Uvs Nuur Basin

The component protected areas were given a status of Specially Protected Area in 1993. Since then, they have been under the management of their respective park administrations, which are financed by the state budget. The park management is appointed by the relevant Ministries and reports to the Protected Area Department at the Ministry. The management plan for the Tuvan section (Russian Federation) was approved in 2007 and covered the period of 2008-2012. It is not clear if a new management plan was developed and approved since. The latest management plan for the Mongolian section was developed and approved in 2019, covering the activities until 2025 (IUCN Consultation, 2020a). A first joint management plan was approved by both Governments in 2010 and an update was approved in 2018, covering the period of 2018-2022. In both countries, the components of the World Heritage sites lie within biosphere reserves, which are working together and in their respective territories to ensure the implementation of the joint management plan, which by the end of 2019 had been implemented by 55% (IUCN Consultation, 2020a). The content provides an overview of essential ecosystems, communities (lakes, steppes, glaciers) and species and management based on the conservation strategy of guarding the territories, expansion of species' migration corridors, education and awareness raising activities, development of scientific research and monitoring, as well as the development of ecotourism (Ubsunurskaya Kotlovina State Biosphere Reserve, 2020).

There is no record of a formal protected areas management effectiveness assessment for either the Russian or the Mongolian component parts of this transboundary site. The administration of the Russian components listed imperfections of the legal basis (particularly regarding financial and legal obligations of land users), a lack of equipment of the protection service (vehicles, communications equipment, office equipment, uniforms and field clothing), a high staff turnover and low wages, and lack of qualified staff as factors limiting management effectiveness (Ubsunurskaya Kotlovina State Biosphere Reserve, 2017). It has also been noted that the geographical distance of the administration (based in the Kyzyl, the capital of the Tuva Republic) from the actual component areas, compromises effective management. No information on the management effectiveness of the Mongolian components is currently available. The transboundary location of the Uvs Nuur Basin site creates difficulties in management since it involves cooperation between administrations in two different countries (Butorin 2005). In 2008 the Ministry of Environment Protection and Natural Resources of the Russian Federation and the Ministry of Nature and Environment of Mongolia, signed a protocol on establishment of trans-boundary Uvs Nuur Basin SPA. However, no such decision had been made by 2014 (see also Enkhtsetseg 2009). But an application for a transboundary reserve nomination currently is in preparation (Ubsunurskaya Kotlovina, State Biosphere Reserve, 2020).

Park boundaries are marked at the main entrance points with signboards. Back in 2005, the participants of the workshop on the “Management problems and development perspectives of the Uvs Nuur Basin World Heritage site” noted that in the Tuvan side, the boundaries of the site were not well marked (Butorin, 2005). In order to develop the natural conservation management, ”border columns” and information boards have been set up in the strictly protected areas (IUCN Consultation, 2020). There is an agreement between Mongolian and Russian parts of the site to conduct joint inspection along the both sides of the frontier, exchanging information on law infringement (Butorin, 2005).

On the Russian side, the nature reserve is poorly integrated into the regional programmes (socio-economic, conservation and educational). Although in connection with the expansion of the Reserve in 2000 (new clusters "Kara-Khol" and " Khan-Deer" covering Snow Leopard habitats were created), the Reserve's office was transferred to Kyzyl, the capital of the republic, a point equidistant from all clusters and district inspections. Located in Kyzyl, the Reserve has improved its interaction with the republican authorities and public organizations (IUCN Consultation, 2020b).

It has been noted that the management authority on the Russian side does not pay sufficient attention to the needs of local population wishing to generate income through their traditional ways of livelihood in the areas neighbouring to the site (Butorin, 2005). There seems to have been a general lack of cooperation with local self-government structures, and probably also with local inhabitants and resource users (IUCN Consultation, 2017; UNEP-WCMC, 2011). The park authority on the Mongolian part of the site is engaging local people in the conservation activities by allowing non-detrimental traditional use of natural resources. In addition, it is collaborating with local communities in the tourism development, by supporting traditional handicraft making of the local people for the sale to tourists. Since 2009, in partnership with the WWF Mongolia Program Office, the Altai-Sayan Project, and the Climate Change Project, the “Community Development and Partnership” event has been organized annually at local levels. Community members are empowered and learning from each other. There are also some 30 volunteer rangers who work together on conservation activities, which is important for effective monitoring. Although there are some concerns in the Russian component parts, the relationship with local people on the Mongolian side seem effective, and is therefore overall this aspect is assessed as “Mostly Effective”.

