Herder Handbook Hovsgol Ecology

7/21/2019 Herder Handbook Hovsgol Ecology

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/herder-handbook-hovsgol-ecology 1/20

Definition of Pastoral Nomadism by Thomas J. Barfield, 1993:

Societies specializing in animal husbandry requiring periodic movements

are called pastoral nomads.

THE HERDER HANDBOOK

Prepared by The Staff

Hovsgol Global Environment Facility Project

GeoEcology Insitute

Mongolian Academy of Sciences

Objectives and Goals of the Handbook

Are your animals healthy?

This handbook will explain for herders what is the sustainable use of natural

resources, why we need this, and what are the benefits for you and the health

of your animals.

Today’s nomads are living in a very different World than their

ancestors occupied. Part of the changes are political and socioeconomic

following the break up of the herder negdels such as limited access to

markets or the absence of transportation for getting products and livestock to

markets for sale. But equally important have been negative impacts on the



steppe. These negative impacts are due to two factors, overgrazing by too

many animals feeding in the same area, and the continued warming of the

climate. Since the 1990s, there have been many more livestock in Mongolia

than in the last 100 or more years. At the same time, during the time period

of 1992 to 1997 the number of herders doubled, and the movements of the

herders has declined.

Overgrazing, due to the increase in livestock numbers has been made

worse because of the loss of transportation to take animals and products to

regional markets. These problems have resulted in larger herd sizes feeding

and removing good food plants, leaving poor food plants to grow and too

often to be the major food for livestock. The frequent movement of herds to

new pastures is essential to allow plants in grazed areas to grow again before

the next grazing season. Livestock herds keep growing, increasing in

number and this means more grazing on the steppe. This kind of herding is

unsustainable and will lead to serious degradation of the steppe pastures.

The major goal of this handbook is to provide you with information

about the changes in pasture quality, and give you the tools by means of

indicators so that you will be able to identify the signs of overgrazing in the

steppe. These signs will tell you that you must move your animals to new

grazing areas before you destroy your grazing pastures. Only by

understanding the signs of overgrazing, and moving your animals more

frequently will you be able to achieve sustainable pastures that can be used

year after year by you and your children.

What is Overgrazing?

The impacts of overgrazing can be seen in pastures resulting from too many

animals feeding in an area, changing the plants to poor food species, and



creating and hard soil cover with bare areas uncovered by plants. This

intense overgrazing results in the loss of preferred plant foods for livestock,

such as grasses, and encourages the growth of poor nutritional forbs such as

sage brush and “spicy” species, many of which can be toxic to livestock.

With the loss of plant cover and hard soil cover, rain water cannot soak into

the soil to support plant growth. The water runs off of the soil surface, or

begins to create gullies that erode quickly, causing serious loss of good soils

and filling streams with sediments.

Herders have also been interested in increasing the number of goats

instead of following the traditional herding practices of a diverse herd’s

structure. The survey result also shows that households’ expenses are

exceeding the incomes. It suggests that herders are making money by

exploiting natural resources such as hunting, fishing, collecting berries and

lodging. Spending their small income for essential needs such as food and

clothing, herders have a little chance to improve their life.

One reason for the decline in pasture quality was that individual

herders, based on their own specific territories, could no longer graze

different species of herds on a range of suitable pasture. When all the

different type of animals graze on one pasture all the best grasses are quickly

eaten up early in the year, without leaving seeds or growing plants to

reproduce next year. As a result low quality and even toxic plants are

increasing in pastures from year to year.

Why is the Climate Warming and what does it mean for me and my

pastures?

