United States Department of Agriculture Rangelands of Central Asia: Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station Proceedings of the Conference Proceedings RMRS-P-39 on Transformations, Issues, and June 2006 Future Challenges Bedunah, Donald J., McArthur, E. Durant, and Fernandez-Gimenez, Maria, comps. 2006. Rangelands of Cen- tral Asia: Proceedings of the Conference on Transformations, Issues, and Future Challenges. 2004 January 27; Salt Lake City, UT. Proceeding RMRS-P-39. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 127 p. Abstract ________________________________________ The 11 papers in this document address issues and needs in the development and stewardship of Central Asia rangelands, and identify directions for future work. With its vast rangelands and numerous pastoral populations, Central Asia is a region of increasing importance to rangeland scientists, managers, and pastoral development specialists. Five of the papers address rangeland issues in Mongolia, three papers specifically address studies in China, two papers address Kazakhstan, and one paper addresses the use of satellite images for natural resource planning across Central Asia. These papers comprise the proceedings from a general technical conference at the 2004 Annual Meeting of the Society for Range Management, held at Salt Lake City, Utah, January 24-30, 2004. As the 2004 SRM Conference theme was “Rangelands in Transition,” these papers focus on an area of the world that has experienced dramatic socio-economic changes in 20th Century associated with adoption of communism and command economies and the subsequent collapse of the command economies and the recent transition to a free market economies. The changes in land use and land tenure policies that accompanied these shifts in socio economic regimes have had dramatic impacts on the region’s rangelands and the people who use them. Keywords: Pastoralism, pastoralists, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Mon- golia, Pastoral Provinces China, biodiversity, traditional ecological knowledge, sustainable grazing. Acknowledgments all those involved in our symposium, but especially wish to recognize the authors of the papers for their willing- We thank the International Affairs Committee and The ness to participate and work within our time schedule Society for Range Management for their support for the and guidelines in order to provide a final product for symposium “Rangelands of Central Asia: Transforma- the symposium. We extend our thanks the staff of the tions, Issues and Future Challenges.” A special thank Rocky Mountain Research Station Publishing Services you goes to Mr. Henning Trozelli with Dow Agrosciences Group editing and procedural advice. Lastly, for all of and to Dr. Richard Reading with the Denver Zoological us that have worked in Central Asia we feel extremely Foundation for their generous financial support. We fortunate to have experienced the goodness, hospitality, thank Mr. Daniel Miller, U.S. Agency for International and resilience of the pastoralists using these rangelands Development, who was instrumental in pressing for this and we offer them a special thank you and our hope for symposium and in helping define topics. We appreciate a rewarding life on the rangelands of Central Asia. The use of trade or firm names in this publication is for reader information and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Department of Agriculture of any product or service Views expressed in each paper are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the sponsoring organizations or the USDA Forest Service. You may order additional copies of this publication by sending your mailing information in label form through one of the following media. Please specify the publication title and number. Telephone (970) 498-1392 FAX (970) 498-1122 E-mail [email protected] Web site http://www.fs.fed.us/rm Mailing Address Publications Distribution Rocky Mountain Research Station 240 West Prospect Road Fort Collins, CO 80526 Rangelands of Central Asia: Proceedings of the Conference on Transformations, Issues, and Future Challenges In conjunction with the 57th Annual Meeting for the Society for Range Management, Rangelands in Transition January 24-30, 2004 Salt Lake City, Utah Compilers: Donald J. Bedunah E. Durant McArthur Maria Fernandez-Gimenez i Federal Recycling Program Printed on Recycled Paper Preface area in 20th Century. The social, ecological and land-use changes associated with adoption of communism and The objective of the Society for Range Management’s command economies and the subsequent collapse of the International Affairs Committee’s symposium “Rangelands command economies are of special importance. Thus, of Central Asia: Transformations, Issues, and Future Chal- a significant unifying theme among the countries of the lenges” was to bring together social scientists, ecologists, region was their conversion to command economies in the and development specialists to define and discuss current early to mid- 20th Century and their transition to market issues in the development and stewardship of the region’s economies late in the 20th Century. The changes in land rangelands, and identify directions for future work. As use and land tenure policies that accompanied these shifts defined in this symposium, Central Asia encompasses in socio economic regimes have had dramatic impacts on the republics of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Uzbeki- the region’s rangelands and the people who use them. stan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Mongolia and the Pastoral Management changes, whether driven by economic neces- Provinces of western China. Historically, regional borders sity or political mandate, threaten sustainable rangeland have varied with the shifting balance of powers between use and have, in some areas, reduced the ability of these the region’s dominant nomadic populations and sedentary lands to produce forage, browse, fuels, and wildlife. These societies; but, pastoralism has remained a way of life for transformations have also challenged pastoralists and in numerous ethnic groups throughout the region. Over 75% many cases threatened their livelihoods and well-being. In of Central Asia’s land area is rangeland. These rangelands this symposium we explore the historical antecedents and provide humans with multiple goods and services including the human and ecological consequences of these changes, fuels, fiber, food, water, and carbon storage; in addition while seeking to expand the dialogue about solutions that to holding significant scenic and biodiversity values. With may lead to a more sustainable future for Central Asian its vast rangelands and numerous pastoral populations, pastoralists and the rangeland landscapes they rely on. Central Asia is a region of increasing importance to Our symposium included 13 papers, five poster pre- rangeland scientists, managers, and pastoral development sentations, and a panel discussion. The proceedings specialists. is comprised of 11 papers. Five of the papers address Central Asia is a land of extremes in climate, elevation, rangeland issues in Mongolia, three papers specifically resources, and cultural diversity. The climate is continen- address studies in China, two papers address Kazakh- tal with local conditions influenced by orographic factors. stan, with one of these papers comparing aspects of Elevations range from over 8,000 m in western China to Kazakh Steppe to the Northern Great Plains of the U.S., 154 m below sea level in the Turpan Basin. Annual pre- and one paper addresses the use of satellite images for cipitation varies from 25 mm in the deserts of Central Asia natural resource planning across Central Asia. We have to over 1,000 mm in many high mountain rangelands. For therefore grouped the papers by country, with the papers millennia, these extremes have shaped a wide range of on Mongolia presented first since it was the country with pastoral cultures, leading to a wealth of largely untapped the most papers. However, an overriding theme with many and unstudied indigenous knowledge, which is reflected of the papers was the need for mobility and flexibility in in traditional management practices and institutions. Simi- livestock management and its importance in land tenure larly, these environmental extremes have given rise to a arrangements and in the need for planning with pastoral diversity of vegetation types and habitats, many of them communities. critical for biodiversity and endangered species. In their paper “Conserving Biodiversity on Mongolian Western scientists and development specialists had very Rangelands: Implications for Protected Area Development limited access to this part of the world until the opening of and Pastoral Uses” Rich Readings and others provide an China’s borders in the 1980s and the collapse of the Soviet overview of Mongolia’s rangelands and biodiversity val- Union and associated socialist states such as Mongolia in ues and discuss challenges and issues facing Mongolia. the early 1990s. As is common in rangelands throughout Conserving biodiversity and rangelands are intertwined the world, these areas receive relatively little attention or and the authors believe that strengthening protected areas investment from development and research funding agen- management; increasing ecotourism; instituting socially cies because of their remoteness, low productivity, and acceptable grazing reform and land use; management of perhaps a view of livestock