The five Tuvan cluster areas making up the Uvs Nuur Zapovednik in the Russian Federation were given protected area status by both the governments of the Republic of Tuva and the Russian Federation in 1993. In 2000, two clusters were added, expanding the territory of the Reserve ("Kara-Khol" and "Khan-Deer" covering Snow Leopard habitats); however, this has not been reflected yet in the configuration of the World Heritage site. The four cluster areas in Mongolia were listed under the Mongolian Law on Protected Areas as Strictly Protected Areas. Although, the current legislation does not ensure the sustainable financing for the parks (Joint management plan, 2010), overall, the legal framework for the Uvs Nuur Basin World Heritage Site is mostly effective (IUCN Consultation, 2020a).

Detailed information on enforcement effectiveness – such as on the number of violations detected and brought to court, long term statistics in infringements etc. – is not available. According to the website of the Russian component PA, there is a lack of equipment for effective enforcement in some of the remote component areas of the series in Tuva Republic (Ubsunurskaya Kotlovina State Biosphere Reserve 2017). The geographical distance of the administration from the component areas, as well as the high staff turnover and lack of qualified staff have also been noted (IUCN Consultation, 2017), and are likely to limit enforcement effectiveness. It has been reported that weak enforcement capacity in combination with increasing visitation (at least on the Russian side) has lead to an increase in poaching (IUCN Consultation, 2017). There are also concerns about illegal logging in some areas of the property (WHC, 2014). Recently, stricter penalties for environmental crimes, joint inspections, as well as better advocacy and monitoring have been implemented to combat illegal activities (IUCN Consultation, 2020a), however, some concern regarding law enforcement still exist.

The 27th Committee decisions and recommendations focused on (1) upgrading the Tes River Specially Protected Area in Mongolia, protected at a provincial level at that time, to a Specially Protected Area under State legislation, which has since been
implemented (World Heritage Committee, 2014); and (2) encouraging States Parties to ensure adequate resources made available quickly and maintained for the effective implementation of the management plans (this seems to have not fully been addressed yet – IUCN Consultation, 2017).

Local people are allowed to carry out non-detrimental traditional use of natural resources, particularly through grazing. Land use and waste management agreements have been set up with the households and livestock livestock farmers in the transition areas of the site, which are evaluated once a year (IUCN Consultation, 2020). However, there is a need to regulate this more pro-actively (World Heritage Committee, 2014). It has also been noted that there is a boom in harvesting of non-timber forest products in the region (IUCN Consultation, 2017), which also suggests a need for a more systematic, regulated approach. There may be potential for increased sustainable nature-based tourism in the region (IUCN Consultation, 2017). No detailed information about the arrangements for and extent of these uses is available.

Due to the small state budget for PA conservation work, the site management cooperate with international and domestic environmental projects and programs (IUCN Consultation, 2020). However, there are no up-to-date figures available on the annual budget of the component PAs of the cluster in any of the recent documents (IUCN Consultation 2017, Ubsunurskaya Kotlovina State Biosphere Reserve 2017, UNEP-WCMC 2011, WHC 2014). This makes it difficult to assess the sustainability of current financing levels. However, there is concern because the high number of clusters that are remote requires effective transport and communication devices (Butorin 2005). Lack of investment into the infrastructure can negatively impact the monitoring and protection activities of the park administration (IUCN Consultation, 2013). In addition, the website of the Tuvan component PA states that there are resourcing shortfalls on equipment, infrastructure and salaries (Ubsunurskaya Kotlovina State Biosphere Reserve 2017), which suggests that the financing level is not fully sustainable long-term.

The reserve on the Tuvan side of the World Heritage site had 83 staff in 2013. The remoteness of the site and the high cost for travel to the training centres limit professional training and capacity building of site managers and staff. Furthermore, the low level of remuneration for the park staff negatively influences the quality of their performance, leads to high staff turnover and hence to frequent losses of experienced staff (IUCN Consultation, 2013, 2017, Ubsunurskaya Kotlovina State Biosphere Reserve 2017). The size of the area monitored by each ranger is very large (between 7,500 and 22,000 ha per ranger, depending on PA category - Ubsunurskaya Kotlovina State Biosphere Reserve 2017). This discourages rangers to be committed for a long term (Enkhtsetsteg 2009). Some training has been organized twice a year for the Protected Areas administration specialists, rangers and volunteer rangers (IUCN Consultation, 2020) and although overall the training program was considered satisfactory in 2014, it needs to be further improved with the integration of new subjects on monitoring, research, GIS and remote sensing. Uvs Nuur Basin SPA administration has been paying particular attention to its staff development through providing external training at training institutions (Enkhtsetseg 2009).