This is not the only reason for the pasture changes; climate is also having an

impact on plant growth. The climate is getting warmer; the average winter



temperature has warmed by almost 3o C in northern Mongolia over the last

40 years. Summers are warmer and the plant growing season is longer, but

there has not been a significant increase in rains. The same climate changes

also are making the beginning of the rainy season more variable. Rains

generally begin in mid to late June, but recently in some years, as in 2004

and 2005; the rains did not begin until after Naadam. The result of this is

that steppe and forest soils are drying out very rapidly each summer, often

prior to the beginning of the summer rains. There are likely to be longer dry

summer periods in the future. Climate change has been substantial in the

steppe of northern and central Mongolia, and it will continue here and

elsewhere in Mongolia.

What is sustainability?

Sustainability is the ability to return to graze in the same area year after year

in areas where plant growth is not seriously depleted each year and is able to

grow back before the next summer’s grazing season.

If herders continue the (intense) usage without proper management

planning for a long period, given the problems associated with climate

warming, it will damage the environment leaving few natural resources for

future generations, including your own children. Instead of this, we need to

think of proper management plans, how adapt to future changes in climate

and how to achieve sustainable uses of resources allowing the normal cycle

of refreshment and recovery of the natural resources. The alternative is for

natural resources to become seriously limited and be depleted in the near

future.

How can you achieve a sustainable pasture? Alternatives to intensive

livestock herding must be found that allow responsible herding that allows



the grass to grow again next year.

What is the pasture management?

The pasture management is the sustainable plan for use of the pasture.

Herders would ask or thought why we need to allocate the pasture by

seasons or decrease livestock numbers, why we must move, why we can’t

stay one place during the year. In Mongolia, number of livestock is exceeded

the carrying capacity of the pasture or no places to be more remotely move.

Practical methods to rehabilitate pasture lands once affected by degradation

is to control grazing by seasons and to allow lands to regenerate naturally

and to leave land vacant for three years or more and to plant perennial plants

during this period. Currently, the most practical method is to allocate pasture

lands by seasons.

Factors effecting pasture use include:

• Not properly managing grazing activities to determine the livestock

carrying capacity for the area.

• Changing climatic conditions affect the number of livestock and

pasture production levels.

•

Local administrations in the bags and soums do not give sufficient

knowledge of traditional pasture allocation systems.

In recent years, the number of livestock has increased but herders are

not going to “otor”. Most of the herders are not able to pay transportation

(cart and horse) costs for Otor. Herder’s agree with the idea to allocate

pastures by seasons and hence provide protection to this resource.

A small amount of wild hay is cut, dried, and stored in the more

productive mountain-steppe areas, but most herders rely on standing dead

forage during the winter and spring seasons, when fresh grass is unavailable.



We sometimes think, “Why ismy livestock is not growing?”. Wolf, drought,

dzud, livestock theft, disease and barren soil are the reasons affect number of

livestock. But in growth of livestock not only above reasons are affecting

also need human knowledge of take care animals and self effort are the

growth of herders’ livestock.

In Mongolia most case summer and winter zone pasture capacities are

exceeded.

If current practices continue unabated, in the future the degraded area

of pasture lands will cover more area due to poor management and without

allocation of pasture for each season. There is a fine balance that needs to be

struck between ensuring the resources for the next generation while also

ensuring that the current generation of local herders have access to natural

resources to make a livelihood.

Movement by seasons is the key element of pastoral nomadism and it

should be the key of pasture management for its sustainability. Scientists

have been proven that steppe and mountain steppe pastures are highly

resilient and recover rapidly when grazing pressure is relaxed or removed.

For instance, the following photo is shown how pasture quality was

increased after a year livestock grazing removal from pasture by a “big”

difference between inside and outside of the enclosure established in Turag

valley of Hanh soum, Hovsgol aimag. We strongly recommend that the first

step of pasture management is to increase a frequency and distance of

seasonal movement.



Also if the herders do not move longer distance gene chronological problems

occurred. For example: 50% of the herders are genetically related in every

soum of Mongolia.

