Environmental education in northern Mongolia: A two-way street

Background/Question/Methods

International conservation research projects, often limited in time and resources, can easily focus on data gathering, analyses, and professional publication of findings without prioritizing collection of local knowledge or local outreach efforts. However, ultimate conservation goals cannot be accomplished without engaged local residents, especially in the case of species which are poached. We offer our experiences researching the Asian great bustard (Otis tarda dybowskii) and Siberian taimen (Hucho taimen) in northern Mongolia as examples of the challenges and benefits of integrating research within local communities. Our studies prioritize collaborative field biology but simultaneously work to incorporate local citizens in research efforts, interview locals for their understanding and values of these species, present research methods and results to adults and school classes, and meet with concerned citizens in regard to our projects.

Results/Conclusions

Our two research teams have found that close collaboration with local communities can lead to “two-way” environmental education, which speeds the research process, raises interest in the species among residents, allows the creation of appropriate environmental outreach programs, and provides local people opportunities to participate in research. Interviews with local people proved invaluable in allowing us to quickly locate populations of these rare species in an area where unimproved roads slow travel. Community members’ observations of animal behavior also raised new research questions. The involvement of local people in monitoring, tagging and tracking raises interest in the species, income for the community, and provides training opportunities for young people who might consider a career in biology. Our environmental education programs for rural schoolchildren are informed by listening to the interests and concerns of the community and include a summer camp emphasizing traditional Buddhist conservation ethics alongside lessons in ecology, conservation clubs, and a program in which students learn bird ecology and wildlife research skills through discussions of the movements of local bustards. Ultimately, our teams’ research results facilitate wildlife management decisions by local people.