On the territory of the Mongolian section of the World Heritage site, the environmental information centre is working with the aim to provide local population and visitors with the information on nature conservation, scientific literature and legislative acts. Educational programs are broadcasted regularly through local and national TV and radio. Roundtable discussions are organized with the involvement of scientists, researchers and protected area staff. Annual events such as visits to the most prominent spots in the site, consultation with the local communities and environmental action days are organized in order to raise public awareness on the site protection (IUCN Consultation, 2013). In the Natural Heritage transition zone, training and advocacy for 7,500 people annually has been organized through four information centers and 14 school Eco-clubs, to disseminate environmental information, support Eco-club teachers and students in the suburbs, to provide opportunities for them to learn from each other and to improve their ecological education. Currently, over 500 children and teachers are have taken part. The Uvs Nuur Basin Special Protected Area has participated for the third year in the "Snow leopard" festival which is organized by the Tuva Biosphere Reserve (IUCN Consultation, 2020a).
The website of the Russian component protected area lists a range of education and awareness raising activities (Ubsunurskaya Kotlovina State Biosphere Reserve, 2017). However, several reports refer to the fact that, overall, the awareness of the local population on environmental issues particularly on the trans-boundary biodiversity conservation, landscape and water conservation (IUCN Consultation, 2013) and ecological knowledge remains low (Butorin, 2005). It has also been noted that, on the Tuvan site, there is a need for closer integration of education and awareness raising activities with those of other local and regional players (IUCN Consultation, 2017).

Although the World Heritage site includes a variety of places representing diverse natural landscapes and historic importance and has a great potential for eco-tourism, its recreational resources are underutilized (IUCN Consultation, 2013). The tourism does not generate tangible benefits and income for local people and protected area management. Furthermore, there are no statistics and related information on the number of tourists, main tourist routes and possible impact caused by the tourism activities. It also appears that there is localized and unregulated tourism pressure in some areas, such as Lake Tore-Khol in the protective zone of “Tsuger Els” cluster, and that unregulated dirt roads are appearing in steppe and sandy areas along Tes-Khem River (IUCN Consultation, 2017). This point to a potential need for more systematic and proactive tourism management at the World Heritage site.

Both reserves authorities carry out monitoring activities on their respective territories (Ubsunurskaya Kotlovina State Biosphere Reserve, 2017; World Heritage Committee, 2014; IUCN Consultation, 2017). However, no details are available on these monitoring programmes. Consultation reveals that the park administration lacks the adequate use of modern monitoring devices that include camera traps, genetic certification, GIS and remote sensing that are required for the monitoring of rare and endangered species (IUCN Consultation, 2013). Furthermore, there is a need to exchange research and monitoring/assessment data on transboundary endangered and migratory wildlife species, but progress in this direction has been slow in the past , due to lack of funding (Enkhtsetsteg 2009). One exception is the joint transboundary Argali sheep study that started in 2008. The population size is estimated during mating season, newborn Argali are captured, collared and telemetry surveys conducted. Results show that Argali populations in the transboundary area are doing well, with seasonal migration between Russia and Mongolia. In 2019 under an agreement with the Border Guard Office for the Republic of Tyva and the Ubsunur Basin reserve, barbed wire fences on the Argali migration routes were dismounted. However, there is a need for resources, capacity and involvement of local conservation communities to address negative factors on virgin high mountain ecosystems, degradation of pasture, infrastructure development, high way construction, illegal hunting and mining activities (IUCN Consultation, 2020a).

Research activities have been undertaken with the support from WWF and UNDP, and in cooperation with a range of research institutions predominantly in Russia (Ubsunurskaya Kotlovina State Biosphere Reserve 2017). There is also scientific cooperation between the Russian and Mongolian component protected areas and their partners. Joint research on snow leopards in transboundary areas started in 2010. Migration and gene flow are important to keep populations healthy, especially for the small Russian population at the northern edge of the world’s snow leopard distribution area. Results show that snow leopards migrate between Mongolia and Russia crossing the Asgat River (IUCN Consultation, 2020a; Мunkhtsog et al., 2015).
Since 2017, 39 surveys of rare insects, reptiles, birds, and plants, as well as climate change and glaciation studies have been conducted in the Uvs Nuur Basin SPA. These include: Snow Leopard, Argali, Ibex, Beaver, Siberian Sparrowhawk, Central Asian Beaver, Reed Pig, River Otter, Altai Snowcock, Musk Deer, Mongolian Marmot and Plant Research (IUCN Consultation, 2020a). A potential for improvement of research beyond narrow monitoring has been identified for the Russian component areas (IUCN Consultation, 2017).
Every two years since 1989, the two protected areas administrations have been co-organizing the "Uvs Nuur" international symposium “ECOSYSTEM OF CENTRAL ASIA: RESEARCH, CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE”, leading to several recommendations and declarations, and actions taken (IUCN Consultation, 2020a).