in them are as well!

Joost Brouwer, CEM S. Kumaraswamy, CEM What made you decide to devote yourself to dryland work? Scientist I was fortunate to work as a Principal Scientist at the ICRISAT Sahelian Center in Niger from 1990-1994, which led to my keen How does your engagement in CEM benefit you and your interest in agro-ecological research on dryland regions. From 1994- work? 1998 I was a member of SAWEG, IUCN’s Sahelian Wetlands Expert Research on dryland ecosystems, biodiversity, ecological func- Group. tions and human dimensions to eco-development

How does your engagement in CEM benefit you and your What made you decide to devote yourself to dry land work? work? I have provided input regarding the Ecosystem Approach for a Drylands ecosystems are subjected to extreme levels of an- number of years, and in 2008 I was asked to represent CEM at thropogenic pressure and exploitation, yet future economic CSD-16 in New York. There I gave a presentation on ‘linkages development will come from them. The ecosystem services of among climate change, drought, desertification and biodiversity’. the dry land systems are eroding at a faster rate than other re- This has led to a number of very useful professional contacts for sources due to scarcity and unsustainable usage. I want to be me, both to spread the results of my earlier work and to develop part of the urgent need to sustainably manage them to protect new ideas. livelihood systems for posterity.

MISSION: The Sahara Conservation Fund (SCF) was established for charitable, scientific and educa- Ashish Kumar, CEM, WCPA tional purposes for the conservation of the wildlife, Scientist habitats and other natural resources of the Sahara How does your engagement in CEM benefit you and your work? desert and bordering Sahelian grasslands through The material provided by IUCN commissions is informative and a powerful network with a common goal: the con- useful and it helps update my knowledge on global issues and servation of deserts and their unique natural and trends concerning ecosystems and protected areas. cultural heritage. What made you decide to devote yourself to dryland work? Drylands in Kachchh offer excellent prospects for research on ecosystem and environment- related issues. I want to increase MAJOR PROJECTS ON DRYLANDS my understanding and contribution to the native biodiversity • Preventing the addax from extinction in the wild and its linkages with the livelihood support system as this helps (Niger, Chad) through establishing a network of maintain and sustain the ecosystem. desert protected areas and conservation cor- ridors Valery Neronov, CEM, SSC and Anna Lushchekina, WCPA • Ostrich recovery and reintroduction (Niger) by Deputy Chair of the Russian Committee for the UNESCO programme on Man and Biosphere since 1976 working with private ostrich owners, govern- What made you decide to devote yourself to dryland work and the conservation of the Saiga ment agencies, non-governmental organiza- antelope? I got interested in the saiga antelope in 1976 when I came to Mongolia and was involved in the study of tions and community leaders to establish a another remarkable antelope inhabiting Eurasian steppes - the Mongolian gazelle. After that, together with captive-breeding center and reintroduction pro- Anna Lushchekina, we conducted a survey on the status of Mongolian saiga and started a comprehensive study of saiga in Kalmykia in the 1990’s. Elena Kreuzberg-Mukhina, SSC, CEM, WCPA gramme Professor assistant, Department of Biology, Carleton University, • Reintroduction of desert antelopes (Senegal, Ottawa, Canada Tunisia, Algeria) and other locally extinct spe- How does your engagement in IUCN’s Commissions benefit cies, including gazelles, scimitar-horned oryx you and your work? and addax I have been engaged in three Commissions (CEM, SSC and WCPA). All these have impacted upon my research, especially • Pan-Sahara Wildlife Survey. The first integrated Nélida Barajas Acosta, CEM PhD candidate for the Autonomous University of Chihuahua in the analysis of dryland ecosystems and biodiversity in Central Sahara-wide inventory and conservation as- Western Chihuahuan Desert Conservation Coordinator - The Nature Asia (especially the Aral Sea basin), introduction of the ecosys- Conservancy tem approach at the national and regional levels, and input into sessment of desert species and habitats, cou- biodiversity conservation through species assessments and de- pled directly with prioritization and fundraising How does your engagement in CEM benefit you and your veloping the Red List process. for action. work? I work in the drylands desert grasslands, and freshwater ecosystems, What made you decide to devote yourself to dryland work? I started my work in Central Asia, studying the houbara bustard, www.saharaconservation.org/ and I benefit from receiving updated global information related to my work. during which time I gradually became involved in more general biodiversity management and protection throughout arid regions. What made you decide to devote yourself to dryland work? My current scientific interests concern the impact of land development for agriculture on biodiversity in I have been living in the Chihuahuan Desert for 9 years; I love it drylands. and want to help the community face the conservation challenges here.

Alex Kreuzberg, SSC, WCPA Analyst, Algonquin College, Ottawa, Canada

How does your engagement in IUCN’s Commissions benefit you and your work? Being a member of SSC and WCPA has helped me in my work with Dr. Arvind Kumar Jha, CEM the CBD including the establishment of a national Clearing-House Commissioner (TRTI) and Chief Conservator of Forests Mechanism, analysis of national capacity needs and preparation of the Third National Report. It has also contributed to assessing What made you decide to devote yourself to dryland work? management effectiveness of protected areas in Uzbekistan, and Maharashtra dryland ecosystems need conservation as they suffer species Red Listing. from human as well as biotic pressure. These grasslands once sup- ported a milk and animal meat based economy very well, but now What made you decide to devote yourself to dryland work? the planting of Glyricidia has disturbed the ecology. I want to play I was born in Tashkent in Uzbekistan, and since my childhood I a part in restoring this. remember the wonderful expeditions with my father to various corners of Central Asia. I love diversity of living organisms in Central Asia, both mountain and arid parts, and wish to protect this biodiversity for future generations. One Union - a wealth of expertise on drylands