Present pattern of Mongolian pasture

There is 128 million ha natural pasture and 2 million ha natural hay area in

Mongolia. It consists of about 70% of the total area of the country (1.72

million square kilometers) and is semi-arid grasslands or arid desert. The

grasslands have been occupied by nomadic pastoralists for centuries and

have evolved with a long history of grazing. However, Mongolian

grasslands have been preserved until recently due to the sustainable use of

pastureland as a result of the mobility of the pastoral nomads.

These grasslands presently support Mongolia’s 28 million head of

domestic livestock and large cyclical populations of wild herbivores such as

grasshoppers, Brandt’s vole, gazelles and wild ass. Livestock numbers have



increased almost 4-fold over the last 80 years and Mongolia now has the

highest number of livestock per person in the World; livestock account for

over 32% of Mongolia’s gross domestic product and 30% of exports. With

this increase in the number of livestock, more than 70% of pasture has

experienced some degradation and 7% is heavily degraded. Most researchers

have been proven that the main reasons of the pasture degradation facing

with Mongolians over the last 15 years are the livestock increasing number

and restriction of number and length of herders movement by seasons.

With the pasture degradation, although Mongols have a rich tradition

of nomadic animal husbandry, it is becoming increasingly important to

provide herders with a handbook on pasture plants and soil. Especially,

herders should know what are the indicators of pasture degradation so they

can avoid overgrazing a pasture by their livestock.

About 2200 vascular plant species, of which about 600 species are

palatable for livestock, occur in the natural pasture of the country. Not all

plant species found on pasture for whole Mongolia are included in this

handbook. Instead, the handbook focuses on commonly seen plants and

plants that are representative of pasture degradation. More extensive

information about pasture plants can be found in two excellent guides,

Forage Plants in Mongolia (© 2003 by Sodnomdarjaa Jigjidsuren and

Douglas A. Jonhson) and The Key to Forage Plants of Mongolia (© 1985 by

Nadmid Olziikhutag). Except this two guides, previous guides and keys to

the vascular plants of Mongolia such as Palatable plants in pasture of

Mongolian People Republic by Yunatov, A. A, 1954, The Key to Forage

Plants of Mongolia by Olziikhutag, N, 1985 and The Key to Vascular Plants

of Mongolia by Grubov, V. I, 1982 were used as references in this small

handbook as well.



Also, in this handbook we provide herders with some simple methods

for measurements of pasture soil parameters, which are main indicators of

pasture soil degradation.

Indicators of pasture degradation

A. Pasture Soil

Soil can be described in many different ways, such as heavy, light, sandy,

clay, loam, poor or good. Scientists typically describe soil according to its

color, compaction, moisture content, organic content, acidity, structure,

temperature, and texture. Although each of these indicators is important,

four indicators (texture, color, compaction and temperature) are more

important than the others. We will provide a brief overview and simple

methods to measure the three indicators below.

Soil texture

There are three major categories of soil as a sandy, loamy and clay soil.

Sandy soil absorbs more than 5 cm of water per hour. It is very porous, with

large spaces between soil particles. Little water is retained and the sandy soil

dries out quickly. Loamy soil absorbs from 0.1 cm to 5 cm per hour. The soil

is loose and porous and holds water quite well. Clay soil absorbs less than

0.1 cm of water per hour. Clay soil is dense with few air spaces between

particles and holds water so tightly that little water is available for plants.

To figure out what type of soil you have, there are several easy

methods. The first, called the rope test, requires that you squeeze a moist,

but not muddy, small part of soil in your hand. Then rub the soil between

your fingers. Sandy soil feels gritty and loose. It won't form a ball and falls

apart when rubbed between your fingers. Loam soil is smooth, slick,



partially gritty and sticky and forms a ball that crumbles easily. It is a

combination of sand and clay particles. Clay soil is smooth, sticky and

somewhat plastic feeling. It forms ribbons when pressed between fingers.

Clay soil requires more pressure to form a ball than loam soil, but does not

crumble apart as easily.

Soil Color

Soil color can provide information about organic matter in the soil, drainage,

biotic activity, and fertility. The chart below can give you some insight into

the condition of your soil just from its appearance. To identify the color of

your soil, you should take a small shovel, and dig a shallow hole, at least 3

cm – 4cm deep, and gauge the color (you should do this quickly before the

sun can dry it out).

ColorCondition

Dark Moderately dark Light

Organic matter High Medium Low

Erosion factor Low Medium HighAeration High Medium Low

Available nitrogen High Medium Low

Fertility High Medium Low

Bare ground

The most important characteristic of healthy pasture is an adequate cover of

vegetation. Bare ground causes rain to run off swiftly, carrying with it

sediment and soil nutrients. The result is erosion and less productive

rangeland. Vegetation traps rainfall so that it has time to soak into the soil,

lessens the force of raindrops on the soil, and slows and filters water flowing

over the land so that less water and sediment run off. All of these actions



improve the quality of water entering our surface and ground water supplies.

A good plant cover also lowers soil temperature and protects the soil surface

from animal and mechanical traffic, which increases the ability of the soil to

absorb precipitation. Soil that holds water well produces higher quality

forage and lessens the financial risk of drought.

Estimating the percentage of your pasture that is bare of vegetation,

and keeping track of that information over time, will tell you whether or not

the health of your pasture are declining. The small line transect method is a

simple way to determine the percent of bare ground and rock. Within your

pasture area, establish several beginning points (at least 5 points) for

transects (straight lines). At each beginning point, pick a random point in the

distance and walk toward it. After every ten paces stop and observe the

ground at the tip of your right shoe. On the paper sheet, record whether there

is bare ground or rock, or whether there is vegetation. Continue until you

have taken ten such readings along each transect. Calculate the percentage of

bare ground for each transect (the number of stops where you recorded bare

ground or rock, times ten). For example, three instances of bare ground or

rock in 10 observations (100 paces) would equal 30 percent bare ground.

Then calculate the percent bare ground average for the whole pasture area by

averaging the percentages of all transects. For example, if you walked three

transects and they showed 30, 20 and 50 percent bare ground, the average

for the pasture area would be 33 percent. There will be obvious seasonal

changes in vegetative cover because of plant growth and death. So use the

method at least twice each year–before the growing season begins and again

after the first frost in the fall. Monitor at the same times each year so that

your record will accurately reflect changes in bare ground over time.

Not all range sites have the potential for 100 percent vegetative cover.



Some are naturally rocky or sparsely covered with plants. The importance of

monitoring your pasture is that you will know whether or not the percentage

of bare ground is increasing. If it is, the pasture is becoming less healthy and

corrective actions are needed.

B. Pasture Plant

Pasture plants are different in steppe, mountain steppe and gobi desert zones.

Generally, scientists estimated that there are about 200 pasture types in

Mongolia. In other hand, 200 pasture types are comfort for livestock

grazing. These pasture types respond differently to livestock grazing.

Here we provide information and image of plants that commonly

distribute throughout whole Mongolia and are endorsed by most scientists

and researchers as an indicator of pasture degradation. Note that the plants

including in this handbook are in climax community without livestock

grazing in some extend. Due to heavy grazing these plants abundantly grow

in pasture because they have good ability to grow in soil with low nutrient

and moisture. Also in this handbook do not contain plants that abundantly

grow around herder camp such as goosefoots, nettles and wormwoods

(species of Chenopodium, Urtica and Artemisia).



Mongolian name: Agi

Scientific name: Artemisia frigida Willd

Indicator of pasture degradation

Fragrant, aromatic perennial, mat-forming, xerophytic "semi-shrub," woody

at the base. Grayish and leaf is velvety. Grows to a height of 10 to 35cm

with a spread of 15 to 30cm. Woody stems are spreading and often much

branched. Numerous small yellow flower heads are borne in nodding

racemes or open panicles.

Its phenology is influenced by geographic location. Generally growth

begins about mid-April. Flowers in late August, and seed ripen by mid-

September and the foliage dries "soon" afterward.

Wormwood occupies a wide variety of sites. Most typically, it grows

in full sunlight in dry, gravelly and stony slopes, foothills, rocky sites in dry

river basins, edges of dry river banks, and desert steppe with coarse, shallow

soils.

This species distributes in Hovsgol, Hentii, Hangai, Mongol-Daurian,

Hovd, Mongol Altai, Midlle Halha, Depression of Great Lakes, Valley of

Lakes, East Gobi and Gobi-Altai.

Wormwood varies considerably in its value as forage for livestock. It

is unpalatable to cattle. Livestock will not begin to eat it until other forage

becomes scarce. However, it rates "very good" for domestic sheep and goats

in palatability, especially during winter and spring.It consists of more than 40% of total pasture yield of heavily grazed

south facing pasture.



Mongolian name: Navtuul

Scientific name: Potentilla acaulis L


Xerophytic perennial forb with bright yellow flower. This plant forms small

loose tufts. Leaves numerous, hairy, velvety, grayish. Flowers in May and

seed mature in June-July. If summer condition is favorable, it flowers in late

autumn again.

Prefers steppe debris, stony slopes, tailings, thin sands in sandy

steppes, montane steppes and rocks.

This species distributes in Hovsgol, Hentii, Hangai, Mongol-Daurian,

Hovd, Mongol Altai, Middle Halha, East Mongolia, Depression of Great

Lakes, and Valley of Lakes.Sheep and goats graze well young plants in early spring. Large

animals don’t graze because of its extremely short growth. Relative

preference for this species decreases when other plants are abundant.

This species consists of 40-45% of total yield of heavily grazed

pasture. Indicator species of pasture degradation.



Mongolian name: Hiag

Scientific name: Elymus chinensis


Xerophytic perennial grass. Reproduces by rhizomes branching at 2-8 cm

soil depth. Height is about 20 cm in degraded pasture and 50 cm in ungrazed

pasture. Whole plant is grayish. The upper side of leaf is hairy. Growing

begins in early spring. Flowers in July, and seed ripen between in late July

and first days of August. Grows in steppe, steppe meadows, sandier river

valley, cropland, and along road.This species distributes in Hovsgol, Hentii, Hangai, Mongol-Daurian,

Great Hingan, Middle Halha, Eastern Mongolia, Depression of Great Lakes,

Valley of Lakes and Gobi-Altai.

In wintertime its palatability is moderate for all livestock. Horse

prefers it in summer. Cattle graze well and sheep and goats graze moderately

in summer.

It consists of about 25% of total yield of overgrazed pasture.

Mongolian name: YorhogScientific name: Agropyron cristatum L




Xerophytic perennial bunch grass. Height is 30-70 cm. Grayish, and hairy.

Spikelet (inflorescence) is comb shaped and straight. Growing begins in late

April, flowers in mid July and seed matures in mid August. Grows in

mountain steppe, steppe, meadow, and along sandy shore of river. \

Distributes in Hovsgol, Hentii, Hangai, Mongol Daurian, MongolAltai, Middle Halha, Eastern Mongolia, and depression of Great Lakes.

Horse, sheep and goats graze well in spring. Generally, palatability is

good for all livestock.

This species consists of 15-20 percent of total yield of overgrazed

pasture.

Mongolian name: Hazaar ovs

Scientific name: Cleistogenes squarrosa




Xerophytic, perennial grass. Height is 15-30 cm. Color is bright green. Root

is fibrous and 50-60 cm long. Flowers in late July, seed ripens in September.

Grows in stony slope, mountain steppe and mountain steppe.

Distributes in Hentii, Hangai, Mongol-Daurian, Mongol Altai, MiddleHalha, Eastern Mongolia, Depression of Great Lakes, Valley of Lakes,

Eastern Gobi, and Gobi Altai.

Moderately palatable to all livestock in summer time. In autumn it

dries, litters and blows by wind.

Mongolian name: Shireg ulalj

Scientific name: Carex duriuscula


Xerophytic, perennial sedge. Height is about 5 cm in heavily overgrazed

pasture, 15 cm in ungrazed pasture. This plant forms a tight mat. Leaves are

short, narrow, and bound to spikes. Flower is brown. Flowers in late May,

seed matures in early June. Grows in sandier steppe, lower part of mountain

steppe, and moist meadow.

This species distributes Hovsgol, Hentii, Hangai, Mongol Daurian,

Mongol Altai, Middle Halha, Eastern Mongolia, Depression of Great Lakes,

Valley of Lakes, Gobi-Altai and Eastern Gobi.

It is good for small animals during summer and moderately palatablefor horse and cattle.

In heavily grazed meadow and lower part of hill and mountain steppe

pasture it consists of more than 70% of total yield because of its ability to

form a tight mat.



Mongolian name: Ganga

Scientific name: Thymus gobicus Tschern


Semi-shrub with woody base. 2-3cm in height, prostrate. Heavily branched

stems round and evenly hairy, leaves small and red brown. Flowers in July,

and seed matures in August. Cured litter persists through winter. Prefers

sandy deposits, sandy steppe, gravelly banks, gravelly and stony slopes,

hillside areas, boulders, and scree.

This species distributes in Hovsgol, Hentii, Hangai, Middle Halha,

Mongol-Daurian, Depression of Great Lakes, Valley of Lakes, Eastern

Mongolia and Gobi-Altai.Animals don’t eat green plants. Sheep and goats graze a dried and

cured standing matter, and horse graze occasionally. Camels and cattle don’t

graze.

This species consists of 40-50% of total pasture yield of south facing

upper steppe of heavily grazed pastures whereas it constitutes 10-20% in

ungrazed pastures.



LIVELIHOOD and MARKETS OF HERDER HOUSEHOLD

Herder livelihood and markets of herder household

Herder components of income are selling wooden furniture, selling

cashmere, preserving and selling meat, selling animal skins, preparing hay,

preparing firewood, selling milk products, selling sheep wool, gathering andselling blueberry, making transport and also handy crafts.

The consequences of the introduction market economy have increased

the gap between wealthy and poor herders. Wealthy families have more

capacity to increase family income but poor families have no such ability.

Herder livelihoods depend directly on the number of family members, the

number of hands labor, number of livestock, labor abilities of head of family

and members and their innovation and initiatives. Herder would think that

can I get the incomes as big as cashmere from livestock product?

Yes, it is possible. In nowadays, intensive livestock industry

becoming main resource of the big income. But in Mongolia it is critical and

due to lack of infrastructures still can not develop the intensive animal

husbandry. But due to remoteness from the market and inability to access to

the market most herders can not sell the products market prices.

Herders cooperation with local governmentIn the addressing current unsustainable gazing patterns, policymakers need

heed the multiple ways in which wealth and poverty affect pastoral resource

use and must consider how to help herders overcome materials as well as

social constraints on mobility. Particularly the trend for households to campin one place for all for seasons and graze the surrounding pasture year-round

without an opportunity for the to rest .

In soums and bags built without planning, the corrals and barns for

winter and spring are the main sources of restriction to establish such pasture

allocations. Therefore herders, researchers and local governments are always

needed to cooperate. This means that local government must consider the

results of environmental study and use this in their decision making to solve

all kind of problems that facing to herders. This is the one of the important

thing of sustainability.

What can I do to protect my pasture and animals?



Better cooperation and development of management plans is required to

allocate the pasture land by seasonal zones for each family or Hot Ail to

manage these resources for now and in the future.

Documents

Herder Handbook Hovsgol Ecology